2008 First writing, 2021 update By Anne Stewart Ball
includes ( Development of Transport Systems Early Auckland – Railway and Electric Tramways ( A view looking back – from a family member’s perspective )
To see Part III go to Glimpses of Four Generations Epsom NZ - Their Horizons Part III
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PART I Stewart Family in Epsom / Eden Epsom / Eden, Auckland -
the place where myself, a fourth generation in NZ of the Stewart family was born - as had my father, and grandmother along with their brothers and sisters. Living in the Epsom / Eden area started for our family in 1859. This was when my great grandfather James Stewart, Minst C.E. and his wife Mary Stewart immigrated to Auckland New Zealand from Perth, Scotland. They arrived aboard the Clipper Barque , Joseph Fletcher, on 18th August 1859 and promptly began to settle in to their new life. First Generation Epsom / Eden, Auckland, NZ Their first home was in Mount Street and here was where the first of the children, John, was born in 1860, a few months after arrival.
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Auckland 1859 |
Mount Street, Auckland in 1859 was what was a street regarded as out in the country. It was said some wondered why they lived so far out of town. There was no railway, no electric trams, no buses and what could be termed then, country lanes in the area. The means of transport was walking or horse.
Minds and hands were kept busy through the practical skills passed on from both parents. The influence of Mary saw embroidery, crochet, lace work, baking, preserving of fruit, pickling of vegetables, butter making and the “arts” of hostessing and looking after guests. It is known there were numerous visitors to the Stewart home. The influence of James saw carving of furniture and woodturning of household articles. These provided not just useful items for the home but goods for community and church fairs fundraising activities (not just Epsom / Eden area). Avid reading about a variety of subjects was encouraged. Along with, as James put it, “follow your own bent “in education.
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Adams, John, active 1844. [Adams, John], fl 1844 :[Auckland in February 1844]. Ref: B-176-003. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22298994 |
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1880's Panoramic view looking north east from Mount St John over Epsom and Remuera showing part of Mount Hobson,(left), Dilworth Estate, (foreground), railway line, Great South Road, (middle distance), and Market Road intersection, (right) Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 4-810 |
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1906 Looking north east from Mount St John across the harbour to the North Shore and Rangitoto, showing the Great South Road and railway lines (left to right across centre), Remuera Road (left to right middle distance), St Lukes Presbyterian Church (left of centre) and Dilworth School Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 1-W1232 |
James was committed, throughout the 46 years of involvement, to building up the Museum’s collections. Along with, in his words “the need for a thoroughly good reference library.“ During the years James wrote and read 16 papers on varied subjects, which appear in the NZ Institute Transactions and Proceedings (Now the Royal Society of New Zealand). A second paper in 1869 was about the Three Kings Lava Caves Encouraged by his friend Mr. Thomas Kirk F.L.S, a survey was taken and plans draw of these caves. (Today one of these caves is called Stewart Cave) Two of his last papers were on the Auckland area. (Back home) One, on the growth of Native Trees in the Auckland Domain (a canister containing measurements and plans – dendrochronology - deposited for future generations in Auckland Museum)
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1880'S Burton Brothers (Dunedin, N.Z.). Symonds Street, Auckland, and Auckland Grammar School. Original photographic prints and postcards from file print collection, Box 15. Ref: PAColl-7081-43. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22511607 |
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1885 Group of uniformed men, each with a penny farthing bicycle, College Hill, Auckland. McAllister, James, 1869-1952 :Negatives of Stratford and Taranaki district. Ref: 1/2-023356-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22795692 |
James Jnr left New Zealand for railway work in South America late 1888. His two brothers John and Andrew followed their brother overseas not long after.


Annie, the youngest of the girls, was co opted to various household tasks and lace making. As Annie reached adulthood, she took on the role of what could be said to be “networking “with others. She spoke Maori, it was said fluently, learned firstly from the visitors and sitting with the Maori women who came very regularly, with seafood for the household. Annie took a great interest in knowing the original place names with their stories and meanings, encouraged by her father James, who also had a preference for use of these in his work surveying for railways as opposed the new names given. It was said that he often said it made more sense and explained a place better. It was also Annie that “looked out” for the railway families.
Of the four girls, only Annie married. Annie married James Halifax Stewart, son of a banker in 1907. They were not relations - Annie a Perthshire Stewart and James a Larnarkshire Stewart. The family were always quick to emphasise this fact to new acquaintances. With a “double banger “ of the name Stewart this meant often that my father and in turn myself had to clarify often which side of aunts, uncles, cousins, etc we were referring to. Hence it is often heard the term Perthshire or Larnarkshire when referring to our line of the family. Also because of the fondness of the use of the name James in both families. James Halifax also lived in Epsom with his widowed mother and other siblings, “just down the road “from the Perthshire Stewarts.
