Our Family History
Family: Robert McKeich / Emily Harriet Bicknell (F1560)
m. 8 Mar 1876-
Husband | Male
Robert McKeich
Born 5 Sep 1855 Mount Arrowratt, Fiery Creek, Victoria, Australia 
Died 4 Jun 1902 Boer War, Vereeniging, South Africa Buried Married 8 Mar 1876 Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand Father James McKeich | F1485 Group Sheet Mother Mary Betts | F1485 Group Sheet
Wife | Female
Emily Harriet Bicknell
Born 7 Jan 1857 Raglan, Fiery Creek, Victoria, Australia Died 2 Jun 1924 Glasgow, South Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand Buried Father Mother
Child 1 | Male
+ James Henry McKeich
Born 6 May 1876 Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand Died 27 Jul 1961 Levin, Manawatu-Wanganui, New Zealand Buried Whangarei, Northland, New Zealand Spouse Francis Helen Smith | F1561 Married 24 Sep 1916 Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
Child 2 | Female
Ada McKeich
Born 1 Nov 1879 Lawrence, Central, Otago, New Zealand Died 20 Jul 1882 Lawrence, Central, Otago, New Zealand Buried
Child 3 | Male
+ Walter Ernest McKeich
Born 9 Jan 1882 Lawrence, Central, Otago, New Zealand Died 18 Jun 1965 Te Awamutu, Waipa, New Zealand Buried Spouse Elizabeth Barclay Waddell | F1595 Married 28 Mar 1906 Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
Child 4 | Female
+ Ethel Maud McKeich
Born 6 May 1885 Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand Died 21 Apr 1915 Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand Buried Spouse Arthur John Bell | F1602 Married 11 Aug 1909 New Zealand
Child 5 | Male
+ Robert William McKeich
Born 8 Mar 1895 Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand Died 18 Apr 1944 Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand Buried Spouse Beatrice Olivia Roberts | F1605 Married
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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.
- Birth: 5 September 1855. Ref # 1297/1855, Schedule A, District of Collingwood, Victoria