CLAYDEN, Annie
Born 1871; died 20 November 1918; buried 21 November 1918; age 46
CLAYDEN, Sydney
Born 27 May 1895; died 19 November 1918; buried 21 November 1918; age 23
Annie Eliza Jane PRIDGEON born in Bow, London in July 1871 married John CLAYDEN in West Ham, Essex, in July 1890. Their first child, a son they named John, was born in 1894. A second son, Sydney (sometimes spelt Sidney) was born in Leyton, Essex on 27 May 1895 and baptised in St Peter’s Church, Fulham, London on 2 August 1899. (Source Parish Register)
The boys and their mother were supported by the carpentry and joinery skills of their father, who worked on his own account. (Source UK Census1901)
Annie and the boys migrated to New Zealand in 1906 on the Rimutaka arriving in Wellington in early 1907. Sydney’s age was given as 10 on the passenger record. John had either travelled to New Zealand first and then sent for his family, or joined them later. In Wellington a new brother, Henry Frank Ngahina Clayden (known as Harry), was born in 1911, after a gap of about 17 years.
School records show the family lived at 10 Onepu St (now called Road) while the children attended Lyall Bay School. The family then moved to 191 Coutts St, Kilbirnie, and the children also attended Newtown, Lyall Bay, and Kilbirnie Schools.
On leaving school John jnr. worked for the Post Office and in 1915 was a “letter carrier”, residing in Woodville. Sydney took up book binding after leaving school. John signed up for active service in 1915 and was overseas until July 1919. While on active service he married, spent periods in detention for various misdemeanours, and was cashiered as a deserter.
Sydney was called up for military service in 1917 (source New Zealand Gazette page 1920) and the Evening Post 10 May 1918 reported he had entered Tauherenikau Military Camp for training. However, there is no military personnel file for Sydney at Archives New Zealand so his service record is unknown.
Presumably Sydney otherwise lived at the family home in Kilbirnie with his parents and younger brother, and it was at 191 Coutts Street that he became ill and died of influenza on 19 November 1918. The epidemic was peaking on this day and Sydney was one of 39 people to succumb In Wellington on the 19th.
His mother Annie was also ill with influenza and she was taken to the Wellington College Temporary Hospital and it was there she died the day after Sydney, on 20 November 1918. Notices of their deaths appeared in the Evening Post of 20 November, amongst 33 notices of deaths published on that date.
Mother and son were buried together on the 21st, in a double plot in the Anglican section of Karori Cemetery.
Annie’s husband John was left to care for and continue raising their youngest son Harry, who was only 7 years old. John snr. and Harry moved to Australia sometime in the next few years though electoral rolls show Harry did return to live in New Zealand.
The oldest son, John, returned to New Zealand in July 1919 with his wife Mary (MAY) Lottie KING who died in 1934 at 43 before he remarried in 1935 Nina Elizabeth Lincoln née GARRICK. John returned to work for the Postal Service and ended his days in Dunedin.
John snr died in Sydney, Australia on 18 January 1951, aged 80, and his ashes were brought to Wellington and were interred with Annie and Sydney at Karori Cemetery (Plot Reference CH ENG2 88E).
Researched and written by Jenny Robertson
Grave Information:
Section: CH ENG2
Plot: 88 E
Born 1871; died 20 November 1918; buried 21 November 1918; age 46
CLAYDEN, Sydney
Born 27 May 1895; died 19 November 1918; buried 21 November 1918; age 23
Annie Eliza Jane PRIDGEON born in Bow, London in July 1871 married John CLAYDEN in West Ham, Essex, in July 1890. Their first child, a son they named John, was born in 1894. A second son, Sydney (sometimes spelt Sidney) was born in Leyton, Essex on 27 May 1895 and baptised in St Peter’s Church, Fulham, London on 2 August 1899. (Source Parish Register)
The boys and their mother were supported by the carpentry and joinery skills of their father, who worked on his own account. (Source UK Census1901)
Annie and the boys migrated to New Zealand in 1906 on the Rimutaka arriving in Wellington in early 1907. Sydney’s age was given as 10 on the passenger record. John had either travelled to New Zealand first and then sent for his family, or joined them later. In Wellington a new brother, Henry Frank Ngahina Clayden (known as Harry), was born in 1911, after a gap of about 17 years.
School records show the family lived at 10 Onepu St (now called Road) while the children attended Lyall Bay School. The family then moved to 191 Coutts St, Kilbirnie, and the children also attended Newtown, Lyall Bay, and Kilbirnie Schools.
On leaving school John jnr. worked for the Post Office and in 1915 was a “letter carrier”, residing in Woodville. Sydney took up book binding after leaving school. John signed up for active service in 1915 and was overseas until July 1919. While on active service he married, spent periods in detention for various misdemeanours, and was cashiered as a deserter.
Sydney was called up for military service in 1917 (source New Zealand Gazette page 1920) and the Evening Post 10 May 1918 reported he had entered Tauherenikau Military Camp for training. However, there is no military personnel file for Sydney at Archives New Zealand so his service record is unknown.
Presumably Sydney otherwise lived at the family home in Kilbirnie with his parents and younger brother, and it was at 191 Coutts Street that he became ill and died of influenza on 19 November 1918. The epidemic was peaking on this day and Sydney was one of 39 people to succumb In Wellington on the 19th.
His mother Annie was also ill with influenza and she was taken to the Wellington College Temporary Hospital and it was there she died the day after Sydney, on 20 November 1918. Notices of their deaths appeared in the Evening Post of 20 November, amongst 33 notices of deaths published on that date.
Mother and son were buried together on the 21st, in a double plot in the Anglican section of Karori Cemetery.
Annie’s husband John was left to care for and continue raising their youngest son Harry, who was only 7 years old. John snr. and Harry moved to Australia sometime in the next few years though electoral rolls show Harry did return to live in New Zealand.
The oldest son, John, returned to New Zealand in July 1919 with his wife Mary (MAY) Lottie KING who died in 1934 at 43 before he remarried in 1935 Nina Elizabeth Lincoln née GARRICK. John returned to work for the Postal Service and ended his days in Dunedin.
John snr died in Sydney, Australia on 18 January 1951, aged 80, and his ashes were brought to Wellington and were interred with Annie and Sydney at Karori Cemetery (Plot Reference CH ENG2 88E).
Researched and written by Jenny Robertson
Grave Information:
Section: CH ENG2
Plot: 88 E