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William and Sarah Ellen
Oakley
 WILLIAM OAKLEY was the
youngest son of {Alfred and Charlotte Caroline Oakley and was b: 17
Nov 1862 at Riccarton, Christchurch. He d: 28 Dec 1939 in Ashburton,
Mid Canterbury. William received his education at Brookside and was
associated with farming with his brother Robert for a few years at Overton
before his marriage 5th Nov 1884 in St Peters, Riccarton, Christchurch to
SARAH ELLEN LEWIS , daughter of ESAU LEWIS and BELINDA KERRIDGE. She
was b: 10 Oct 1864 in Oxford St. Lyttleton, Canterbury, Bapt: 29 Oct
1864, Holy Trinity, Lyttelton; and died aged 80yrs on 23 Nov 1944 in
Ashburton.
William started farming on his own account in 1885 buying 500 acres at Overdale. He and brother Robert were elected 28 Jan 1887 to the financial Committee of the Rakaia church. In 1900 he sold his land and bought from the Rev. Dr Elmslie, 1000 acres known as "Cairnvale Estate" at Mayfield and moved there with his family of three sons and four daughters The previous owner, Dr. Elmslie was a much loved minister of St Pauls Presbyterian Church, Christchurch and many of the trees on the farm were raised in the manse gardens. Farming news: 28 Sept 1901 Mayfield: The three days' steady rain has done a great amount of good and lambing progressing very satisfactorily with the favourable weather. Mr Oakley of Cairnvale reports one ewe having four lambs, and several have three. Feed was plentiful, and ploughing was carried out successfully. The wet season meant shearing was late. William trucked his first consignment of fat lambs to Ashburton New Years day 1902. Farmers had to take their sheep right down to Ashburton or Tinwald where if not sold, it meant bringing them all the way back, or being sold at a loss. William supported forming a saleyards at Mayfield as it was a very central position. He was on a committee to see this accomplished and three months later on the 18 Mar 1902, the first sale of stock was held William was on a deputation to Ashburton council to lobby for a light traffic bridge to cross the Hinds River. Recent floods meant sheep had had to swim and it took nine horses to pull over 30 bags of wheat. Mr W Oakley found it a great inconvenience when getting stock over - sheep had to be trucked at Valetta, and they were much bruised as the bridge was narrow. A bridge strong enough to allow light traps and gigs to cross was required. Council said a special loan would be needed but the stock bridge would be reinstated. On 26 Mar 1903 William Oakley chaired a meeting at Mayfield to canvass the interest in getting a dairying industry and creamery built in the area and May 1903, after a successful years operation, the shareholders in the saleyards assessed progress. In May 1904 residents again went to Council about their need for a bridge William took an
active interest in public affairs and his district's progress,. He
supported the A & P Assn and served as popular chairman of the
Overdale and the Chertsey school committees, a committee member of
the Mayfield School, chairman of directors of the Mayfield Saleyards
Company Ltd, a trustee of the cemetery and the Mayfield Brass Band. In 1905 he
appointed an elder of the Mayfield Presbyterian Church; 1910
Rangitata Road Board, 5 May 1911 JP; William
was a very successful farmer.
In 1905 William
bought a farm on the south bank of the Hinds River and it stretched from
the Mayfield bridge down the river bank for four miles, an area of 980
acres. It was divided equally between two sons - the top farm now called
"Rinaultrie" going to the 19 year-old third son Raymond and the bottom one
to the second son Laurence.
For years the school
served as an increasingly crowded venue for meeting. In Aug 1908 William
chaired a meeting where it was decided to canvass the
district for funds for a hall.
