KATE RAIT (nee WILSON)
Born 1883: died 10 November 1918: buried 13 November 1918; age 35
Katie was born in Wellington in 1883, the fifth daughter of Archibald & Mary Wilson, and her name was registered as Annie. Her sisters were Mary (known as Minnie), Elizabeth (known as Lizzie), Edith, and May (known as Lilly).
The family lived in Tinakori Road, Thorndon, and Archibald was a labourer. In 1890 and 1891 the children attended St Paul’s Church Sunday School in the Tinakori Road Churchroom. At some stage they moved to Little Pipitea Street, which ran along the north side of Pipitea Marae. Little Pipitea Street now runs between the New World supermarket carpark, and the Embassy of Thailand, and is no longer a traffic thoroughfare from Molesworth Street to Mulgrave Street.
Katie and her sisters attended Thorndon School, Turnbull Street, Wellington which was first established on 5 April 1852 as St Paul’s School in Sydney Street. They lived very close by so would have had no trouble walking to school. The school continues to operate on the Turnbull Street site.
By the time Katie married William RAIT, son of John and Mary Rait of Gisborne, on 21 December 1904, the Wilson family were living in sufficiently comfortable circumstances to be able to provide their youngest daughter with a wedding notable enough to feature in the “Social Gossip” column of the Freelance newspaper. According to the report the marriage took place in the Primitive Methodist Church, Sydney Street, and was described as “pretty”; there were four bridesmaids; and the groom gave his bride a gold bangle and each of the bridesmaids a gold brooch.
William and Kate lived in Jackson Street, Brooklyn, and William supported the family with work as a plumber and later as a metal worker.
William and Kate had three children. Their first, Ethel Katherine Mary, was born on 10 May 1907 in Wellington. Ethel married Douglas Dawes BAWDEN in 1937, who was a lighthouse keeper at Akaroa Head, Canterbury, Puysegur Point, Southland, and Baring Head, Wellington.
Their first son, John Archibald William, was born on 2 May 1909 in Wellington. He married Inawa MCCARRISON in 1935 and they had 7 children. John worked as lithographer and died in 1987 in Wellington.
Their second son, Archibald William, was born in 1911 in Wellington. He married Thelma Elizabeth ROBINSON in 1937. Archibald worked as a herd tester and then as a labourer. He died in 1960 in Wellington and is buried in Karori Cemetery, along with his wife who died in 1997.
As WW1 finally ended so did Kate’s life – she died of influenza on 10 November 1918 in Wellington Hospital. Her residential address was 19 Taft Street, Brooklyn, and she was only 35 years old. Her husband was left to care for their three dependent children, aged 11, 9 and 7. Her burial three days later, on the 13th November, was in the Anglican section of Karori Cemetery, Wellington.
A death notice was placed in the Evening Post three days later, acknowledging William but not the children, as well as her status as the youngest daughter of Mr & Mrs Wilson, of 11 Little Pipitea Street.
On 10 November 1920 there were four In Memoriam notices in the Evening Post, inserted by William and the children, her loving mother and father, her four sisters, and her loving mother-in-law. Variations were repeated in 1921, and in 1922 her parents and sisters once again placed notices.
William was buried in the single plot with Kate 20 years after her death, in 1938. John, their son, was cremated and his ashes interred with his parents in 1987, and in 1997 Ethel’s remains were also interred in the plot.
Researched and written by Beverley Hamlin
Grave Information:
Section: CH ENG2
Plot: 22 E
Sources:
1. www.paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
2. www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz
3. New Zealand Society of Genealogists Kiwi Collection – School Inspector Returns
4. New Zealand Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981 – www.ancestry.co.uk
5. Karori Cemetery database – www.wellington.govt.nz › Services › Community & culture › Cemeteries
Born 1883: died 10 November 1918: buried 13 November 1918; age 35
Katie was born in Wellington in 1883, the fifth daughter of Archibald & Mary Wilson, and her name was registered as Annie. Her sisters were Mary (known as Minnie), Elizabeth (known as Lizzie), Edith, and May (known as Lilly).
The family lived in Tinakori Road, Thorndon, and Archibald was a labourer. In 1890 and 1891 the children attended St Paul’s Church Sunday School in the Tinakori Road Churchroom. At some stage they moved to Little Pipitea Street, which ran along the north side of Pipitea Marae. Little Pipitea Street now runs between the New World supermarket carpark, and the Embassy of Thailand, and is no longer a traffic thoroughfare from Molesworth Street to Mulgrave Street.
Katie and her sisters attended Thorndon School, Turnbull Street, Wellington which was first established on 5 April 1852 as St Paul’s School in Sydney Street. They lived very close by so would have had no trouble walking to school. The school continues to operate on the Turnbull Street site.
By the time Katie married William RAIT, son of John and Mary Rait of Gisborne, on 21 December 1904, the Wilson family were living in sufficiently comfortable circumstances to be able to provide their youngest daughter with a wedding notable enough to feature in the “Social Gossip” column of the Freelance newspaper. According to the report the marriage took place in the Primitive Methodist Church, Sydney Street, and was described as “pretty”; there were four bridesmaids; and the groom gave his bride a gold bangle and each of the bridesmaids a gold brooch.
William and Kate lived in Jackson Street, Brooklyn, and William supported the family with work as a plumber and later as a metal worker.
William and Kate had three children. Their first, Ethel Katherine Mary, was born on 10 May 1907 in Wellington. Ethel married Douglas Dawes BAWDEN in 1937, who was a lighthouse keeper at Akaroa Head, Canterbury, Puysegur Point, Southland, and Baring Head, Wellington.
Their first son, John Archibald William, was born on 2 May 1909 in Wellington. He married Inawa MCCARRISON in 1935 and they had 7 children. John worked as lithographer and died in 1987 in Wellington.
Their second son, Archibald William, was born in 1911 in Wellington. He married Thelma Elizabeth ROBINSON in 1937. Archibald worked as a herd tester and then as a labourer. He died in 1960 in Wellington and is buried in Karori Cemetery, along with his wife who died in 1997.
As WW1 finally ended so did Kate’s life – she died of influenza on 10 November 1918 in Wellington Hospital. Her residential address was 19 Taft Street, Brooklyn, and she was only 35 years old. Her husband was left to care for their three dependent children, aged 11, 9 and 7. Her burial three days later, on the 13th November, was in the Anglican section of Karori Cemetery, Wellington.
A death notice was placed in the Evening Post three days later, acknowledging William but not the children, as well as her status as the youngest daughter of Mr & Mrs Wilson, of 11 Little Pipitea Street.
On 10 November 1920 there were four In Memoriam notices in the Evening Post, inserted by William and the children, her loving mother and father, her four sisters, and her loving mother-in-law. Variations were repeated in 1921, and in 1922 her parents and sisters once again placed notices.
William was buried in the single plot with Kate 20 years after her death, in 1938. John, their son, was cremated and his ashes interred with his parents in 1987, and in 1997 Ethel’s remains were also interred in the plot.
Researched and written by Beverley Hamlin
Grave Information:
Section: CH ENG2
Plot: 22 E
Sources:
1. www.paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
2. www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz
3. New Zealand Society of Genealogists Kiwi Collection – School Inspector Returns
4. New Zealand Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981 – www.ancestry.co.uk
5. Karori Cemetery database – www.wellington.govt.nz › Services › Community & culture › Cemeteries