So many stories of ancestors and relatives are mentioned in the newspapers of the past. During April 2020 for the A - Z blog challenge, I am listing the types of stories or information I have found in newspapers with examples for each letter of the alphabet. My clippings include a variety of articles about my children's ancestors and their relatives.
Mentions of Government jobs, Golden Jubilee celebrations, land grants and graduations from universities and nursing schools are just a few clippings in the category G. This story highlights David Crosbie and his wife Barbara Clarke.
Guarantee of a good job - Garments for Gentlemen
In this advertisement from 1853 David Crosbie is guaranteeing his workmanship and the quality of is garments for the gentlemen of New Zealand. |
| New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 765, 13 August 1853, Page 2 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZ18530813.2.9.2 |
David and his wife Barbara had arrived in New Zealand as a newly married couple. Perhaps they had met in a grand residence in England as this, their first advertisement published in December of 1842, hints. He was a tailor and draper and she was a milliner and dressmaker.
Mr David Crosbie, from London and Liverpool,
respectfully informs the ladies and gentlemen of Auckland, its vicinity, and the public in general, that he has opened the premises in Shortland-crescent,
lately occupied as the Commercial Inn (near Brown and Campbell's); with an assortment of Fancy Drapery, including shawls.dresses; handkerchiefs, needle-wrought collars, &c., to which he invites an inspection.
D. C. has also commenced the business of Tailor and Draper, and from his long experience in the first houses in England, combined with moderate prices, does
not fear of meeting with a fair share of public support.
not fear of meeting with a fair share of public support.
→Mrs. Crosbie respectfully solicits the patronage of the
Ladies of Auckland to her business as a Milliner and Dressmaker
Dec. 2, 1842
By June of 1844 the business was doing well. He advertised for an apprentice and a "first rate workman to whom liberal wages and constant employment will be given."(1) By 1845 he had moved his business to "more commodious premises" (2)
In 1852 he had purchased good cloth and could make Black Dress Coats from £2 15 s and Trowsers for £1 4s. He had now acquired a license and operated from the White Hart Hotel carrying on both the hotel and tailoring businesses. He went on to operate another hotel the Edinburgh Castle.
A smattering of articles and advertisements continued with David being mentioned in connection with the establishment of the I.O.O.F and several other enterprises. When the businesses had been sold he set out on a ill- fated boat trip on Easter Sunday, 1859. Lengthy reports of circumstances of the boat trip appeared in the newspapers and then on May 15th The Daily Southern Cross reported -
Body Found. — Information arrived in town yesterday that a body, supposed from the description of the dress to be that of Mr. D. Crosbie, had been picked up at Brown's Island. It was carried into the house erected on the island. (3)
Barbara died at the age of 58 in 1878.(4).She had been living with her daughter Agnes who had married William Stirling in 1864.
These are the earliest immigrants to the southern hemisphere that I have found in either of the Galvin or Stirling lines.
David Crosbie m Barbara Clarke
⇓⇓
Agnes Crosbie m William Stirling
⇓⇓
Charles Edward Stirling m Maud Gothard
⇓⇓
Gordon Wallace Stirling m Louisa May Lawson
⇓⇓
Phyllis Yvonne Stirling m John Dominic Galvin (my children's paternal grandparents)
Next up - H The Hibernian life
1. Auckland Chronicle and New Zealand Colonist, Volume 2, Issue 46, 20 June 1844, Page 1
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ACNZC18440620.2.2.3
2. Auckland Times, Volume 3, Issue 124, 24 May 1845, Page 1
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AKTIM18450524.2.4.1
3. Daily Southern Cross, Volume XVI, Issue 1221, 17 May 1859, Page 3
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DSC18590517.2.15
4. Auckland Star, Volume IX, Issue 2511, 11 April 1878, Page 2
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS18780411.2.4
This post first appeared on earlieryears.blogspot.com by CRGalvin
"Respectfully informs the ladies and gentlemen" :D I wish they still made advertisements like this!
ReplyDeleteThe Multicolored Diary
Yes, love the language, such politeness.
DeleteMy master tailor in Liverpool didn’t have his wife working with him, but he had his sister. He had a patent for a secret pocket in pants.
ReplyDeleteMy merchant tailor in Ontario advertised that he had a specialty department of camping and waterproof clothing
I wonder if the secret pocket was the beginning of the small coin pocket.
DeleteTheir standard of work sounds very impressive. What a sad ending to his life. Advertisements can reveal unexpected information about our ancestors.
ReplyDeleteSo far this all I know about him, so yes advertisements can be very useful.
Delete