MCPARTLAND, Cicely Josepha
(or McPartland, Sicilia Josepha)
Born 1874; died 29 November 1918; buried 30 November 1918; age 44
Cicely Josepha LINDOP was born in Staffordshire, England in the September quarter of 1874. Her birth was registered in the Walsall Registration District. Her parents, Walter Joseph LINDOP and Josepha MELLOR, married early in 1873 in the Penkridge Registration District, Staffordshire.
Two sons were born in England before the family left to travel to New Zealand sometime between 1878 and 1880. No shipping records have been found.
Once settled in the Carterton area of the Wairarapa, three more sons and two daughters were born. Their father, Walter, was a chemist and had a business in Carterton.
Cicely, now calling herself Sicilia, married Edward MCPARTLAND, an engineer, on 13 July 1901, in Carterton. They later moved around the North Island because of Edward’s position as a dairy factory manager, including time in the Manawatu, Taranaki, Auckland and lastly, Wellington.
Sicilia and Edward had seven children (four daughters, three sons) between 1902 and 1911. While living in Taranaki their son, Douglas, died aged 3, following a tragic poisoning accident. By 1918 the family were settled in Wellington and Sicilia had found work to help support the family.
About 5am on 29 November 1918 Sicilia left her home at 296 Tinakori Road for work as a charwoman at the Public Trust Office. She had been suffering from influenza for about two weeks but had not sought medical attention. Soon after starting her duties she was found unconscious and a doctor was called, but she died soon after. An inquest was held in the afternoon of 29 November and was reported in the New Zealand Times on 30 November:
“SUDDEN DEATH
An inquest was held by Mr., P. V. Frazer. S.M., Coroner, yesterday afternoon regarding the sudden death of Mrs. Cecilia Josephine McPartland, while engaged in charring at the Public Trust Office yesterday morning at about half past seven. Dr Kington Fyffe, who had made a post mortem examination of the body of the deceased, said that there were no bruises or external marks of violence. The lungs were in a condition of acute oedema, due to influenza.
Mary Elizabeth Jeffries, charwoman, residing at 170, Hanson-street, deposed that she knew the deceased, and last saw her alive at 5.15 a.m. yesterday, when she was going into the Public Trust Office. Deceased had complained that she did not feel well, and did not quite feel fit for work. Witness knew that deceased had suffered from influenza. Mrs. McPartland kept on working, but an hour later witness found her lying unconscious, and at once sent for Dr. Hardwick Smith. Mrs. McPartland died shortly after his arrival.
Edward McPartland, factory manager, of 296, Tinakori Road, in the course of his evidence, said that his wife, who was about 44 years of age, had been suffering from influenza for about a fortnight. She had thought it a slight attack, and considered that she did not require medical attention; but she obtained medicine. There was no reason why she should have gone to work, and witness told her not to do so. She was earning £6 a month, and had a military pension of £10 per month, while witness had a pension of £6 10s per month, and was earning from £2 to £3 per week.
A verdict was returned in accordance with the medical evidence.”
A report in the Wairarapa Daily Times of 30 November noted that Mrs McPartland was 44 and died as a result of influenza and complications. She had taken a prominent part in local patriotic affairs, and during the flu epidemic had worked hard in bringing relief to stricken families.
Sicilia was buried on 30 November in the Roman Catholic section of Karori Cemetery. The service was led by Father Bowden and E Morris Jnr was the Funeral Director. Public Health paid a grant of £7 for her funeral. Sicilia’s husband Edward was left with six children to raise, the youngest of whom was only 7 years old, and was sent to Sicilia’s mother in Carterton to be cared for.
As a widower Edward found it hard to cope, appearing before the court in January 1919 for ill-treating and neglecting a son and daughter. He undertook to ‘cut out the drink’, spent time in rehab and re-attested for the New Zealand Medical Corps in April 1919. He was discharged later that year with ‘fair’ character. Family sources at https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/McPartland-76 indicate that having sustained mustard gas damage to his lungs during the war he was advised to live in a warmer drier climate, so he moved to Queensland, after putting his two sons (Bernard and Paddy) into an orphanage. Edward died in Queensland in 1954.
Sicilia’s plot in Karori Cemetery was never paid for and many years later her remains were disinterred and reburied nearby. The plot was then resold. Family members have in more recent years installed a plaque elsewhere in the Catholic section commemorating her.
(or McPartland, Sicilia Josepha)
Born 1874; died 29 November 1918; buried 30 November 1918; age 44
Cicely Josepha LINDOP was born in Staffordshire, England in the September quarter of 1874. Her birth was registered in the Walsall Registration District. Her parents, Walter Joseph LINDOP and Josepha MELLOR, married early in 1873 in the Penkridge Registration District, Staffordshire.
