Palmer Family

William John PALMER was born on 1 March 1830 Egham, Surrey, England and baptised there on 28 March 1830. In 1856 William, a steward on board and passenger Ellen Eliza BENNETT immigrated on the "Isabella Hercus" arriving at Lyttelton Feb 1, 1856 and married 18 Feb 1856 at the High Street Wesleyan Chapel at Christchurch.

William was a farmer at Avonside and later a news vendor, living at Brittan St. Linwood, Christchurch and he and Eliza had a family of 11 children.   

Ellen was buried 19 Feb 1900 at Holy Trinity Anglican Churchyard, Avonside and husband William John PALMER was buried with her 1st June 1906.

Children of Ellen and William Palmer:

(1) Sarah Ellen Palmer b. 2 Sept. 1856 married in 1878 Martin Secker Born: Abt. 1849 Died: 1936) Their 6 children -

i Martin John Secker b: 01 Jun 1879 Died: 1966 in Waimairi, he mar: 1914 Margaret Helen Hunter

ii Albert Cooper Secker b: 09 Jan 1881 d: 1958

iii Herbert William Secker b: 29 Apr 1882, Died: 1965; he mar: in 1908 Isabella Thompson

iv Clarice Agnes Secker b: 06 Oct 1891; d: 1970 in Nelson

v Hilton Palmer Secker b: 03 Feb 1895, d: 1973; mar: Ana Alvera Howie in 1922

vi Arthur Edwin Bennett Secker was b: 23 Apr 1900, d: 1977 mar: 1930 Edna May Shaw

(2)  Mary Ann Palmer b: 18 Sept 1857, bapt 8 Nov 1857 Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Avonside. the dau of William and Ellen Eliza (nee Bennett) Palmer, Avonside, Farmer. Sponsors: Charles Allison, Margaret Graham, Ellen E. Palmer, Chas. Mackie, Incumbent.) She married William "Bill" John Miles in 1878. Mary died 03 Mar 1922 in Sydenham, Christchurch Burial: 06 Mar 1922 Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch Block no: 5E Plot number: 42; and William d: 27 Aug 1939 in Sydenham, Christchurch Bur: 30 Aug 1939 Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch. Their 8 children;

i Charles William Miles b: 29 Oct 1879 in Sydenham, Christchurch Bapt: 23 Nov 1879 Wesleyan Church, Sydenham Occ: 1913 Carter; d: 21 Aug 1944 in Christchurch Bur: 23 Aug 1944 Ruru Lawn Cemetery; mar: 07 Aug 1913 Georgina Giddy b: 1883 in Plymouth England, Died: 1971

a Ronald Charles Miles b: 16 May 1914, d: 1986; Mar: 1939 to Louisa Spencer

b Noel Stanley John Miles b: 21 Dec 1919, d: 1998;  Mar: 1946 to Joan Chapman Wardell b: 31 Mar 1919, d: 2011

ii Henry Leonard Miles b: 17 Mar 1881 in Christchurch Bapt: 01 May 1881 Wesleyan Church, Sydenham, d: 22 Jan 1967 in Auckland Crem: 25 Jan 1967 Purewa; Mar: 1910 to Eleanor Marchand b: 1880 Parents: Simeon and Harriet Marchand. Their daughter 

a Clarice Eileen Miles b: 1911

iii Millicent Hannah Miles b: 18 Jul 1882 in Christchurch, d: 06 Aug 1955 in Christchurch Bur: 09 Aug 1955 Bromley Cemetery; Mar: 23 Nov 1911 in Methodist Church, Linwood, ChCh to Herbert John Stanley Harrington b: 19 Jan 1896 in England Occ: Builder; Parents: John and Amy Harrington: d: 29 Sep 1972 in Christchurch Bur: 05 Oct 1972 Bromley Cemetery, ChCh. Their daughters:

a Nola Winifred Harrington b: 14 Sep 1913; Occ: Nurse; d: 05 Dec 2007 in Christchurch Bur: Bromley Cemetery

b Edna Mavis Harrington b: 04 Jul 1920 d: 03 Oct 1996 in Christchurch; Mar: 1942 to Howard Gordon Smith b: 22 May 1917; d: 1990 in Christchurch

