William Meads

Emigrated from Gravesend, England aboard SS Thomas Sparks on 27 July 1842. Arrived Port Nicholson, Wellington on 31 January 1843.

He married Caroline Harmon and spent most of his life in the Nelson area. It is stated that they had twenty three children but not all are listed in the family tree. This has come about because it has been impossible to fit them in as we have been unable to find birthdates. Names of those that are not listed are Old Alf, Young Alf, Blind Alf, two Richards and a Joseph. Some of these could well have died in infancy but others have lived for many years.

A fallacy that has surrounded William and Caroline is that they spent all their life in the Nelson district. There was a period of three to four years that they were in the Wanganui and Rangitikei districts. During this time Alice was born 21/3/1864 at Wanganui, Thomas 18/07/1866 at Tutaenui, and George 06/05/1868 at Wanganui. William was also a witness at his brother Zachariah's wedding to Marie Gray 22/06/1965 at Tutaenui. William and Caroline's next child Andrew was born in Nelson.

In the list of freeholders of 1882 William is listed as a Farmer of Nelson and owned 200 acres of land valued at 500 pounds in the Waimea County. William and Caroline remained in the Nelson area and died at Whakapuaka where they are buried in St Andrews Cemetery.

This was taken from the Meads Family Tree, published by a Mead family member in 1983.