Tuesday, December 9, 2008

The Dunwoodie grave, Onehunga



A grave so consumed by a tree, that the now broken headstone leans drunkenly against nature's timbers, message to the world gradually fading.

Another St Peter's cemetery in Onehunga headstone. The name at the top is that of Andrew Dunwoodie. According to a site which has collected death notices (but doesn't provide dates and sources for all of them, sadly):
"DUNWOODIE Another well-known Auckland and Onehunga resident, Mr Andrew Dunwoodie, died at his residence, Queen Street, Onehunga, on the 2nd August, after a prolonged illness extending over a period of nearly two years, the immediate cause of his death being heart disease. Mr Dunwoodie had been in New Zealand for a long time. He arrived in Otago about 27 years ago, but shortly afterwards he came to Auckland, and with his brother, Mr W. Dunwoodie, started business as farming implement manufacturers, in which they were very successful, and ever since constantly resided in Onehunga, where he was greatly esteemed for his many good qualities. He was three times elected to be a member of the Borough Council. He was also a leading member of the Presbyterian Church in that district, and was superintendent of the Presbyterian Sunday school. He was also a member of the Licensing Committee, and generally up to the time his health failed, he took an active part in all local affairs. Mr Dunwoodie, who died at the early age of fifty years, leaves a widow and two sons and two daughters to mourn their loss but the sons and daughters are all grown up."
According to the Southern Cross of 19 February 1873, Mr. Dunwoodie, Onehunga blacksmith, took part in a successful ironsand smelting experiment, hammering a lump of the product into the shape of a cold chisel.

8 comments:

  1. The Dunwoodies grave number is 287. It is in its original location whereas most of the other headstones near by are not, which will mislead anyone who does not realise this. I have used the dunwoodie grave and the Tapp grave as reference points to locate my Gt Gt Gt grandfathers grave, Thomas Patten, grave number 254.

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  2. Thanks for commenting -- good to know that Mr. Dunwoodie's gravestone is still in the right place and was able to help you find your ancestor.

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  3. Andrew DUNWOODIE came to Onehunga from Kilmaronock,Scotland.
    He married Helen INGLIS in 1865.
    They had seven children, three died young.
    One, Jessie, married Samuel BARR (another blacksmith).
    They had six childreen, one of whom was my Mother. The Family name is lost - no males.

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    1. The family name is still going strong. Andrew and William migrated to New Zealand and another brother John Dunwoodie ended up on Thursday Island (Queensland). There are many generations of Dunwoodie's in New zealand and Australia who would be moved to know that Andrew's grave is in place.
      Thank you for posting the picture which will be archived with other family photos.

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    2. I was grateful for this info. on Andrew Dunwoodie, my gt.grandmother's brother. My grandmother's name was Ann and she married Nicholas Mills at Lawrence Otago NZ in 1865 I hope to visit their parents' grave (John and Mary Ann)at Renton Churchyard in Sept. when in Scotland.

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  4. Thank you very much for that information.

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  5. I believe John is my Great Grandfather, my Grandfather was John (Jack’s) son who was also named John

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  6. John is my great grandfather too. My great uncle was Jack and my grandfather was Tom born on Thursday island. Uncle Jack was Mayor on Thursday Island also owned Bowden Prarling had luggers that went out diving for Pearlshell..

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