Annie Sarah (Redfern)

Annie Sarah REDFERN

New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981

GenderFemale

Birth 22 Mar 1896

Residence

1919(Age: 23)Waitemata, Auckland, New Zealand

New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981

Death

02 June 1975(Age: 79)Greenhithe, North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand

Burial 04 June 1975Albany Village , Auckland, New Zealand Albany Village Cemetery

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George Redfern was born in Brirmingham, England, the son of James Redfern, a Wesleyan Minister.

His father James, a widower, decided to start a new life in the colonies, and in 1862, he and his family of 7 children toook passage in the sailing ship "MATILDA WATTENBACK"

enroute for the new settlement of Albertland on the Kaipara Harbour.

George, who was the eldest son, was 18 years old when he arrived in NZ. He later married Alice Mary Sturge.

For may years, George, Alice and family travelled hundreds of miles on horseback at his trade: photography.

He would take photgraphs of the settlers, gumdiggers, and school photographs and was a very popular figure...photgraphers in those days were still few and far between.

The art of photography was done with a large box camera weighing about 40lbs, which could be carried on the back, together with a tipod on which the box camera would be moutned for taking photos. Film, as we know it now, had not been invented and glass plates were used to capture the images.

George would prepare and develp his own plates using chmeicals which he mised himself, a rather long and tedious processs.

Mr Redfern had his studios in Symonds Street, over a chemist's shop. This shop, together with the studio, was later destroyed by fire and Mr Redfern moved into other premises also situated over a shop. However, withing 2 weeks, he was again burn out. This was in 1899 and he and Mrs Redfern, then decided to establish a new life.

Greenhithe was the area chosen and they first lived in the house a Mr Powell had built on the b anks of Lucas Creek ( Lower Churchouse Rd.)

The same year, they purchased the 36 acres of Land being paort of crown Grant 166.

Mr and Mrs Redfern with 5 of their 10 children, (5 having grown up and moved away), moved into a 2 room house constructed of split rimu logs with a nikau palm roof, which Mr Redfern and his family had constructed. It must have been a great blow to Mrs Redfern when her husband died only one year after having moved to their property.

Mrs Redfern and her children carried on clearing the land of bush and Ti Tree for the establishment of a mixed farm.

IN 1904, it was decided that a larger huse was needed to cater for the growing children and with the heop of Mr Knaggs, who had built his own house where the Community Hall is now, they constructed a new home.

Later in 1914,a further house constructed to replace the previous one. this house was to serve Mrs Redfern the rest of her life.

On October 25 1945, Mrs Alice Redfern died in he 94th year, a grand old pioneer of the Greenhithe area. Life for the average settler was not an easy one, and for a widow with 5 children, the challenge was far greater, but Mrs Redfern faced all hardships with courage and determination.

On her death , the porperty passed to her daughter Annie Redfern who had looked after her mother for many years. Annie Redfern had tiled on the land beside her brothers and the work she put into this porperty would have shamed many a man. she cleared Ti Tree, dug drains, milked cows and fixed fences. She also found time to donate her services to the social activities of Greenhithe.

In 1965, Annie Redfern sold all but 14 acres of the porperty. On her death in 1975, her property passed to her nephew, R W. Ching.

In 1982, Mr Ching donated 2.4 ha of native bush to toeh Takapuna City to be preserved as a native tree reserve and bird sanctuary.

Thanks to Ray King,

25 Tauhinu Rd,

Greenhithe

Auckland

for permission to use this section of his book....TAUHINU, A HISTORY OF GREENHITHE.

This information is from ...The Sturge Family history

compiled by Debbie Crawford (nee Sturge)

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IGI Individual Record FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0 Southwest Pacific

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Annie Sarah Redfern Pedigree

 Female      

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Event(s):

Birth:  22 MAR 1896   , Auckland, New Zealand    

Death: 02 JUN 1975 , , New Zealand
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Parents:

 Father:  George Redfern  Family 

Mother: Alice Mary Sturge