Two sons were born in England before the family left to travel to New Zealand sometime between 1878 and 1880. No shipping records have been found.
Once settled in the Carterton area of the Wairarapa, three more sons and two daughters were born. Their father, Walter, was a chemist and had a business in Carterton.
Cicely, now calling herself Sicilia, married Edward MCPARTLAND, an engineer, on 13 July 1901, in Carterton. They later moved around the North Island because of Edward’s position as a dairy factory manager, including time in the Manawatu, Taranaki, Auckland and lastly, Wellington.
Sicilia and Edward had seven children (four daughters, three sons) between 1902 and 1911. While living in Taranaki their son, Douglas, died aged 3, following a tragic poisoning accident. By 1918 the family were settled in Wellington and Sicilia had found work to help support the family.
About 5am on 29 November 1918 Sicilia left her home at 296 Tinakori Road for work as a charwoman at the Public Trust Office. She had been suffering from influenza for about two weeks but had not sought medical attention. Soon after starting her duties she was found unconscious and a doctor was called, but she died soon after. An inquest was held in the afternoon of 29 November and was reported in the New Zealand Times on 30 November:
“SUDDEN DEATH
An inquest was held by Mr., P. V. Frazer. S.M., Coroner, yesterday afternoon regarding the sudden death of Mrs. Cecilia Josephine McPartland, while engaged in charring at the Public Trust Office yesterday morning at about half past seven. Dr Kington Fyffe, who had made a post mortem examination of the body of the deceased, said that there were no bruises or external marks of violence. The lungs were in a condition of acute oedema, due to influenza.
Mary Elizabeth Jeffries, charwoman, residing at 170, Hanson-street, deposed that she knew the deceased, and last saw her alive at 5.15 a.m. yesterday, when she was going into the Public Trust Office. Deceased had complained that she did not feel well, and did not quite feel fit for work. Witness knew that deceased had suffered from influenza. Mrs. McPartland kept on working, but an hour later witness found her lying unconscious, and at once sent for Dr. Hardwick Smith. Mrs. McPartland died shortly after his arrival.
Edward McPartland, factory manager, of 296, Tinakori Road, in the course of his evidence, said that his wife, who was about 44 years of age, had been suffering from influenza for about a fortnight. She had thought it a slight attack, and considered that she did not require medical attention; but she obtained medicine. There was no reason why she should have gone to work, and witness told her not to do so. She was earning £6 a month, and had a military pension of £10 per month, while witness had a pension of £6 10s per month, and was earning from £2 to £3 per week.
A verdict was returned in accordance with the medical evidence.”
A report in the Wairarapa Daily Times of 30 November noted that Mrs McPartland was 44 and died as a result of influenza and complications. She had taken a prominent part in local patriotic affairs, and during the flu epidemic had worked hard in bringing relief to stricken families.
Sicilia was buried on 30 November in the Roman Catholic section of Karori Cemetery. The service was led by Father Bowden and E Morris Jnr was the Funeral Director. Public Health paid a grant of £7 for her funeral. Sicilia’s husband Edward was left with six children to raise, the youngest of whom was only 7 years old, and was sent to Sicilia’s mother in Carterton to be cared for.
As a widower Edward found it hard to cope, appearing before the court in January 1919 for ill-treating and neglecting a son and daughter. He undertook to ‘cut out the drink’, spent time in rehab and re-attested for the New Zealand Medical Corps in April 1919. He was discharged later that year with ‘fair’ character. Family sources at https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/McPartland-76 indicate that having sustained mustard gas damage to his lungs during the war he was advised to live in a warmer drier climate, so he moved to Queensland, after putting his two sons (Bernard and Paddy) into an orphanage. Edward died in Queensland in 1954.
Sicilia’s plot in Karori Cemetery was never paid for and many years later her remains were disinterred and reburied nearby. The plot was then resold. Family members have in more recent years installed a plaque elsewhere in the Catholic section commemorating her.
Researched & written by Beverley Hamlin with contributions from Jenny Robertson
Grave information:
Section: ROM CATH
Plot: 111 P
Sources:
1. Newspapers: www.paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
2. New Zealand Births, Deaths & Marriages: www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz
3. New Zealand Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981 – www.ancestry.co.uk
4. Karori Cemetery database – www.wellington.govt.nz › Services › Community & culture › Cemeteries
5. General Register Office, England – www.gro.gov.uk
6. Lindop family information – www.ancestry.co.uk