BONASICH, Christopher Samuel
Born 1893; died 20 November 1918; buried 21 November 1918; age 25
BONASICH, William Samuel
Born 1918 died 15 November 1918; buried 16 November 1918; age 3 months
Christopher Bonasich’s baby son died of the flu on 15 November 1918. Five days later Christopher died of it too.
Christopher is not buried in the soldiers’ section of Karori Cemetery although he and a brother had earlier joined up to serve in World War I. Neither of them saw active service – at the time there were suspicions about people with Dalmatian ancestry sympathising with the enemy.
Christopher was one of five children born to his naturalised (1) Dalmatian father John BONASICH, a labourer, and his New Zealand wife, Ada BOND of Wanganui.
His father had arrived in New Zealand in 1880 from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Christopher’s parents married in May 1885 at St Mary of the Angels in Boulcott Street, Wellington when his father was 30 and his mother 18. (That church built on the same site as the current one of the same name, burnt down in 1918.) The Evening Post marriage notice (2) said Ada (born 1867) was the fifth daughter of Edward Bond, a Rangitikei fisherman. He had 10 children with his wife Rosanna (Rosa) NEWPORT, Ada being their last.
At first, John and Ada lived around Marton (3) then in Wellington at different Te Aro addresses after 1898 including Grainger Street, off Cuba Street, 17 Jacobs Place, and 11 Taranaki Street.
Christopher had two older brothers – Mark (1886) and John Lawrence (1887) (4)– and a younger brother, Richard Henry, (1894) as well as a sister, Eileen Rose (1898). Mark does not appear to have survived infancy though searches of official records are challenging with different ways of spelling the family surname – Bonacic, Bonasage, Bonashic, and Bonasich among several options used at different times (5). The siblings attended Marist Brothers schools as well as local state schools, Mt Cook Boys or Te Aro, then based in Willis Street. Eileen’s 1908 school record shows that the family also lived in Lower Hutt that year.
For well over 30 years, their father, John, worked on the Wellington wharves unloading and loading ship cargo. It seems that he could not write or possibly read, at least in English, as his will was marked with a cross in 1933 (6).
His relationship with Ada became strained before 1902 when a newspaper reported (7) him being taken to court for not providing her with maintenance. However, the charge was dismissed. The 1905-06 electoral roll showed they were cohabiting, but in 1907 another newspaper notice (8) announced that John would no longer be responsible for Ada’s debts, perhaps incurred in caring for Christopher and his siblings. An on again/off again relationship seemed to have endured for some time while the children were young, but from about 1909 the couple lived at separate addresses in Taranaki and Tory streets. In 1916 John divorced Ada, naming William CANTY as co-respondent (9). The divorce proceedings were colourfully reported.
The Bonasich brothers attended The Boys Institute, founded in the 1880s as an interdenominational charity focused on the physical, spiritual, and mental development of working class boys in Wellington city. It later also catered for girls in the area. The institute operated from a large hall on the corner of Victoria and Cuba streets. It was demolished in the twentieth century and then operated from a still extant two-storey hall built in May 1906 in Arthur Street, Te Aro.
In May 1907 Christopher performed in an institute concert to raise funds for much-needed ambulance equipment. He also gave a recitation at a lantern lecture to help raise funds for the institute’s library. His brother Richard won honours in a diving competition at the institute (10).
Born 1893; died 20 November 1918; buried 21 November 1918; age 25
BONASICH, William Samuel
Born 1918 died 15 November 1918; buried 16 November 1918; age 3 months
Christopher Bonasich’s baby son died of the flu on 15 November 1918. Five days later Christopher died of it too.
Christopher is not buried in the soldiers’ section of Karori Cemetery although he and a brother had earlier joined up to serve in World War I. Neither of them saw active service – at the time there were suspicions about people with Dalmatian ancestry sympathising with the enemy.
Christopher was one of five children born to his naturalised (1) Dalmatian father John BONASICH, a labourer, and his New Zealand wife, Ada BOND of Wanganui.
His father had arrived in New Zealand in 1880 from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Christopher’s parents married in May 1885 at St Mary of the Angels in Boulcott Street, Wellington when his father was 30 and his mother 18. (That church built on the same site as the current one of the same name, burnt down in 1918.) The Evening Post marriage notice (2) said Ada (born 1867) was the fifth daughter of Edward Bond, a Rangitikei fisherman. He had 10 children with his wife Rosanna (Rosa) NEWPORT, Ada being their last.
