Edward JONES 1855-1941 & Jane Ann GARDNER 1858-1895
Edward was born in Balham, London, the son of Thomas JONES and Ellen HURLEY. Other children were: Thomas J. (1850), William (1852), Alfred (1857), Elizabeth Ellen (1859) and Rosetta.
Edward emigrated to New Zealand and married Jane Ann GARDNER in 1881 at thr Registry Office, Wellington.
Edward was a butcher for the Gear Meat Co., Petone, Wellington. He was reputed to be a drunkard and poor father. When Jane Ann died of liver cancer in 1895, aged 38 years, the nine children were put into state care.
Children of Edward & Jane Ann JONES
Clockwise from back: Edward Thomas (Ted), William Alfred (Bill), Caroline (Carrie), Clara Rosetta, Harry, John (Jack), Edith Lucy.
Two children were born after this photo; Eva Myrtle and Emily.
Emily was just 10 months old when Jane Ann died. Edward, the father, was unable to cope with nine children and left them to be state wards. The eldest, Ted, Bill and Edith Lucy, went to the Burnham Industrial School near Christchurch. Conditions there were harsh as reported in John A. Lee's books "The Hunted", "Children of the Poor" and "Delinquent Days". The younger children were fostered out.
Ted married Myrtle Lidgett and had 12 children. Bill married Alice Thompson and they had 3 children. Edith Lucy married Neil Gunn, they lived at Warepa near Balclutha and had 11 children. Carrie married three times to a Bass, to Ernie Tucker and to Alex Simpson. She had eight children. Jack married Ruby and they had 4 children. Harry remained a batchelor raising prize bulls near Carterton. Clara married David Mann. Eva was adopted out, eventually married William Smith and had 5 children. Emily was raised by a Mr & Mrs Grounds, she married Sam Christie and had one daughter.
Famous Descendant
All Black, Jeff Wilson, great-great grandson of Edward Jones, great grandson of Clara Mann, grandson of Grace Robertson.