iv Ellen Elizabeth Miles b: 23 Dec 1884 in Christchurch, d: 31 Jul 1952 in Christchurch; Mar: 24 Nov 1911 in East Belt Methodist Church, ChCh to Arthur Robert Wood b: 1883; d: 1964

v Stanley Arthur Miles b: 28 Feb 1887 in Christchurch, Bapt: 03 Jun 1887 Wesleyan Church, Papanui; d: 10 Feb 1965 in Auckland, Bur: 1965 Waikaraka Cemetery;  Mar: 1913 to Elizabeth Mary Aislabie b: 1886, d: 1968 in Auckland, Bur: 1968 Mangere Cemetery

vi Agnes Emma Miles b: 20 Dec 1888 in Christchurch, Bapt: 30 May 1895 East Belt Methodist Church, Chch; d: 05 Aug 1945 in Christchurch; Bur: 07 Aug 1945 Bromley Cemetery; Mar: 23 Jan 1913 in Christchurch to James Clemens b: 1887; d: 1980

vii Clarice Mary Miles b: 21 Jan 1894 in Christchurch, Bapt: 30 May 1895 East Belt Methodist Church, Chch; d: 01 Mar 1969 in Auckland, Bur: 05 Mar 1969 Waikumete Cemetery, Auckland

viii Frederick Cecil Bennett Miles b: 20 Sep 1902 in Christchurch; Bapt: 09 Jun 1911 Wesleyan Church, Papanui; Occ: Mechanic; d: 27 May 1958 in Fairlie, Sth Canterbury Bur: 29 May 1958 Fairlie Cemetery, Sth Canterbury; Mar: 06 Jun 1932 to Agnes Marion Annan b: 1905 Parents: James Wilson and Marion Annan;  Marion d: 30 Jul 1994 in Fairlie Bur: 01 Aug 1994 Fairlie Cemetery, Sth Canterbury Theie son

a Noel Miles b: 28 Dec 1934 in Fairlie d: 06 Oct 2009 in Fairlie Bur: 10 Oct 2009 Fairlie Cemetery, Sth Canterbury; his wife Helen Patricia Miles was b: 1935 d: 10 Aug 1988 in Fairlie; Bur: 12 Aug 1988 Fairlie Cemetery, Sth Canterbury

(3)  William John Palmer b. 1 Nov. 1858 d 1838 bur Avonside - mar: 17 Aug 1888 in Mosgeil  Grace 'Gaby" Smeaton; b: 1868 - (her father: James Smeaton.) She d: 1946.  Their Children:

i  Jane Elizabeth Palmer b: 22 Jun 1890 
 
ii Leonard James Palmer b: 19 May 1895 d: 1961 Mar: 1923 to Nellie Almeuis Wroot - her Parents: William Gibson and Ellen Jane Wroot.
(4)  Frances Henrietta Palmer b. 22 March 1860 married widower James Bray on 28 Sep 1884. He was b 25 Feb 1849 at Hasfield, Gloucestershire and d 1910. He came on the "Otaki" 1876 with 1st wife Louisa who died 1883 and children Amelia b 1872, Albert b 1874 and William b 1876; children born  in NZ were Sarah Ann b 1877, Mary Annie b. 1879 and David b 1881. Louisa died 1883 aged 38yrs. James lived first at Akaroa 1876 - 1890 then moved to the North Island where he died in 1910 buried at Hastwell Cem. Wairarapa)                                            Adventist Archives: BRAY.—Sister Frances Henrietta Bray was born in the city of Christchurch, NZ in the year 1860. She accepted the message in 1932 and held her faith firm unto the end. On her death-bed she expressed her confidence in the Lord and her love for Him. Her beautiful life closed on August 10, 1944, in her 85th year. Our sister leaves 4 sons, 4 daughters, 29 grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren to mourn the loss of a loving mother.                                             

