WINSTANLEY, Oswald Frederick Muntz
Born: 11 September 1891; died 18 November 1918; buried 20 November 1918; age 28
A brother and sister, descendants of a famous English family, died of the flu within 48 hours of each other in Wellington. Oswald WINSTANLEY lived at 39 Wallace Street, Mt Cook; Dorothy CHISHOLM lived at Nosworthy Street, Blenheim but died at her mother’s home at 55 Majoribanks Street, Mt Victoria. They were buried in separate plots in Karori Cemetery, Dorothy in the Anglican section on 17 November, and Oswald in the Public 2 section three days later on 20 November.
Oswald Frederick Muntz WINSTANLEY was born on 11 September 1891 in Wellington, son of Annie Eliza MUNTZ and John Sidney WINSTANLEY.
Annie’s parents were Charles Adolphus Muntz and Sarah Louisa SIMONS, who lived in England. Her father Charles was born in 1834 and christened with other family members at St Mary’s Parish, Handsworth, Staffordshire in 1843. He married Sarah in 1857 and in later that year they emigrated to New Zealand on the Oriental, arriving in Nelson in October.
Charles died in 1908 and Sarah in 1912. They are buried in the Richmond Cemetery, Nelson.
The Muntz family was quite famous: At the time of Charles’ death, the Colonist on 9 September 1908 noted:
We have to record the death of Mr Charles A. Muntz, of Richmond, a very old settler. The late Mr Muntz was a member of a noteworthy Warwickshire family, being the fifth son of Mr Geo. A. Muntz, who was one of the members of Parliament for Birmingham. Mr G. F. Muntz carried on the business of a metal manufacturer at Soho, Staffordshire, which had been established by his father. This concern was afterwards taken over by the Muntz Metal Company Limited, a member of the family having been the inventor of that well-known metal.
(The family made a fortune from Muntz metal as it replaced copper sheathing as anti-fouling on the bottoms of boats, being much cheaper. Patented in 1832, it was also used to sheathe wharf piles as a protection against teredo shipworms, in locomotive tubes, and for special bolts.)
The obituary went on: Mr C. A. Muntz's brother, the late Mr G. F. Muntz, was D.L. of his county, and also sat in Parliament for Birmingham. Another brother was Sir Albert J Muntz, also of Birmingham.
Mr C. A. Muntz, who was of independent means, came to Nelson in the ship Oriental in 1857, and two years later took up his residence at Richmond, where he resided till his death on Monday morning; last. The late Mr Muntz was a water-colour artist of some note, and a great many of his pictures of New Zealand scenes are held in the district. A year or two ago the studio, with some hundreds of sketches, was destroyed by fire. Deceased leaves a widow and a family of three – Mrs J S Winstanley and Mrs E. Smallbone, of the Port, and one son, Mr G. F. Muntz, Moutere, who married a daughter of the Hon. R. H. J. Reeves, M.L.C.
Charles’ daughter Annie married John Sidney Winstanley on 7 November 1887 at St Peter’s Church, Wellington. (John was born in 1864 and died in Picton in 1948. He was on the staff of the Wellington Telegraph Office and was a prominent yachtsman in Wellington before transferring to Nelson.)
They had six children, all born in Wellington; Charles Sidney b1888, Dorothy Louise Muntz b1890, Oswald Frederick Muntz b1891, Harold Earl b1899, Iorangi Muntz b1902 and Rona Darling b1902.
Oswald attended Central School in Nelson in 1901 where he excelled in the yearly swimming sports. He attended Nelson College in 1906. In September 1907 a newspaper report said that he was elected as a committee member of the Nelson Sailing and Power Boat Club, and his father was elected as the Commodore.
Oswald married Clara Celeste MORGAN (nee Gilroy) on 15 July 1913 in Wellington. Known as Celeste Clare, nicknamed Essie, she was the daughter of Jane TAYLOR and Patrick GILROY and was born in 1878. Oswald and Celeste did not have children.
The Wellington Recruiting District (No 5) roll for the 2nd Division in World War 1, lists Oswald as a traveller living at 39 Wallace Street, Mt Cook, Wellington in January 1918.