Ashburton
Guardian, 4 November 1915 - New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative
Association (Ashburton Branch), sold on behalf of Mr William Oakley, 680
acres, "Cairndale." Mayfield, to Mr Donald Duff of Methven; and
sold also for Wm. Oakley 325 acres, "Cairndale" Mayfield, to Mr
Charles Sewell of Mayfield. Valedictory
William built a
house next to the Hospital on Oak Grove and retired there until his
death 28th Dec 1939 aged 77yrs; Interred 30 Dec Ashburton Cem. Celebrant
Rev Oakley:
WILLIAM OAKLEY and
SARAH LEWIS had 12 children.are:
i. ARTHUR LEWIS OAKLEY, (b. 25 Oct 1885, Rakaia, Canterbury; Occ: Farmer Mayfield; Whangarei, Hazelburn; Rakaia; d. 30 Sep 1958, Waimate) mar: 22 Mar 1910, Mayfield to ETHEL MARY BRANNAN, , Canterbury ( b. 10 Apr 1883, Greenstreet, Ashburton; d. 02 Sep 1962, Waimate) Their children:
ii. FLORENCE ADELAIDE OAKLEY (b. 21 Aug 1887, Rakaia, Canterbury; d. 01 Aug 1982) mar: 20 Aug 1907 at the Mayfield Presbyterian Church to WILLIAM JAMES ROBERTSON, eldest son of George Robertson, Kakahu, Geraldine. Their children:
iii. LAURENCE ALFRED OAKLEY (b. 17 Dec 1889, Rakaia, Canterbury; d. 04 May 1945, Ashburton age 55Y); mar. 31 Jul 1914 at the Methodist Church, Christchurch to ELSIE EULALIA SCOWN (b. 1884 to parents Charles and Sarah Scown; d. 27 Aug 1969 Ashburton age 85Y). iv. SARAH ELLEN OAKLEY (b. 1891, Rakaia, Canterbury bapt: 24 Jul 1891; d. 08 Aug 1973); mar. 1913 to ERNEST GEORGE HAYWARD (b. 1876; d. 1951 75Y) Children:
v. RAYMOND OAKLEY (b. 28 Jul 1893, Rakaia, Canterbury; Occ: Farmer "Rinaultrie"; d. 10 May 1975, Calvary Hospital, Christchurch age 81Y bur: 13 May 1975 Ashburton Cem; Area 169 Plot No 19) mar. 7 Sep 1914 Presbyterian Church, Mayfield to OLIVE WITHELL (b. 28 Jun 1890 to parents Charles William and Sarah Withell; d. 24 May 1948, Ashburton age 58Y) Mar: (2) Miriam Margaret Harrison vi. BELINDA CATHERINE OAKLEY, b. 11 Aug 1895, Rakaia, Canterbury; d. 1987; mar. 1925 at St Andrews Church, Ashburton to JAMES MONMOUTH HODGES of Brisbane (b. 1896 son of Mr ami Mrs James Hodge; "Hapanui" Taranaki; d. 1958 aged 62Y). vii. EMILY IRENE*
OAKLEY, b. 12 Nov 1898, Rakaia, Canterbury; d. 11 Oct 1973; mar: March
1921 at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Ashburton to WILLIAM BROWN
WITHEROW BELL, third son of Mr and Mrs Robert Bell viii. EDITH CONSTANCE OAKLEY, b. 22 Feb 1900, Rakaia, Canterbury; d. 06 Oct 1900, Rakaia, Canterbury. Cem. Ruapuna Area Plot No 262 ix. WILLIAM JOHN OAKLEY, b. 10 Dec 1901, Ashburton, Mid Canterbury; d. 14 Jan 1977; mar: 1943; to HELEN CARLTON WADDY, b. 20 Dec 1912 - her Father Charles Carlton WADDY (1880-1926)and mother Ethel Alice Dolina BENNETT (Cir 1881-1967); d. 1985). Their daughter
x. MURIEL EVA OAKLEY (b. 03 Aug 1903, Ashburton, Mid Canterbury; Occ: nurse; d. 1987); mar. 1930 to CLAUDE GILMAN (b: 13 Sep 1901; d. 1978) They had no family no family but brought up sister Gwens son xi. MADELINE SYBIL ELIZABETH OAKLEY (b. 25 Jan 1905, Ashburton, Mid Canterbury; d. 1955, Ashburton, Mid Canterbury 80Y) mar: 1930 to CLAUDE WILFRID ANDERSON (b. 1906; d. 1965 aged 59Y) xii. GWENDOLINE FRANCES OAKLEY (b. 29 Mar 1909, Ashburton, Mid Canterbury; d. 14 Jan 1947); mar: 1938 at Ashburton to JACK LEONARD PARTRIDGE (b. 1910; d. 7 Dec 1943, Age: 35 Italy (Sgnt; 27 Machine Gun Battalion) Bur: Sangro River War Cem; Torino di Sangro; Provincia di Chieti; Abruzzo, Italy Plot: XVI. C. 21. Memorial Ashburton
Sarah Ellen and William Oakley and their sons Images
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