Children born to Frances and James:

i Sidney Prosper Palmer Bray b: 31 Jan 1883 d: 08 Sep 1960 in Timaru mar: 1912 Lily Ann Henrietta Worthington b: 1884; d: 09 Jan 1973 Timaru

 
ii Frances Louisa Bray b: 28 Jun 1885 d: 1961 in Waimate mar: 1908 to William Charles Ashworth b: 1880 Mar: 1908 d: 1946 in Waimate
 
iii Ellen Maud Bray b: 01 Mar 1887 d: 1984 in Hamilton mar. 1926 to Norman James Vivian Hood b: 16 Sep 1906 d: 1995 in Hamilton
 
iv Edwin Bray b: 15 Aug 1888 d: 1953 in Glenfield, Auckland mar. 1910 to Violet Edmunds b: 1891 d: 1968 in Glenfield, Auckland
 
v Arthur Palmer Bray b: 04 Oct 1889 d: 1962 in Waimate mar. 1930 to Gladys Mabel Smith b: 12 Oct 1898 Mar: 1930 d: 1986
 
vi Herbert Bray b: 28 Sep 1891 d: 13 Apr 1911 in Little River
 
vii Lydia Selina Bray b: 15 Jul 1894 d: 1964 in Waimairi mar: 1916 Cecil Courtenay White b: 1893; d: 1971 in Waimairi
 
viii Harold Charles Bray b: 02 Apr 1897 d: 04 Oct 1977 in Timaru mar: Thelma Grace b: 22 Feb 1901; d: 29 Oct 1989 in Timaru
 
ix Ina Ellen Bray b: 19 May 1899 d: 1966 mar: 1923 to William John McCutcheon b: 1885,  d: 1967

(5)  Thomas Henry Palmer b. 9 July 1861

(6)  Millicent Hannah Palmer b. 29 May 1863 d 1874 bur Avonside

(7)  Ellen Eliza Palmer b: 09 Jul 1864 in Christchurch; d: 1948 mar: 1902 to William Oliver Evans b: 1874; d: 1944. Their  children:

i Reginald William Evans b: 21 Feb 1906; d: 1920 in Eketahuna

 
ii Francis Oliver Evans b: 30 Sep 1908; d: 1989
 
iii Albert James Evans b: 08 Nov 1910; d: 1973 in Hamilton d. 1948 
(8)  Agnes Emma Palmer b. 16 May 1866 (m. George Herbert Cone)

(9)  Elizabeth Annie Palmer b. 20 May 1868 d: 09 Jul 1948 in Sydenham, Christchurch. Marriage: McNeely - Palmer on 17 March at St. Peter's, Ashbourne, by Rev. H.Irwin, John McNeely to Elizabeth A. Palmer, youngest daughter of Mr W. Palmer, of Linwood. John (Jack) McNeely was b: 1865 in Lincoln Christchurch;  Father: John McNeely, Mother: Elizabeth Mary Crosby; He d: 04 Nov 1940 in Sydenham, Christchurch. Their Children were: 

i Eveline (Eva) Lucy McNeely b: 07 Feb 1892 mar 1916 Frederick Walter Watson

ii George McNeely b: 04 Jan 1894 in Christchurch d: 26 Sep 1972 in Palmerston North mar: 1923 to Emma Florence Frances (Flo) Ernshaw b: 04 Aug 1899 in Wellington. Their children:
a Ngaire Fay McNeely mar; to Bernard Maurice Pool;
 
b Alan Roger McNeely
 
c Laurel Mary McNeely mar; Gordon Robert Drown and
 
d John Kenneth McNeely mar; to Aigaga Va'ai

(10) Alfred Edward Palmer b. 17 Aug. 1869  in Christchurch d: 1933 in Christchurch mar 1901; Elizabeth Ann Cook b: 1874; d: 1949 in Hamilton. Their children: 

i William Arthur Edward Palmer b: 06 Jun 1902 d: 1977 in Auckland

ii Mary Palmer b: 07 Apr 1909


(11) Albert Cooper Palmer b. 12 Nov. 1873  in Christchurch Died: 08 Apr 1958 in Christchurch mar: 1898 to Amy Elizabeth Thomas b: Abt. 1877:  d: 09 Jul 1936 in Christchurch. Their children:

i Ethel May Palmer b: 25 Sep 1898 d: 1981; mar: 1919 Alfred Richard Downing b: 06 Mar 1893; d: 1973

ii William Bennett Palmer b: 08 Nov 1904 Died: 1992 mar: 1929 Monica Hawkins b: 1899 d: 1989

iii Edward William Cyril Thomas Palmer b: 28 Aug 1906 d: 1998 mar:  Amy Elizabeth Thomas

If you have information on any of these family members, please contact Olwyn

Website address: http://www.winsomegriffin.com//