Later that year he became unwell with influenza and died at home in Wellington on 18 November. He was buried in Public 2 Section of Karori Cemetery on 20 November. The New Zealand Times of 20 November published the death notice:
WINSTANLEY - At his home, 39, Wallace Street, on November 18th, Oswald, dearly loved husband of Essie Winstanley, and second son of Mrs A. E. Winstanley, 55, Majoribanks Street.
The headstone on his grave reads:
In loving memory of Oswald, dearly loved husband of Essie Winstanley, died 18 Nov 1918.
“They are not dead who live in the heart of those who love them”
Erected as a token of esteem by his fellow business associates.
A notice was published in the Colonist on 21 November 1918:
"Among the victims of the present epidemic, is Mr Oswald Winstanley, son of Mr J S Winstanley, formerly of Nelson and now Postmaster at Opunake. Deceased was a commercial traveller, and paid regular visits to Nelson, where he was well known. He leaves a widow, but no family. His sister, Mrs W. D. A. Chisholm, of Blenheim, died last week."
In 1919 and 1920 Oswald’s mother, brother and sisters published In Memoriam notices in the Evening Post.
Oswald’s wife Celeste married Thomas GLASIER in 1930 but died in Wellington in 1934. She was buried in Karori Cemetery with Oswald.
Oswald’s sister, Dorothy (wife of William CHISHOLM), died on 16 November 1918 and was buried in Karori Cemetery the next day. Her husband was an accountant in Messrs Levin and Co.'s branch in Blenheim, and formerly of Nelson. He was left with a young family to look after.
Researched and written by Beverley Hamlin
Grave information:
Section: PUBLIC2
Plot: 391 H
Sources:
1. New Zealand Births Deaths & Marriages historical – www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz
2. Newspapers – www.paperspast.natlib.gov.nz
3. Karori Cemetery – www.wellington.govt.nz > Services > Community & Culture > Cemeteries
4. New Zealand Electoral Rolls and family information – www.ancestry.co.uk
5. School Records – Kiwi Index from New Zealand Society of Genealogists
6. “Charles Adophus Muntz” article written by K G Winstanley – www.nzetc.victoria.ac.nz
Born: 11 September 1891; died 18 November 1918; buried 20 November 1918; age 28
A brother and sister, descendants of a famous English family, died of the flu within 48 hours of each other in Wellington. Oswald WINSTANLEY lived at 39 Wallace Street, Mt Cook; Dorothy CHISHOLM lived at Nosworthy Street, Blenheim but died at her mother’s home at 55 Majoribanks Street, Mt Victoria. They were buried in separate plots in Karori Cemetery, Dorothy in the Anglican section on 17 November, and Oswald in the Public 2 section three days later on 20 November.
Oswald Frederick Muntz WINSTANLEY was born on 11 September 1891 in Wellington, son of Annie Eliza MUNTZ and John Sidney WINSTANLEY.
Annie’s parents were Charles Adolphus Muntz and Sarah Louisa SIMONS, who lived in England. Her father Charles was born in 1834 and christened with other family members at St Mary’s Parish, Handsworth, Staffordshire in 1843. He married Sarah in 1857 and in later that year they emigrated to New Zealand on the Oriental, arriving in Nelson in October.
Charles died in 1908 and Sarah in 1912. They are buried in the Richmond Cemetery, Nelson.
The Muntz family was quite famous: At the time of Charles’ death, the Colonist on 9 September 1908 noted:
We have to record the death of Mr Charles A. Muntz, of Richmond, a very old settler. The late Mr Muntz was a member of a noteworthy Warwickshire family, being the fifth son of Mr Geo. A. Muntz, who was one of the members of Parliament for Birmingham. Mr G. F. Muntz carried on the business of a metal manufacturer at Soho, Staffordshire, which had been established by his father. This concern was afterwards taken over by the Muntz Metal Company Limited, a member of the family having been the inventor of that well-known metal.
(The family made a fortune from Muntz metal as it replaced copper sheathing as anti-fouling on the bottoms of boats, being much cheaper. Patented in 1832, it was also used to sheathe wharf piles as a protection against teredo shipworms, in locomotive tubes, and for special bolts.)