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Lieutenant James Halifax Stewart |
World War One saw James Halifax, a lieutenant in the 3rd (Auckland) Regiment ( Countess of Ranfurly's own ) coast defence. As with families throughout New Zealand the wider family - cousins of James Halifax and Annie enlisted. Common thoughts back then were the war was going to end by christmas 1914 and the enlisted would be home. The war continued for five years and family members died in the battles across Europe and Middle East, including James Halifax brother George Macfarlane Stewart. James Halifax asked for leave from 3rd (Auckland) Regiment ( Countess of Ranfurly's own ) in 1919 to travel to England to the mills for a year. He did not reinlist with the coast defence on return in the Regiment. Seems a lot of paperwork records of retirement in Archives NZ records.
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Tonson Garlick Co :Household and furnishing drapery department. Curtains, blinds, furnishings that beautify the home. [ca 1910].. [Ephemera of quarto size relating to interior decoration, room design, household decorative items, tableware, in New Zealand]. Ref: Eph-B-DECOR-1910-01-011. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22856647 |
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Showing the site of Epsom Girls Grammar School, between Silver Road and Owens Road Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 1-W1586 |
- Auckland Area Passenger Vessels 1838-1886, Source Southern Cross 20 August 1859 http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/dbtw-wpd/passengers/passenger.html Joseph Fletcher - Stewart
- The New Zealander, February 22, 1860 Birth Notice
- CITY BOARD MEETING. Daily Southern Cross, 4 December 1862, Page 3 City Board unable to meet salaries
- CITY BOARD MEETING. Daily Southern Cross,19 August 1863, Page 3 Discussion on compulsory military duty and duties of Engineer
- CITY BOARD. Daily Southern Cross, 2 September 1863, Page 3 resignation as Engineer City Board accepted
- Archives NZ MA 1 1863/291 Memoranda and registered files Memoranda from Reader Wood to Captain Moriarty, forwarded to Defence Office 28 September 1863 Drafts letter requesting Captain Moriarty to assist the bearer James Stewart to purchase two iron steamers for the New Zealand Government 1863 1863 Department of Maori Affairs [Record Group]
- The Daily Southern Cross, 17 November 1863
- AJHR, 1871, Pages G.10, 3 – 33, Alphabetical list of officers of the NZ Government 1871 Stewart, James1867 - Government official
- Lawn, C.A ., F.N.Z.I.S. The Pioneer Land Surveyors Of New Zealand, Auckland. 14 October 1977. Part IV p476 – 477 www.surveyor.org.nz Biographical
- Minutes of Proceedings of the Institute of Civil Engineers ,Vol.CXVII 1894 pp 395,396 Obituary for James Stewart Jnr. Who died of snakebite while working on Panama Railway Quebrada, Columbia.
- In Transactions and Proceedings NZ Institute Art. XXXVIII.—Description of Lava Caves at the “Three Kings,” near Auckland. By James Stewart, C. E., Assoc. Inst. C. E., from Volume 2, 1869
- In Transactions and Proceedings NZ Institute Art. XLVII.—Notes on the Growth of certain Native Trees in the Auckland Domain. By James Stewart, M.Inst. C.E., from Volume 38, 1905
- In Transactions and Proceedings NZ Institute .Art. XXXIV.—On the Aeration of the Auckland Lava-beds. By James Stewart, M. Inst. C.E., from Volume 42, 1909
- In Transactions and Proceedings NZ Institute Obituary. Stewart, J., from Volume 46, 1913
- EXTENTION OF PRESBYTERIANISM Daily Southern Cross,12 March 1872, Page 3 meeting to have new church
- REMUERA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. Daily Southern Cross, 21 May 1875, Page 3 Opening
- THE Daily Southern Cross. Daily Southern Cross, 12 April 1875, Page 2 Master Stewart found
- Dinner at Hamilton. THE CONCILIATION. Waikato Times, 11 August 1885, Page 3 dinner after dispute on Bridge
- Roche, H., Eyewitness Account Tarawera Eruption qMS- 1714, The Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington.http://tapuhi.natlib.govt.nz/cgibin/spydus/ENQ/GLOBAL/OPHDR?NA=Waihi+ Goldmining+Company&NA_TYPE=K&SEARCH_FORM=%2FMSG%2FGLOBAL%2FOPNA.HTM
- Leys, Thomas W., A Weird Region: New Zealand Lakes, Terraces, Geysers and Volcanoes, with an account of The Eruption of Tarawera, New Zealand Newspapers Ltd, reprint 1953.
- AN AUCKLANDER ABROAD. Auckland, June 11. Te Aroha News, 15 June 1889, Page 6
- Cemetery Records Waikaraka http://0-www.aucklandcity.govt.nz.www.elgar.govt.nz/dbtw-wpd/cemeteries/cemetery.htm