Douglas Gordon McKeich

Notes:

Died:

Ernest married Gladys Helen McLaughlin on 8 Dec 1920 in Rotorua, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. Gladys was born on 16 Sep 1901 in Kaiapoi, Waimakariri, New Zealand; died on 21 Oct 1978 in Auckland, New Zealand. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Died:

Other Events:

• Occupation: New Zealand; Miner Tunneller

Notes:

Buried:

James married Francis Helen Smith on 24 Sep 1916 in Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand. Francis was born on 18 Feb 1869 in Ashby On Spilsby, Lincolnshire, England, UK; died on 4 Jun 1944 in Whangarei, Northland, New Zealand. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
James lived with Francis Smith Hart after 5 Mar 1896. Albert Hart had left home, in Nhill, and moved to Broken Hill, New South Wales to seek work. Albert left Broken Hill after a friend wrote to him telling him that James was living with his wife. He arrived home to find Francis (Fanny) would soon give birth. This information came from the records of the divorce proceedings.

Fanny moved out of the family home a week after Walter Royce was born. Walter Royce was the first of her children fathered by James. Fanny's five daughters to Albert all lived to have families and stayed with their father.

James, Fanny and their children disappeared from the electoral roll after 1903.

Albert divorced Fanny in 1897.

There is no record of a marriage between James and Fanny in Victoria or New South Wales. The following children were born in Australia:-

Walter Royce McKeich b. 5.2.1897, Nhill, Victoria
Ernest Gordon McKeich b.22.9.1898. St Arnaud, Victoria
May McKeich b. 17.1.1900, St Arnaud, Victoria

The family moved to Lawrence, Central Otago.

Albert McKeich and Robert Edward McKeich b. 20.7.03 died shortly after.
James Henry McKeich b. 12.12.05, Dunedin.
Robert McKeich b. 14 .5.08, St Albans, Christchurch
Rona Elsie McKeich b. 6.9.12, Burwood, Christchurch

James enlisted in the army to serve in WW1 on April 21 1916.
He was posted to J Coy 17 Reinforcements on 31 May 1916.
Promoted to L/Cpl 19 June 1916.
Promoted to Corporal 27 Aug.1916.
Promoted to Sergeant 18 Sept 1916.

James and Francis were married in Wellington on 14 September 1916. James was living at the Trentham Army Camp and Francis was still living in Christchurch with the children. James was 40 and Francis 46. James described himself as a miner and Francis as a widow. I don't think that this was quite correct since she was divorced in 1897. Stated date of widowhood was 6 April 1896. Albert, Francis's first husband remarried in Melbourne on 2 Feb 1902 and had several children by his second wife, Hilda May Rowe. I suspect that the marriage took place so that Fanny could benefit from any pension should James be killed overseas.

Other Events:

• Occupation: Butcher

Notes:

Robert married Emily Harriet Bicknell and had 5 children being James Henry, Ada, Walter Ernest, Ethel Maud, Robert William. Robert married Rebecca McWhinney and had a child called Robert


Died:

Robert married Emily Harriet Bicknell on 8 Mar 1876 in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. Emily was born on 7 Jan 1857 in Raglan, Fiery Creek, Victoria, Australia; died on 2 Jun 1924 in Glasgow, South Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
Birth: 5 September 1855. Ref # 1297/1855, Schedule A, District of Collingwood, Victoria
Marriage: 8 March 1876. Ref # 7, Copy of Register of Marriage, # 628, District of Dunedin.
Death: 4 June 1902. Ref Telegram from Commanding Officer, 9th NZ Regiment.

Detailed information about Robert can be found in "The McKeich Family History" compiled by his great grandson Bill McKeich and also in the "Boer War Diary " of Lieutenant Robert McKeich, 9th NZ Contingent, transcribed by Bill McKeich.

Copies of the Diary have been lodged in the Lawrence Museum, National Archives and the Waiouru War Museum where the original manuscript is held.

Robert left Melbourne on 18 December 1875 aboard the Ringarooma and landed in Invercargill on Friday 24 December 1875. His age was given as 29. He was in fact only 20.

There is a record of " Mrs Bicknel" travelling on the Ringarooma on the same dates as Robert. Could this have been the 18 year old Emily? Emily was very pregnant and she and Robert married in
March 1876 and their eldest child Jim was born two months later.