At first, John and Ada lived around Marton (3) then in Wellington at different Te Aro addresses after 1898 including Grainger Street, off Cuba Street, 17 Jacobs Place, and 11 Taranaki Street.
Christopher had two older brothers – Mark (1886) and John Lawrence (1887) (4)– and a younger brother, Richard Henry, (1894) as well as a sister, Eileen Rose (1898). Mark does not appear to have survived infancy though searches of official records are challenging with different ways of spelling the family surname – Bonacic, Bonasage, Bonashic, and Bonasich among several options used at different times (5). The siblings attended Marist Brothers schools as well as local state schools, Mt Cook Boys or Te Aro, then based in Willis Street. Eileen’s 1908 school record shows that the family also lived in Lower Hutt that year.
For well over 30 years, their father, John, worked on the Wellington wharves unloading and loading ship cargo. It seems that he could not write or possibly read, at least in English, as his will was marked with a cross in 1933 (6).
His relationship with Ada became strained before 1902 when a newspaper reported (7) him being taken to court for not providing her with maintenance. However, the charge was dismissed. The 1905-06 electoral roll showed they were cohabiting, but in 1907 another newspaper notice (8) announced that John would no longer be responsible for Ada’s debts, perhaps incurred in caring for Christopher and his siblings. An on again/off again relationship seemed to have endured for some time while the children were young, but from about 1909 the couple lived at separate addresses in Taranaki and Tory streets. In 1916 John divorced Ada, naming William CANTY as co-respondent (9). The divorce proceedings were colourfully reported.
The Bonasich brothers attended The Boys Institute, founded in the 1880s as an interdenominational charity focused on the physical, spiritual, and mental development of working class boys in Wellington city. It later also catered for girls in the area. The institute operated from a large hall on the corner of Victoria and Cuba streets. It was demolished in the twentieth century and then operated from a still extant two-storey hall built in May 1906 in Arthur Street, Te Aro.
In May 1907 Christopher performed in an institute concert to raise funds for much-needed ambulance equipment. He also gave a recitation at a lantern lecture to help raise funds for the institute’s library. His brother Richard won honours in a diving competition at the institute (10).
The onset of World War I made life difficult for the families of migrants from Dalmatia, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Some New Zealanders mistook them for enemy sympathisers. Te Ara: The Encyclopaedia of New Zealand notes that:
When war broke out in 1914 people defined as Austrians (which included Dalmatians) were declared enemy aliens. Auckland’s Dalmatians publicly demonstrated their support for Serbia, which was at war with the Austro-Hungarian empire. Many wanted to enlist, but the British government was reluctant to accept ‘alien enemies or descendants’. The majority were required to work for soldier’s pay on land clearance, drainage, and road and rail projects (11).
Christopher’s brother Richard was the first in his family to connect with military service, joining the territorials. But in March 1914 Richard failed to attend parade and was sentenced to a fine of 20 shillings or 7 days military detention (12). Richard, however, has no army file in Archives New Zealand, so he is unlikely to have served in World War I.
Christopher’s older brother, John (13) enlisted for war service in 1915. Attesting at Trentham on 21 January while working as a farm hand, John gave his mother Ada as his next-of-kin. She was then living at 133 Tory Street.
Christopher was called up for military service in 1917 while living at 16 Abel Smith Street. He appealed against the ballot, but it was dismissed on 23 July 1917 and he was sent to camp for training on 22 August. He gave his father John at 15A Abel Smith Street as his next-of-kin. Neither his army file nor that of his brother, John shows that they served overseas, possibly because of reluctance to trust New Zealanders with a Dalmatian parent.
Christopher’s attestation shows that he worked as a sanitary drainage flanger for W Murphy in Taranaki Street. His appeal against his name coming up in the ballot may have been because he was about to take on more responsibility for a family of his own. On 17 October 1917 as a private in the 32nd reinforcements, he married Alice LONGHURST, the eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs TJ Longhurst of Wellington.
He may have found it hard to be apart from her as his army file shows he overstayed his leave on 8 November 1917 while at Featherston Army Training Camp. He forfeited 20 days’ pay. He did it again after Christmas on 30 December 1917, being absent without leave for 12 days That cost him 11 days’ pay and a fortnight’s confinement to barracks.
Alice gave birth to his son, William Samuel Bonasich, in August 1918.
The baby was the first in the family to get sick when the influenza outbreak struck. He died on 15 November in the peak week of the flu and was buried in the public section of Karori Cemetery the next day.
