FURK, Rupert Henry
Born 11 May 1897; died 18 November 1918; buried 19 November 1918; age 21
Rupert Henry FURK was born on 11 May 1897 in Hobart, Tasmania, only son of Cecilia DRIVER and Henry David FURK.
Rupert’s mother was born on 29 August 1873 in Hobart, Tasmania and was one of a family of 10 children. His father, Henry, was born on 1 March 1862 in London and was one of a family of 11 children. He was baptised on 16 April 1862 at St Michael’s Church, Stockwell in Surrey. The 1881 England census listed Henry as an unmarried able seaman in London, part of the crew of the ship Gills.
Henry and Cecilia were married on 5 January 1896 at Holy Trinity Church, Hobart, Tasmania. Cecilia was 23 and a domestic servant while Henry was 32 and working as a cook. He listed himself as a bachelor on the certificate of marriage, but he had been married previously in Suffolk, England and also had a son. In the Hobart publican’s licence list for 1898, Henry held a licence for the Customs House Tavern in Murray Street.
On 10 February 1899 the ship Kaikoura left England and called in at Hobart on its way to New Zealand, as it did regularly. The passenger list for the New Zealand leg of its voyage shows that Henry, Cecilia and Rupert Furk had a 2nd class cabin to New Zealand, and that they arrived on 4 April 1899. They settled at Port Chalmers in Otago where Henry and Cecilia went into business.
On 12 December 1903 the Otago Daily Times announced that Messrs H D Furk and Co would shortly open a first class private hotel in premises at Port Chalmers formerly occupied by Mr W F Bastings.
In 1904 Furk’s Marine Café at Port Chalmers was established. However, Cecilia, described as a boarding house-keeper, was prosecuted in 1904 more than once for selling liquor in the no-licence district of Port Chalmers.
In August 1905 Cecilia, Henry and Rupert moved to Christchurch. However, Henry spent considerable time in Dunedin Hospital, and was later in the Seacliff Mental Hospital where he died in April 1907. In November 1912 Cecilia put an 8-roomed dwelling at 62 Cashel Street West, up for auction.
Rupert Furk started school at Port Chalmers on 2 February 1904 and also attended Macandrew Road School, Dunedin. On 16 October 1905 he started at Christchurch East School, the family’s address being listed as the Triangular Dining Rooms, but at the end of that year he moved to New Brighton School. In May 1907 Rupert started at Christchurch Normal School with the family address being listed at 263 Cashel Street. At the 1912 school swimming sports in the Tepid Baths, he is noted in the 66 yards championship and the breast-stroke handicap.
On 7 September 1917, Rupert's name was balloted in the Christchurch District. His occupation on his attestation later that month was New Zealand Railways cadet. After being declared fit for active service, he arrived in camp at the end of April 1918 and was assigned to a specialist unit to become a signaller, becoming part of the army’s 45th Specialist Company, Signal Section.
During training at Featherston Camp Rupert was hospitalised for two days with influenza, 2-4 October.
By 10 November the army had decided to give him LWP (Leave With(out?) Pay) until 9 January, and he was presumably allowed to leave camp. Not many days later he was admitted to St Johns Temporary Hospital, Willis Street, Wellington where he died on 18 November 1918. He was buried in the public section of Karori Cemetery on 19 November 1918. The plot was purchased by his mother, Mrs Cecilia Taylor, on 8 February 1919.
Cecilia had remarried in 1913, in Christchurch, to accountant Thomas Robertson TAYLOR. Thomas died in 1931, after which Cecilia married Walter John KERR in 1933.
The Press death notice of 20 November 1918, recorded:
“Furk – At St John’s Hospital, Wellington, of influenza, Private Rupert H Furk, Specialists, 44th Reinforcements, only son of Mrs T R Taylor, 96 Fitzgerald Avenue, Christchurch; aged 21.”
The New Zealand Roll of Honour “In Memoriam” in 1919 recorded:
“Furk – In loving memory of our dear nephew and cousin, Private Rupert H Furk, who died at Wellington on the 18th November 1918. Inserted by Mr & Mrs A O Sorensen and family.”
Headstone in Public2 Section of Karori Cemetery, Plot 378 H:
In Loving Memory of
Private Rupert H Furk
(Specialist Co 44th Reinforcements)
who died of pneumonia in Wellington
Nov 18th, 1918 Aged 21 years
Beloved only son of Mrs T R Taylor of Christchurch
and nephew of
Mrs A O Sorensen of Kaitoke
“Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God”
Rupert’s mother, Cecilia Kerr, died in Christchurch on 5 September 1938 and is buried in Bromley Cemetery. Her husband, Walter Kerr, continued to live in their Dover Street home until his death in 1961.
Rupert is listed as nephew of Mrs A O SORENSON of Kaitoke on his headstone. Mary Mabel Sorenson (neé Driver) was Cecilia’s sister, born in 1870 in Hobart, Tasmania. She married Anton Oliver Sorenson in 1907 in New Zealand.
Researched and written by Beverley Hamlin
Grave Information:
Section: PUBLIC2
Plot: 378 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 / Furk Family tree – www.ancestry.co.uk
5. Australian newspapers – www.trove.nla.gov.au
6. Digitised World War 1 papers – Archives New Zealand - www.archway.archives.govt.nz
7. Immigration to New Zealand – www.familysearch.org
8. Tasmanian Names Index – www.linctas.ent.sirsidynix.net.au
9. England information verified in: www.findmypast.co.uk & www.ancestry.co.uk
Born 11 May 1897; died 18 November 1918; buried 19 November 1918; age 21
Rupert Henry FURK was born on 11 May 1897 in Hobart, Tasmania, only son of Cecilia DRIVER and Henry David FURK.
