The First New Zealand Ashbys |
Bob Matchett - a friend of Lil's, who, along with another friend, Matt Hughes, was killed in action one year later***) Robert, Lil & Edward Ashby, and New Zealand cousin Eliza ("Mac" McEnnis) *** New Zealand suffered the highest number of casualties per capita of any country involved in World War I |
ROBERT ASHBY, foreseeing future "troubles' in Ireland, decided to sell up and emigrate to New Zealand, about which he had received favourable reports from his son Edward (Ted) who had gone there to recover from an operation. At the age of 76, with his third wife Elizabeth - nee Swan ("Tottie"), Lil and Edward, ROBERT set sail early in 1913. They bought a large kauri timbered villa No. 33 (now 73) Shelly Beach Road, Herne Bay, Auckland. Sadly Tottie died of pneumonia in October of that year. The photo on the left was taken in early 1914, just before the start of World War I. "Mac" on the right was a niece of Robert's second wife, Elizabeth ("Bessie") McEnnis. She was thus a first cousin of Lil and Ted and later became Noel's "Aunty" Mac. |
Bessie's brothers, John and Daniel had moved to the South Island some years earlier, and the New Zealand branches of the Ashby and McEnnis families have kept in touch right up to the present day In fact, as I write this, one of them (John Martin, son of Margaret McEnnis) was here to lunch today - 87 years after the two branches first met in Auckland). Robert died in 1923. Lil and Mac never married as the men they knew were killed in the War. *** They both lived out their lives helping others, usually as companions for older women. Mac died in 1964, Ted in 1970 (See next page) and Lil in 1972. |
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