KALLSTROM, Alma Emelia
Born 8 July 1897; died: 23 November 1918; buried 25 November 1918; age 21
Alma was born on 8 July 1897, with her birth registered in Stratford, Taranaki. She was the fifth child of Josef Aron & Amalia Christina Kallstrom.
The KALLSTROM family name is Swedish. Josef Aron Karlsson & Amalia Kristina (Christina) Kallstrom, parents of Alma who died in the influenza epidemic, were both born in Sweden and migrated to New Zealand, setting off from Sweden on 6 March 1884. Josef and Amalia already had one daughter before leaving Sweden - Hildur Emelia, who was born on 2 July 1882.
The family settled in Taranaki, and lived to the south of Mount Taranaki, variously in Stratford, Hawera and Eltham. Sadly, their daughter Hildur died in Hawera in 1884. If other children were born in Taranaki around this time they either didn’t survive for long enough to be registered, or they were stillborn and not registered. However, in 1886 more children started arriving: Lily Bernhardine (1886); Eric Lambert (1887); Ellen Sophia (1889); Emma Louisa (1893); Alma Emelia (1897); Axel Victor (1899).
Josef was naturalized in Eltham, Taranaki on 16 December 1890, and he and Amalia were registered to vote, Josef from 1890 onwards, and Amalia from 1896. In each Electoral Roll Josef was listed as “settler” which gives no clue to his occupation and how he supported his family. In 1928, however, he is listed as carpenter and labourer.
The children attended Eltham School with at least Axel going onto Eltham District High School. However, the boys don’t appear in any records other than Axel’s prizewinning efforts at school; none of them enlisted in WW1; they don’t seem to have married in New Zealand; and they do not feature in any NZ electoral roll.
Alma’s three sisters all married, in 1914, 1915, and 1917. There is no record of Alma marrying.
Alma came to Wellington from the family home in Mountain Road in Eltham and her occupation was listed as “household duties”. When she became ill she was living at 3 Bay Road, Kilbirnie, and she was taken to Wellington College Temporary Hospital, where she died on 23 November 1918, aged 21.
Alma was buried on 25 November 1918 in the Anglican section of Karori Cemetery. Her plot was paid for the next year by her sister, Mrs Ellen COLEMAN.
Alma’s mother Amalia was buried in the same plot on 28 July 1933. Josef Kallstrom remained living in Taranaki until he died in Eltham in 1949, where he was buried in the local cemetery.
There seem to have been no notices about Alma’s death published in newspapers in either Wellington or Taranaki.
The inscription on her headstone says:
In loving memory of Alma Emelia Kallstrom
d 23 Nov 1918 a 21 yrs
“At Rest”
Also mother Amalia Christina Kallstrom
d 26 Jul 1933 a 77 yrs
‘Peace Perfect Peace’
Researched and written by Beverley Hamlin
Grave Information:
Section: CH ENG2
Plot: 123 E
Sources:
1. Newspapers: www.paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
2. New Zealand Births, Deaths & Marriages: www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz
3. School Records; Karori Cemetery Headstones: New Zealand Society of Genealogists Kiwi Collection
4. New Zealand Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981 – www.ancestry.co.uk
5. Karori Cemetery database – www.wellington.govt.nz › Services › Community & culture › Cemeteries
6. Kallstrom Family information – www.ancestry.co.uk
Born 8 July 1897; died: 23 November 1918; buried 25 November 1918; age 21
Alma was born on 8 July 1897, with her birth registered in Stratford, Taranaki. She was the fifth child of Josef Aron & Amalia Christina Kallstrom.
The KALLSTROM family name is Swedish. Josef Aron Karlsson & Amalia Kristina (Christina) Kallstrom, parents of Alma who died in the influenza epidemic, were both born in Sweden and migrated to New Zealand, setting off from Sweden on 6 March 1884. Josef and Amalia already had one daughter before leaving Sweden - Hildur Emelia, who was born on 2 July 1882.
The family settled in Taranaki, and lived to the south of Mount Taranaki, variously in Stratford, Hawera and Eltham. Sadly, their daughter Hildur died in Hawera in 1884. If other children were born in Taranaki around this time they either didn’t survive for long enough to be registered, or they were stillborn and not registered. However, in 1886 more children started arriving: Lily Bernhardine (1886); Eric Lambert (1887); Ellen Sophia (1889); Emma Louisa (1893); Alma Emelia (1897); Axel Victor (1899).
Josef was naturalized in Eltham, Taranaki on 16 December 1890, and he and Amalia were registered to vote, Josef from 1890 onwards, and Amalia from 1896. In each Electoral Roll Josef was listed as “settler” which gives no clue to his occupation and how he supported his family. In 1928, however, he is listed as carpenter and labourer.
The children attended Eltham School with at least Axel going onto Eltham District High School. However, the boys don’t appear in any records other than Axel’s prizewinning efforts at school; none of them enlisted in WW1; they don’t seem to have married in New Zealand; and they do not feature in any NZ electoral roll.
Alma’s three sisters all married, in 1914, 1915, and 1917. There is no record of Alma marrying.
Alma came to Wellington from the family home in Mountain Road in Eltham and her occupation was listed as “household duties”. When she became ill she was living at 3 Bay Road, Kilbirnie, and she was taken to Wellington College Temporary Hospital, where she died on 23 November 1918, aged 21.
Alma was buried on 25 November 1918 in the Anglican section of Karori Cemetery. Her plot was paid for the next year by her sister, Mrs Ellen COLEMAN.
Alma’s mother Amalia was buried in the same plot on 28 July 1933. Josef Kallstrom remained living in Taranaki until he died in Eltham in 1949, where he was buried in the local cemetery.
There seem to have been no notices about Alma’s death published in newspapers in either Wellington or Taranaki.
The inscription on her headstone says:
In loving memory of Alma Emelia Kallstrom
d 23 Nov 1918 a 21 yrs
“At Rest”
Also mother Amalia Christina Kallstrom
d 26 Jul 1933 a 77 yrs
‘Peace Perfect Peace’
Researched and written by Beverley Hamlin
Grave Information:
Section: CH ENG2
Plot: 123 E
Sources:
1. Newspapers: www.paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
2. New Zealand Births, Deaths & Marriages: www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz
3. School Records; Karori Cemetery Headstones: New Zealand Society of Genealogists Kiwi Collection
4. New Zealand Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981 – www.ancestry.co.uk
5. Karori Cemetery database – www.wellington.govt.nz › Services › Community & culture › Cemeteries
6. Kallstrom Family information – www.ancestry.co.uk