Minnie COOK (CHATFIELD)
Born 15 January 1889; died 22 November 1918; buried 23 November 1918; aged 29
Minnie COOK was the youngest child of William CHATFIELD and Catherine BLYTH, who married in New Zealand in 1881. Their first child, a son they named William James, had been born in 1882, and a daughter, Eliza was born in February 1884. Sadly, Eliza survived only 20 days, and she was buried in Bolton Street Cemetery on 23 February. Her grave is probably unmarked.
Minnie was born five years later, in 1889. By 1890 the family were living in Queen Street, a poorer area on the slopes of Mount Victoria, and William worked as a labourer. They remained in the area for many years, but by 1911 they had moved to Post Office Avenue, in Berhampore, and William’s occupation in the 1911 census was listed as carrier.
1911 was the year when Minnie married Willie Colin COOK, whose occupation in the census that year was hairdresser. They set up home at 106 Adelaide Road, and presumably had their first child, a son they called William Leslie there. However, when the census was taken in 1914, they had made a complete change and were registered as living at Foxton Line, and Willie had become a farmer.
Their second son – Francis Colin – was born in 1915.
Minnie died of influenza during the epidemic in November 1918. She died on the 22nd and was buried at Karori the next day, which suggests the family were in Wellington at the time. Her husband and two sons survived. When the next census was taken in 1919 Willie was registered living with Minnie’s parents at Post Office Avenue, so must have had their support with raising the children. His occupation was listed as grocer’s assistant.
In February 1924 Willie married again. His bride was Alice May WILCOX. An item in the Evening Post on 20 February advised “A very happy social party was given on Monday evening at the Evans Bay Yacht and Motor-boat Clubhouse, when the Social Committee arranged a farewell party in honour of Miss Wilcox, whose marriage to Mr. Colin Cook is to take place shortly”.
According to family information, they were married at All Saints Church, Kilbirnie on 23 February. Alice was the daughter of Sidney Herbert and Bertha Wilcox, and she had been born in Brisbane in 1894.
Two months later, William Chatfield died and was buried in a plot not far from Minnie at Karori Cemetery. His wife, son and daughter in law eventually joined him.
By the 1928 census Willie and Alice were living and trading at the Mutual Stores, in Eastbourne. Presumably this was a dairy or grocery shop, as this was their residential address and Willie’s occupation was grocer. Willie and Alice had two children – a daughter in 1925 and a son in 1930.
Willie died in 1966 and was not buried with Minnie at Karori, where she remains the sole occupant of her plot in the second Anglican section.
Family information supplied by Melissa Kershaw
Grave information:
Section CH ENG2
Plot 119E
Born 15 January 1889; died 22 November 1918; buried 23 November 1918; aged 29
Minnie COOK was the youngest child of William CHATFIELD and Catherine BLYTH, who married in New Zealand in 1881. Their first child, a son they named William James, had been born in 1882, and a daughter, Eliza was born in February 1884. Sadly, Eliza survived only 20 days, and she was buried in Bolton Street Cemetery on 23 February. Her grave is probably unmarked.
Minnie was born five years later, in 1889. By 1890 the family were living in Queen Street, a poorer area on the slopes of Mount Victoria, and William worked as a labourer. They remained in the area for many years, but by 1911 they had moved to Post Office Avenue, in Berhampore, and William’s occupation in the 1911 census was listed as carrier.
1911 was the year when Minnie married Willie Colin COOK, whose occupation in the census that year was hairdresser. They set up home at 106 Adelaide Road, and presumably had their first child, a son they called William Leslie there. However, when the census was taken in 1914, they had made a complete change and were registered as living at Foxton Line, and Willie had become a farmer.
Their second son – Francis Colin – was born in 1915.
Minnie died of influenza during the epidemic in November 1918. She died on the 22nd and was buried at Karori the next day, which suggests the family were in Wellington at the time. Her husband and two sons survived. When the next census was taken in 1919 Willie was registered living with Minnie’s parents at Post Office Avenue, so must have had their support with raising the children. His occupation was listed as grocer’s assistant.
In February 1924 Willie married again. His bride was Alice May WILCOX. An item in the Evening Post on 20 February advised “A very happy social party was given on Monday evening at the Evans Bay Yacht and Motor-boat Clubhouse, when the Social Committee arranged a farewell party in honour of Miss Wilcox, whose marriage to Mr. Colin Cook is to take place shortly”.
According to family information, they were married at All Saints Church, Kilbirnie on 23 February. Alice was the daughter of Sidney Herbert and Bertha Wilcox, and she had been born in Brisbane in 1894.
Two months later, William Chatfield died and was buried in a plot not far from Minnie at Karori Cemetery. His wife, son and daughter in law eventually joined him.
By the 1928 census Willie and Alice were living and trading at the Mutual Stores, in Eastbourne. Presumably this was a dairy or grocery shop, as this was their residential address and Willie’s occupation was grocer. Willie and Alice had two children – a daughter in 1925 and a son in 1930.
Willie died in 1966 and was not buried with Minnie at Karori, where she remains the sole occupant of her plot in the second Anglican section.
Family information supplied by Melissa Kershaw
Grave information:
Section CH ENG2
Plot 119E