Page:Gillespies Beach Beginnings • Alexander (2010).pdf/98

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various parts of Taranaki, finally settling in Nelson. Mary died of an aneurism in the brain when only 47 years of age. Her daughters all live in Nelson.

Elizabeth (Liz Williams) and Bert Weenink farmed at Tetaho between Hari Hari and Whataroa for most of their married life. Their sons, Harry and Albert carried on with the family farming interests. Harry died prematurely but Albert remained farming there, including deer farming, before retiring to Hokitika to live. Fred Weenink married and lived in Masterton throughout his married life. The house in which this family grew up at Tetaho is still standing. Until a school was established at Tetaho, young May and Harry stayed with their grandmother at Fox Glacier to attend school there. May and her husband lived their entire married lives in Christchurch. Julie remained single and also settled there eventually.

The Heads

George Head who married Margaret Sullivan was a miner at Gillespie’s Beach. George had originally mined at Kaniere and also at Woodstock. The family eventually moved back to Kaniere where he had relatives and where he established the Addison’s Flat gold mine. He later became involved in sawmilling and because of his knowledge of timber and mining took charge of the Westland Court at the Christchurch Inter-Colonial Exhibition in 1906/1907. Following this he was mine host at the Kaniere Hotel for a period. As stated at the bottom of the genealogy chart at the beginning of this book, Margaret died at age 39 and George remarried an Edith Allardice but there were no offspring of this alliance. He later moved to Westport in charge of the Old People’s Home there, a position held from 1924 until 1943. He donated the Head Shield to the Westport Bowling Club. Brief notes on his sons follow.

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