Rupert’s mother was born on 29 August 1873 in Hobart, Tasmania and was one of a family of 10 children. His father, Henry, was born on 1 March 1862 in London and was one of a family of 11 children. He was baptised on 16 April 1862 at St Michael’s Church, Stockwell in Surrey. The 1881 England census listed Henry as an unmarried able seaman in London, part of the crew of the ship Gills.
Henry and Cecilia were married on 5 January 1896 at Holy Trinity Church, Hobart, Tasmania. Cecilia was 23 and a domestic servant while Henry was 32 and working as a cook. He listed himself as a bachelor on the certificate of marriage, but he had been married previously in Suffolk, England and also had a son. In the Hobart publican’s licence list for 1898, Henry held a licence for the Customs House Tavern in Murray Street.
On 10 February 1899 the ship Kaikoura left England and called in at Hobart on its way to New Zealand, as it did regularly. The passenger list for the New Zealand leg of its voyage shows that Henry, Cecilia and Rupert Furk had a 2nd class cabin to New Zealand, and that they arrived on 4 April 1899. They settled at Port Chalmers in Otago where Henry and Cecilia went into business.
On 12 December 1903 the Otago Daily Times announced that Messrs H D Furk and Co would shortly open a first class private hotel in premises at Port Chalmers formerly occupied by Mr W F Bastings.
In 1904 Furk’s Marine Café at Port Chalmers was established. However, Cecilia, described as a boarding house-keeper, was prosecuted in 1904 more than once for selling liquor in the no-licence district of Port Chalmers.
In August 1905 Cecilia, Henry and Rupert moved to Christchurch. However, Henry spent considerable time in Dunedin Hospital, and was later in the Seacliff Mental Hospital where he died in April 1907. In November 1912 Cecilia put an 8-roomed dwelling at 62 Cashel Street West, up for auction.
Rupert Furk started school at Port Chalmers on 2 February 1904 and also attended Macandrew Road School, Dunedin. On 16 October 1905 he started at Christchurch East School, the family’s address being listed as the Triangular Dining Rooms, but at the end of that year he moved to New Brighton School. In May 1907 Rupert started at Christchurch Normal School with the family address being listed at 263 Cashel Street. At the 1912 school swimming sports in the Tepid Baths, he is noted in the 66 yards championship and the breast-stroke handicap.
On 7 September 1917, Rupert's name was balloted in the Christchurch District. His occupation on his attestation later that month was New Zealand Railways cadet. After being declared fit for active service, he arrived in camp at the end of April 1918 and was assigned to a specialist unit to become a signaller, becoming part of the army’s 45th Specialist Company, Signal Section.
During training at Featherston Camp Rupert was hospitalised for two days with influenza, 2-4 October.
By 10 November the army had decided to give him LWP (Leave With(out?) Pay) until 9 January, and he was presumably allowed to leave camp. Not many days later he was admitted to St Johns Temporary Hospital, Willis Street, Wellington where he died on 18 November 1918. He was buried in the public section of Karori Cemetery on 19 November 1918. The plot was purchased by his mother, Mrs Cecilia Taylor, on 8 February 1919.
Cecilia had remarried in 1913, in Christchurch, to accountant Thomas Robertson TAYLOR. Thomas died in 1931, after which Cecilia married Walter John KERR in 1933.
The Press death notice of 20 November 1918, recorded:
“Furk – At St John’s Hospital, Wellington, of influenza, Private Rupert H Furk, Specialists, 44th Reinforcements, only son of Mrs T R Taylor, 96 Fitzgerald Avenue, Christchurch; aged 21.”
The New Zealand Roll of Honour “In Memoriam” in 1919 recorded:
“Furk – In loving memory of our dear nephew and cousin, Private Rupert H Furk, who died at Wellington on the 18th November 1918. Inserted by Mr & Mrs A O Sorensen and family.”
Headstone in Public2 Section of Karori Cemetery, Plot 378 H:
In Loving Memory of
Private Rupert H Furk
(Specialist Co 44th Reinforcements)
who died of pneumonia in Wellington
Nov 18th, 1918 Aged 21 years
Beloved only son of Mrs T R Taylor of Christchurch
and nephew of
Mrs A O Sorensen of Kaitoke
“Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God”
Rupert’s mother, Cecilia Kerr, died in Christchurch on 5 September 1938 and is buried in Bromley Cemetery. Her husband, Walter Kerr, continued to live in their Dover Street home until his death in 1961.
Rupert is listed as nephew of Mrs A O SORENSON of Kaitoke on his headstone. Mary Mabel Sorenson (neé Driver) was Cecilia’s sister, born in 1870 in Hobart, Tasmania. She married Anton Oliver Sorenson in 1907 in New Zealand.
Researched and written by Beverley Hamlin
Grave Information:
Section: PUBLIC2
Plot: 378 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 / Furk Family tree – www.ancestry.co.uk
5. Australian newspapers – www.trove.nla.gov.au
6. Digitised World War 1 papers – Archives New Zealand - www.archway.archives.govt.nz
7. Immigration to New Zealand – www.familysearch.org
8. Tasmanian Names Index – www.linctas.ent.sirsidynix.net.au
9. England information verified in: www.findmypast.co.uk & www.ancestry.co.uk