DAWSON, Walter Irving
Born 11 July 1881; died 21 November 1918; buried 22 November 1918; age 37
Walter Irving DAWSON was born on 11 July 1881 at Akaroa, Banks Peninsula, Canterbury. He was the only son of Henry Walter Bratt DAWSON and Mary Irving FALCONER.
His father was born in Birmingham, Yorkshire in 1854 and travelled to New Zealand with his parents and siblings as assisted immigrants on board the ship Lancashire Witch in 1863. Walter’s mother Mary was born about 1855, but her birthplace and voyage to New Zealand have not been located.
Henry and Mary were married on 25 February 1880 in Kaikorai, Dunedin. Henry was listed as the Postmaster at Akaroa in 1880 and 1885 and in 1894 was also the deputy-registrar of Marriages, Births and Deaths for the area. He was later stationed at Onehunga.
As well as Walter, they later had three daughters: Grace, Kate, and Mabel. Henry died in 1947 and Mary in 1939; they are buried in ONeill’s Point Cemetery, Auckland. A number of the other family members are buried in the Auckland region.
Walter was admitted to Akaroa School on 16 July 1886, his last day being 15 December 1892 when he transferred to Akaroa High School.
Walter achieved a partial pass in the Civil Service Senior Examination, according to the 20 February 1903, Wellington record, of the New Zealand Teacher and Civil Service Examinations and Licenses, 1880-1920 Publication.
On 11 December 1906 he married Mary “May” Eliza MORRISON in Christchurch. Mary was born on 14 September 1881 in Geraldine, South Canterbury, daughter of Robert MORRISON and Susannah McFADDEN
The Temuka Leader of 15 December 1906 published the following marriage notice:
“Dawson – Morrison – At Christchurch, on December 11th 1906, Walter Irving Dawson, Wellington, son of Mr Henry Dawson, Akaroa, to May, the third daughter of Mr Robert Morrison, Geraldine.”
The 1905-1906 Electoral Rolls show Walter living at 14 Nairn Street, Wellington. In 1911 Walter and May were living in Garden Road, Northland, Wellington. The New Zealand Army World War 1 Reserve Rolls, 1916-1917 2nd Division, show Walter as living at 9 Garden Road but it appears that he did not go on active service.
On 6 August 1908 in Wellington, Walter and May had a son, Robert Walter Dawson. (Robert was later to become a journalist and lived most of his life in the Wellington/Kapiti area.) On 9 February 1913 a daughter, Mary Joyce Dawson, was born at Granity on the West Coast.
Walter Dawson joined the Post and Telegraph Department as a cadet in 1901, and rose to the position of personal clerk to the Secretary (permanent head) of the Department. He was held in the highest regard by his superior and by his fellow-officers and when he died prematurely the Department lost an officer of exceptional ability and promise.
In 1918 Walter became unwell with influenza and was transferred from his Garden Road home to the Wellington College Temporary Hospital. He died on 21 November 1918 and was buried in the Public Section of Karori Cemetery on 22 November 1918. At the time of Walter’s death his wife May was in the Thorndon Street Hospital, also with influenza.
The Dominion of 22 November 1918 published the following Personal Item:
“The death occurred yesterday morning at the Wellington College Hospital, of Mr Walter Dawson, personal clerk to the Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department, and an officer who by reason of his ability, tact, and personality was held in the highest esteem by every member of the head office staff. Mr Dawson was struck down by influenza on Sunday week. The deceased, who was a son of Mr H I Dawson, formerly postmaster at Onehunga, was 37 years of age. He leaves a widow (who is suffering from influenza in the Thorndon School Hospital) and one child.”
In the Auckland Star dated 26 November 1918, the following item was published:
“Passed Away
Mr Walter I Dawson
Information has been received of the death at Wellington of Mr Walter Irving Dawson, only son of Mr H W Dawson, of Bayswater, formerly postmaster at Onehunga. Mr Walter Dawson was 37 years of age, and occupied the position of personal clerk to the Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department. His widow is also in hospital suffering from influenza. There are two children.”
May Dawson recovered from influenza. She purchased Walter’s plot (442 H) in the Public 2 section at Karori Cemetery on 7 July 1919.
May Dawson continued to live in the Wellington area until her death in 1964. She did not marry again. May is buried in the same plot with her husband in the Public section of Karori Cemetery. Her headstone panel is on the front of Walter’s grave. It reads: Mary Eliza Dawson 14.9.1881 – 3.10.1964
Researched and written by Beverley Hamlin
Grave Information:
Section: PUBLIC2
Plot: 442 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. Shipping Records – www.familysearch.org
6. School Records – Kiwi Index from New Zealand Society of Genealogists
Born 11 July 1881; died 21 November 1918; buried 22 November 1918; age 37
Walter Irving DAWSON was born on 11 July 1881 at Akaroa, Banks Peninsula, Canterbury. He was the only son of Henry Walter Bratt DAWSON and Mary Irving FALCONER.