Christopher may have also been coming down the flu. He was taken to the Alexandra Hall temporary hospital in Abel Smith Street from his home at 166 Taranaki Street (14) but on 20 November he died. He was buried the next day in another part of the cemetery.
Although his army file records his religion as Roman Catholic, Christopher rests in the Church of England 2 section. It is unclear whether he could have been buried in a soldier’s grave. It fell to John to meet Christopher’s funeral costs of £12 which he paid promptly. The cemetery plot cost, however, was met by Christopher’s widow, Alice in 1919.
Bad times for Christopher’s family did not end with his death. The following month John was jailed for 14 days for stealing some buttons valued at £2 he found in a ship’s hold, although he disputed the police account (15).
In 1919 separate memorial notices for Christopher were published by his wife Alice and his mother and siblings. In 1920 two further notices were inserted by his father and mother separately.
Ada died in 1928 and was buried in Church of England 2 plot 125J. Her death notice in the newspaper (16) interestingly describes her as the ‘late dearly loved wife’ of John Bonasich, so it is possible they had reunited after divorce or that the funeral director had been misinformed.
After Ada died, John lived with his widowed daughter-in-law Alice Bonasich at 166 Taranaki Street for a time before moving to Christchurch to live with his daughter Eileen who had married tailor, Bertram Arthur MOONEY in 1925. John died on 5 July 1935, leaving over £700 (or $89,000 in 2018 values) to Eileen and his granddaughter Daphne Patricia Mooney.
In 1920 Christopher’s widow Alice married Carl William JENSEN, a labourer and watersider, who was naturalised in 1929. Alice died in 1988 and was buried with Carl in the Akatarawa Cemetery.
BONASICH Christopher Samuel was buried in Karori Cemetery, Church of England 2, plot 93E.
BONASICH William Samuel was buried in Public section of Karori Cemetery, plot 284L.
Researched by Nicola Cooper and written by Jenny Robertson
Grave Information for Christopher:
Section: CH ENG2
Plot: 93 E
Grave Information for William:
Section: PUBLIC
Plot: 284 L
Sources:
(1) 1889 according to Evening Post 19 May 1916, p8.
(2) Evening Post 18 May 1885, p2.
(3) NZ Truth 27 May 1916, p5.
(4) School record for Te Aro School gives his birthdate as 27 August 1891 but his army file gives 27 August 1887.
(5) I have not located any Bonasich birth record for Ada and John’s children on NZ BDM but have taken them from an Ancestry family tree.
(6) Probate held by Wellington Branch of Archives New Zealand.
(7) NZ Times 22 July 1902, p3.
(8) Evening Post 15 October 1907, p1.
(9) NZ Truth 27 May 1916, p5.
(10) Evening Post 11 May 1907, p2.
(11) From https://teara.govt.nz/en/dalmatians/print
(12) Evening Post 6 March 1914, p8.
(13) I cannot account for this change of second name from Lawrence to Joseph, but as the army file for John Joseph Bonasich gives his next of kin as Ada Bonasich at 133 Tory Street, Wellington he does seem to be a sibling.
(14) Address taken from Wellington City Council plot summary, but E Morris junior funeral register held by Turnbull Library, Wellington records the address as 160 Taranaki Street.
(15) Evening Post 20 December 1918, p7.
(16) Evening Post 16 March 1928, p2.
When war broke out in 1914 people defined as Austrians (which included Dalmatians) were declared enemy aliens. Auckland’s Dalmatians publicly demonstrated their support for Serbia, which was at war with the Austro-Hungarian empire. Many wanted to enlist, but the British government was reluctant to accept ‘alien enemies or descendants’. The majority were required to work for soldier’s pay on land clearance, drainage, and road and rail projects (11).
Christopher’s brother Richard was the first in his family to connect with military service, joining the territorials. But in March 1914 Richard failed to attend parade and was sentenced to a fine of 20 shillings or 7 days military detention (12). Richard, however, has no army file in Archives New Zealand, so he is unlikely to have served in World War I.
Christopher’s older brother, John (13) enlisted for war service in 1915. Attesting at Trentham on 21 January while working as a farm hand, John gave his mother Ada as his next-of-kin. She was then living at 133 Tory Street.
