DIACK, Christopher James
Born 1 September 1890; died: 29 November 1918; buried: 30 November 1918; age 28
Christopher James DIACK was born on 1 September 1890 in Palmerston, Otago, son of James DIACK and Elizabeth GEDDES.
His father was born in Scotland and worked as a wheelwright/blacksmith; his mother was also born in Scotland. They both travelled to New Zealand with James arriving in Port Chalmers on 1 November 1866 and were married on 22 February 1868 at St Andrew’s Church, Dunedin. Their family of 14 children, which included eight sons and six daughters, were all born in New Zealand.
As the family spent many years in the Palmerston area, most of the children would have attended Palmerston School, Otago. Christopher’s admission date is listed as 2 September 1895. He left on 30 September 1903 to go tailoring.
On 2 November 1914 he married Florence MARSH probably in Otaki, as Christopher was working in Levin as a tailor and Florence’s family was working on a farm near Levin.
Florence was born in England, her birth was registered in 1897 in the Salford Registration District, Lancashire. Her parents were Edward MARSH and Annie WILSON. Florence and her parents emigrated for New Zealand on 4 April 1906, on the ship Waiwera which departed London for Wellington.
Christopher and Florence’s daughter, Beryl Florence Diack, was born on 21 July 1915 in Wellington. In 1940 she married Harold WEAVER, and died on 29 April 1958 in Levin.
A son, James Edward Diack, was born on 4 April 1917 in Wellington. He married Ivy HURLEY in 1940, and later married Joan Phyllis GILL in 1947.
Christopher is listed in the New Zealand Army Reserve Rolls for the 2nd Division 1916-1917 as a tailor living at 16 Stafford Street, Mount Victoria, Wellington. However, it appears that he did not see active service as no World War I Army records exist for him. (He may have been busy as a tailor, helping to provide and alter uniforms for the army.)
Late in 1918 Christopher became unwell with influenza and was transferred to the Wellington College Temporary Hospital from Stafford Street, Mount Victoria. He died there on 29 November 1918 and was buried in Karori Cemetery on 30 November 1918. There was no death notice published in the newspaper of the day.
The New Zealand Notices of Deceased Estates for the Public Trust Office, published in the Dominion newspaper on 20 January 1919, listed Christopher as dying intestate.
Headstone:
In loving memory of
Christopher the
beloved husband of Florence Diack
died Nov 29th 1918
aged 28 yrs
“Deeply mourned”
Published in the Evening Post on 28 November 1919 were two In Memoriam notices – one inserted by his loving wife and two children; the second one inserted by his loving mother and father-in-law A and E Marsh, Levin.
The 1919 Electoral Rolls show that Florence returned from Wellington to live in Mabel Street, Weraroa (near Levin). She married Robert HOUGH in 1920 and had two more daughters. Florence and Robert continued to live in the Otaki – Levin area before moving to Wanganui. Robert died on 20 August 1976 and Florence died on 14 May 1978. Both are buried in Wanganui Cemetery.
Researched and written by Beverley Hamlin
Grave Information:
Section: PUBLIC2
Plot: 285 J
Sources:
1. New Zealand Births Deaths & Marriages historical – www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz
2. Newspapers – www.paperspast.natlib.gov.nz
3. School Records – New Zealand Society of Genealogists – Kiwi Collection
4. Karori Cemetery – www.wellington.govt.nz > Services > Community & Culture > Cemeteries
5. Diack Family information – www.ancestry.co.uk
6. New Zealand Electoral Rolls – www.ancestry.co.uk
7. GRO – General Registrar Office, England – www.gro.gov.uk
8. Also used was www.findmypast.co.uk
Born 1 September 1890; died: 29 November 1918; buried: 30 November 1918; age 28
Christopher James DIACK was born on 1 September 1890 in Palmerston, Otago, son of James DIACK and Elizabeth GEDDES.
His father was born in Scotland and worked as a wheelwright/blacksmith; his mother was also born in Scotland. They both travelled to New Zealand with James arriving in Port Chalmers on 1 November 1866 and were married on 22 February 1868 at St Andrew’s Church, Dunedin. Their family of 14 children, which included eight sons and six daughters, were all born in New Zealand.
As the family spent many years in the Palmerston area, most of the children would have attended Palmerston School, Otago. Christopher’s admission date is listed as 2 September 1895. He left on 30 September 1903 to go tailoring.
On 2 November 1914 he married Florence MARSH probably in Otaki, as Christopher was working in Levin as a tailor and Florence’s family was working on a farm near Levin.
Florence was born in England, her birth was registered in 1897 in the Salford Registration District, Lancashire. Her parents were Edward MARSH and Annie WILSON. Florence and her parents emigrated for New Zealand on 4 April 1906, on the ship Waiwera which departed London for Wellington.
Christopher and Florence’s daughter, Beryl Florence Diack, was born on 21 July 1915 in Wellington. In 1940 she married Harold WEAVER, and died on 29 April 1958 in Levin.
A son, James Edward Diack, was born on 4 April 1917 in Wellington. He married Ivy HURLEY in 1940, and later married Joan Phyllis GILL in 1947.
Christopher is listed in the New Zealand Army Reserve Rolls for the 2nd Division 1916-1917 as a tailor living at 16 Stafford Street, Mount Victoria, Wellington. However, it appears that he did not see active service as no World War I Army records exist for him. (He may have been busy as a tailor, helping to provide and alter uniforms for the army.)
Late in 1918 Christopher became unwell with influenza and was transferred to the Wellington College Temporary Hospital from Stafford Street, Mount Victoria. He died there on 29 November 1918 and was buried in Karori Cemetery on 30 November 1918. There was no death notice published in the newspaper of the day.
The New Zealand Notices of Deceased Estates for the Public Trust Office, published in the Dominion newspaper on 20 January 1919, listed Christopher as dying intestate.
Headstone:
In loving memory of
Christopher the
beloved husband of Florence Diack
died Nov 29th 1918
aged 28 yrs
“Deeply mourned”
Published in the Evening Post on 28 November 1919 were two In Memoriam notices – one inserted by his loving wife and two children; the second one inserted by his loving mother and father-in-law A and E Marsh, Levin.
The 1919 Electoral Rolls show that Florence returned from Wellington to live in Mabel Street, Weraroa (near Levin). She married Robert HOUGH in 1920 and had two more daughters. Florence and Robert continued to live in the Otaki – Levin area before moving to Wanganui. Robert died on 20 August 1976 and Florence died on 14 May 1978. Both are buried in Wanganui Cemetery.
Researched and written by Beverley Hamlin
Grave Information:
Section: PUBLIC2
Plot: 285 J
Sources:
1. New Zealand Births Deaths & Marriages historical – www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz
2. Newspapers – www.paperspast.natlib.gov.nz
3. School Records – New Zealand Society of Genealogists – Kiwi Collection
4. Karori Cemetery – www.wellington.govt.nz > Services > Community & Culture > Cemeteries
5. Diack Family information – www.ancestry.co.uk
6. New Zealand Electoral Rolls – www.ancestry.co.uk
7. GRO – General Registrar Office, England – www.gro.gov.uk
8. Also used was www.findmypast.co.uk