His father was born in Birmingham, Yorkshire in 1854 and travelled to New Zealand with his parents and siblings as assisted immigrants on board the ship Lancashire Witch in 1863. Walter’s mother Mary was born about 1855, but her birthplace and voyage to New Zealand have not been located.
Henry and Mary were married on 25 February 1880 in Kaikorai, Dunedin. Henry was listed as the Postmaster at Akaroa in 1880 and 1885 and in 1894 was also the deputy-registrar of Marriages, Births and Deaths for the area. He was later stationed at Onehunga.
As well as Walter, they later had three daughters: Grace, Kate, and Mabel. Henry died in 1947 and Mary in 1939; they are buried in ONeill’s Point Cemetery, Auckland. A number of the other family members are buried in the Auckland region.
Walter was admitted to Akaroa School on 16 July 1886, his last day being 15 December 1892 when he transferred to Akaroa High School.
Walter achieved a partial pass in the Civil Service Senior Examination, according to the 20 February 1903, Wellington record, of the New Zealand Teacher and Civil Service Examinations and Licenses, 1880-1920 Publication.
On 11 December 1906 he married Mary “May” Eliza MORRISON in Christchurch. Mary was born on 14 September 1881 in Geraldine, South Canterbury, daughter of Robert MORRISON and Susannah McFADDEN
The Temuka Leader of 15 December 1906 published the following marriage notice:
“Dawson – Morrison – At Christchurch, on December 11th 1906, Walter Irving Dawson, Wellington, son of Mr Henry Dawson, Akaroa, to May, the third daughter of Mr Robert Morrison, Geraldine.”
The 1905-1906 Electoral Rolls show Walter living at 14 Nairn Street, Wellington. In 1911 Walter and May were living in Garden Road, Northland, Wellington. The New Zealand Army World War 1 Reserve Rolls, 1916-1917 2nd Division, show Walter as living at 9 Garden Road but it appears that he did not go on active service.
On 6 August 1908 in Wellington, Walter and May had a son, Robert Walter Dawson. (Robert was later to become a journalist and lived most of his life in the Wellington/Kapiti area.) On 9 February 1913 a daughter, Mary Joyce Dawson, was born at Granity on the West Coast.
Walter Dawson joined the Post and Telegraph Department as a cadet in 1901, and rose to the position of personal clerk to the Secretary (permanent head) of the Department. He was held in the highest regard by his superior and by his fellow-officers and when he died prematurely the Department lost an officer of exceptional ability and promise.
In 1918 Walter became unwell with influenza and was transferred from his Garden Road home to the Wellington College Temporary Hospital. He died on 21 November 1918 and was buried in the Public Section of Karori Cemetery on 22 November 1918. At the time of Walter’s death his wife May was in the Thorndon Street Hospital, also with influenza.
The Dominion of 22 November 1918 published the following Personal Item:
“The death occurred yesterday morning at the Wellington College Hospital, of Mr Walter Dawson, personal clerk to the Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department, and an officer who by reason of his ability, tact, and personality was held in the highest esteem by every member of the head office staff. Mr Dawson was struck down by influenza on Sunday week. The deceased, who was a son of Mr H I Dawson, formerly postmaster at Onehunga, was 37 years of age. He leaves a widow (who is suffering from influenza in the Thorndon School Hospital) and one child.”
In the Auckland Star dated 26 November 1918, the following item was published:
“Passed Away
Mr Walter I Dawson
Information has been received of the death at Wellington of Mr Walter Irving Dawson, only son of Mr H W Dawson, of Bayswater, formerly postmaster at Onehunga. Mr Walter Dawson was 37 years of age, and occupied the position of personal clerk to the Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department. His widow is also in hospital suffering from influenza. There are two children.”
May Dawson recovered from influenza. She purchased Walter’s plot (442 H) in the Public 2 section at Karori Cemetery on 7 July 1919.
May Dawson continued to live in the Wellington area until her death in 1964. She did not marry again. May is buried in the same plot with her husband in the Public section of Karori Cemetery. Her headstone panel is on the front of Walter’s grave. It reads: Mary Eliza Dawson 14.9.1881 – 3.10.1964
Researched and written by Beverley Hamlin
Grave Information:
Section: PUBLIC2
Plot: 442 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. Shipping Records – www.familysearch.org
6. School Records – Kiwi Index from New Zealand Society of Genealogists