Our
Ashdown Heritage
Our
Stories
Walter Ashdown 1902
Gordon Ashdown 1924
George Ashdown
1804 Kent- 1858
Wellington NZ
The connection with the Ashdown family starts with George Ashdown, who was born in St Paul’s Cray, West Kent Parish, Kent in England in about 1804. Very little is known of his parentage. It is believed that George was the son of George Ashdown. This assumption is based on the death certificate of a James Ashdown, believed to be a nephew, who was witness to two of the weddings that took place in Beechworth, Victoria of children of Ellen Ashdown, George’s daughter.
The next information available on George is that he is listed as a ship’s apprentice on the ship “Harriett” that departed Sydney in 1819 when he was 15. He is also listed as part of the crew of the ship “Ann” in 1824 and the ship “Elizabeth” in 1825.
George is also listed on the 1828 Census of the Colony as being resident in Sydney, who came free in 1826.
From Sydney, George as part of the crew of the ship “Adventure” set out on a trading voyage to New Zealand, where George settled and participated in many adventures.
From here, George next turns up as one of the early arrivals of English speaking people in New Zealand as crew on the ship “Adventure”
On the instructions of their Sydney Merchant masters (Thomas Hyndes & Thomas Street), they were looking for a place to establish a trading base for obtaining dressed flax (for naval ropes, cordage and sails), pigs and potatoes in return for arms, munitions, domestic articles and trinkets.
The crew of Adventure (John Agar Love - Captain, Richard Barrett - First Mate along with Billy Bundy, John Wright, Bosworth, William Keenan, Daniel Sheridan, GEORGE ASHDOWN and Scipio Lee, an African/American cook) eventually established a place at Ngamotu (with the local Maori's consent and blessing) near present day New Plymouth where and after which they had some wonderful adventures.
George had a relationship with a Maori lady, Te Runanga Marapeka, also known Raukatauri.. It is unclear whether they formally married. She was a member of the Ngatihumea clan of the Ngamahanga sub-tribe of the Ngatiawa,(Te Atiawa tribe), whose family land was at Oakura. They along with a couple of others set off for Howes Island, now Lord Howe Island, where they set up a trading station for the whaling fleets that passed by. Four of their nine children were born on Howes Island. They eventually sold the business and in the 1840’s George and his wife returned to Wellington, where the remainder of their nine children were born.
In 1856, George formally married Mary Ames, a widow, in Wellington. Mary was the original owner of a number of Wellington properties, that became part of George’s estate.
Alas,
in 1858, George passed away and was buried in the AMES family grave in
Bolton Cemetery. George Ashdown led by all historical accounts a very
rich and adventure full life, ranging from assisting his
wife’s
Maori tribe fight off other Maori tribes to owning two hotels and
various properties in now downtown Wellington.
Carol
coradsl@tpg.com.au
Walter Henry Ashdown born 13th June 1902 in Newington Surrey
In the mid 1950's Walter purchased a hardware store at 430 Whitehorse Road, Thornton Heath. He bought it from George White and renamed it Ashdown's Domestic Hardware Store. It was near the very end of Whitehorse Road, near the junction of Talbot Road.
One favourite story involved the time a customer came in looking for a vase for a wedding present. He showed her the one or two on the shelf but they were not what she was looking for. When she described what she wanted in more detail, Walter said he thought he had one out the back. He nipped into the residence he and Doris lived in at the back of the shop, took the vase from the top of the TV, removed the flowers, washed it and presented it to the customer. She was delighted with her new purchase, Doris was not.....it was one they had been given as a wedding present over 20 years earlier.Mary genea52@gmail.com