Christopher was called up for military service in 1917 while living at 16 Abel Smith Street. He appealed against the ballot, but it was dismissed on 23 July 1917 and he was sent to camp for training on 22 August. He gave his father John at 15A Abel Smith Street as his next-of-kin. Neither his army file nor that of his brother, John shows that they served overseas, possibly because of reluctance to trust New Zealanders with a Dalmatian parent.
Christopher’s attestation shows that he worked as a sanitary drainage flanger for W Murphy in Taranaki Street. His appeal against his name coming up in the ballot may have been because he was about to take on more responsibility for a family of his own. On 17 October 1917 as a private in the 32nd reinforcements, he married Alice LONGHURST, the eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs TJ Longhurst of Wellington.
He may have found it hard to be apart from her as his army file shows he overstayed his leave on 8 November 1917 while at Featherston Army Training Camp. He forfeited 20 days’ pay. He did it again after Christmas on 30 December 1917, being absent without leave for 12 days That cost him 11 days’ pay and a fortnight’s confinement to barracks.
Alice gave birth to his son, William Samuel Bonasich, in August 1918.
The baby was the first in the family to get sick when the influenza outbreak struck. He died on 15 November in the peak week of the flu and was buried in the public section of Karori Cemetery the next day.
Christopher may have also been coming down the flu. He was taken to the Alexandra Hall temporary hospital in Abel Smith Street from his home at 166 Taranaki Street (14) but on 20 November he died. He was buried the next day in another part of the cemetery.
Although his army file records his religion as Roman Catholic, Christopher rests in the Church of England 2 section. It is unclear whether he could have been buried in a soldier’s grave. It fell to John to meet Christopher’s funeral costs of £12 which he paid promptly. The cemetery plot cost, however, was met by Christopher’s widow, Alice in 1919.
Bad times for Christopher’s family did not end with his death. The following month John was jailed for 14 days for stealing some buttons valued at £2 he found in a ship’s hold, although he disputed the police account (15).
In 1919 separate memorial notices for Christopher were published by his wife Alice and his mother and siblings. In 1920 two further notices were inserted by his father and mother separately.
Ada died in 1928 and was buried in Church of England 2 plot 125J. Her death notice in the newspaper (16) interestingly describes her as the ‘late dearly loved wife’ of John Bonasich, so it is possible they had reunited after divorce or that the funeral director had been misinformed.
After Ada died, John lived with his widowed daughter-in-law Alice Bonasich at 166 Taranaki Street for a time before moving to Christchurch to live with his daughter Eileen who had married tailor, Bertram Arthur MOONEY in 1925. John died on 5 July 1935, leaving over £700 (or $89,000 in 2018 values) to Eileen and his granddaughter Daphne Patricia Mooney.
In 1920 Christopher’s widow Alice married Carl William JENSEN, a labourer and watersider, who was naturalised in 1929. Alice died in 1988 and was buried with Carl in the Akatarawa Cemetery.
BONASICH Christopher Samuel was buried in Karori Cemetery, Church of England 2, plot 93E.
BONASICH William Samuel was buried in Public section of Karori Cemetery, plot 284L.
Researched by Nicola Cooper and written by Jenny Robertson
Grave Information for Christopher:
Section: CH ENG2
Plot: 93 E
Grave Information for William:
Section: PUBLIC
Plot: 284 L
Sources:
(1) 1889 according to Evening Post 19 May 1916, p8.
(2) Evening Post 18 May 1885, p2.
(3) NZ Truth 27 May 1916, p5.
(4) School record for Te Aro School gives his birthdate as 27 August 1891 but his army file gives 27 August 1887.
(5) I have not located any Bonasich birth record for Ada and John’s children on NZ BDM but have taken them from an Ancestry family tree.
(6) Probate held by Wellington Branch of Archives New Zealand.
(7) NZ Times 22 July 1902, p3.
(8) Evening Post 15 October 1907, p1.
(9) NZ Truth 27 May 1916, p5.
(10) Evening Post 11 May 1907, p2.
(11) From https://teara.govt.nz/en/dalmatians/print
(12) Evening Post 6 March 1914, p8.
(13) I cannot account for this change of second name from Lawrence to Joseph, but as the army file for John Joseph Bonasich gives his next of kin as Ada Bonasich at 133 Tory Street, Wellington he does seem to be a sibling.
(14) Address taken from Wellington City Council plot summary, but E Morris junior funeral register held by Turnbull Library, Wellington records the address as 160 Taranaki Street.
(15) Evening Post 20 December 1918, p7.
(16) Evening Post 16 March 1928, p2.