The obituary went on: Mr C. A. Muntz's brother, the late Mr G. F. Muntz, was D.L. of his county, and also sat in Parliament for Birmingham. Another brother was Sir Albert J Muntz, also of Birmingham.
Mr C. A. Muntz, who was of independent means, came to Nelson in the ship Oriental in 1857, and two years later took up his residence at Richmond, where he resided till his death on Monday morning; last. The late Mr Muntz was a water-colour artist of some note, and a great many of his pictures of New Zealand scenes are held in the district. A year or two ago the studio, with some hundreds of sketches, was destroyed by fire. Deceased leaves a widow and a family of three – Mrs J S Winstanley and Mrs E. Smallbone, of the Port, and one son, Mr G. F. Muntz, Moutere, who married a daughter of the Hon. R. H. J. Reeves, M.L.C.
Charles’ daughter Annie married John Sidney Winstanley on 7 November 1887 at St Peter’s Church, Wellington. (John was born in 1864 and died in Picton in 1948. He was on the staff of the Wellington Telegraph Office and was a prominent yachtsman in Wellington before transferring to Nelson.)
They had six children, all born in Wellington; Charles Sidney b1888, Dorothy Louise Muntz b1890, Oswald Frederick Muntz b1891, Harold Earl b1899, Iorangi Muntz b1902 and Rona Darling b1902.
Oswald attended Central School in Nelson in 1901 where he excelled in the yearly swimming sports. He attended Nelson College in 1906. In September 1907 a newspaper report said that he was elected as a committee member of the Nelson Sailing and Power Boat Club, and his father was elected as the Commodore.
Oswald married Clara Celeste MORGAN (nee Gilroy) on 15 July 1913 in Wellington. Known as Celeste Clare, nicknamed Essie, she was the daughter of Jane TAYLOR and Patrick GILROY and was born in 1878. Oswald and Celeste did not have children.
The Wellington Recruiting District (No 5) roll for the 2nd Division in World War 1, lists Oswald as a traveller living at 39 Wallace Street, Mt Cook, Wellington in January 1918.
Later that year he became unwell with influenza and died at home in Wellington on 18 November. He was buried in Public 2 Section of Karori Cemetery on 20 November. The New Zealand Times of 20 November published the death notice:
WINSTANLEY - At his home, 39, Wallace Street, on November 18th, Oswald, dearly loved husband of Essie Winstanley, and second son of Mrs A. E. Winstanley, 55, Majoribanks Street.
The headstone on his grave reads:
In loving memory of Oswald, dearly loved husband of Essie Winstanley, died 18 Nov 1918.
“They are not dead who live in the heart of those who love them”
Erected as a token of esteem by his fellow business associates.
A notice was published in the Colonist on 21 November 1918:
"Among the victims of the present epidemic, is Mr Oswald Winstanley, son of Mr J S Winstanley, formerly of Nelson and now Postmaster at Opunake. Deceased was a commercial traveller, and paid regular visits to Nelson, where he was well known. He leaves a widow, but no family. His sister, Mrs W. D. A. Chisholm, of Blenheim, died last week."
In 1919 and 1920 Oswald’s mother, brother and sisters published In Memoriam notices in the Evening Post.
Oswald’s wife Celeste married Thomas GLASIER in 1930 but died in Wellington in 1934. She was buried in Karori Cemetery with Oswald.
Oswald’s sister, Dorothy (wife of William CHISHOLM), died on 16 November 1918 and was buried in Karori Cemetery the next day. Her husband was an accountant in Messrs Levin and Co.'s branch in Blenheim, and formerly of Nelson. He was left with a young family to look after.
Researched and written by Beverley Hamlin
Grave information:
Section: PUBLIC2
Plot: 391 H
Sources:
1. New Zealand Births Deaths & Marriages historical – www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz
2. Newspapers – www.paperspast.natlib.gov.nz
3. Karori Cemetery – www.wellington.govt.nz > Services > Community & Culture > Cemeteries
4. New Zealand Electoral Rolls and family information – www.ancestry.co.uk
5. School Records – Kiwi Index from New Zealand Society of Genealogists
6. “Charles Adophus Muntz” article written by K G Winstanley – www.nzetc.victoria.ac.nz