appendix 5 the couchman family · 2016. 11. 16. · the new zealand electoral rolls record...

16/11/2016 [email protected] 97

Appendix 5 The Couchman Family

This is almost certainly the ancestral family of “Digger” Couchman, the natural

father of Douglas Ramon ward.

Frederick Couchman born in April 1830 in Tonbridge, Kent.

His parents were the Cornelius and Charlotte Couchman

Cornelius Couchman (1794–1867) + Charlotte Brown (1799 – 1868)

Tonbridge Castle and the 'Great Bridge', as they were in 1795 (private collection)

We do not have his exact date of birth, but there is a record of his baptism on 18th

April 1830.

Name: Frederick Couchman

Gender: Male

Baptism Date: 18 Apr 1830

Baptism Place: Tunbridge, Kent, England

Father: Cornelius Couchman

Mother: Charlotte

FHL Film Number: 1469567

Reference ID: item 5 p 57

The first national census in the UK, took place in 1841 and the record shows

Frederick at the age of 11years, living at Oak Hill, in the Parish of Tonbridge, Kent,

with his parents, sisters Mary (15) and Martha (13), and younger brother Charles (9).

His father Cornelius (aged 45) is an agricultural labourer, as are most of his

neighbours. His mother Charlotte is recorded as 40 years of age.

mailto:[email protected]://search.ancestry.com.au/cgi-bin/sse.dll?viewrecord=1&ti=5544&r=5544&db=FS1EnglandBirthsandChristenings&indiv=try&h=172164008http://search.ancestry.com.au/cgi-bin/sse.dll?viewrecord=1&ti=5544&r=5544&db=FS1EnglandBirthsandChristenings&indiv=try&h=172164009


The next record we have of Frederick Couchman is in the 1851 UK census.

This record was a little more difficult to find.

His name has been spelt “Cushman”.

He is now 21, and living away from his parents.

He resides with the Richardson family at 67 High Street, in Tonbridge, Kent.

Edward Richardson is a butcher employing 2 men (probably including Frederick.)

mailto:[email protected]


The records states Frederick is “U” (unmarried), a “Butcher” by occupation, and his

relationship with the Richardson family is “ser” (servant)

Trevor Couchman informs us that on 13th September 1853 Frederick Couchman

married Charlotte Gardner at St Leonard’s Chapel, Hastings Sussex.

The following marriage index transcript is provided by Ancesty.com

Name: Frederick Couchman

Registration Year: 1853

Registration Quarter: Jul-Aug-Sep

Registration district: Hastings

Parishes for this Registration

District:

View Ecclesiastical Parishes associated with this

Registration District

Inferred County: Sussex

Volume: 2b

Page: 42

Records on Page:

Name

Frederick Couchman

Charlotte Gardner

Ann Phipps

William Russell

Trevor Couchman has recorded that Frederick and Charlotte had a daughter called

Mary Ann, who was born 1856 and died in 1860

The family of Frederick and Charlotte Couchman appear in the census records of

1861 and 1871.

mailto:[email protected]://search.ancestry.com.au/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=PhillimoreMaps&_F0005DFD=Hastings&rank=1http://search.ancestry.com.au/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=PhillimoreMaps&_F0005DFD=Hastings&rank=1http://search.ancestry.com.au/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=FreeBMDMarriage&indiv=try&h=6479887http://search.ancestry.com.au/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=FreeBMDMarriage&indiv=try&h=10604027http://search.ancestry.com.au/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=FreeBMDMarriage&indiv=try&h=22574963http://search.ancestry.com.au/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=FreeBMDMarriage&indiv=try&h=25050084


In the 1861 census Frederick and Charlotte Couchman are recorded as living at 18

London Rd., in Hastings, Sussex.

Frederick is now 31 years of age and his occupation is recorded as “Pork Butcher and

Green Grocer”. His wife Charlotte is 31 also. They have three sons: Charles,

Frederick and John (6, 3 and 1) and evidently Charles is attending school, as his

occupation is recorded as “scholar.” (Later, after arriving in New Zealand, the son called Charles is recorded as “Charles Frederick”)

In the 1871 census Frederick and Charlotte are recorded as living at 11 Bohemia

Terrace, Hastings, Sussex. Frederick is now working as a railway porter.

The three sons are now 17, 14 and 12.

Charles is employed as a “Page” and the other two boys are recorded as “scholar”.

In addition, there are now four more members in the family:

Horrace (9), Jane M (7), William (6) and Martha (3) (Later Horrace is recorded as “Horace Herbert”, Jane M is “Matilda Jane”, Martha is “Martha Annie”)

In 1876 the eldest son, Charles, married Eliza Victoria Thornhill.

Trevor Couchman informs us it was on Christmas Day 1876 at St. Clements, Halton,

Hastings Sussex. (The Ancestry.com marriage index transcript is less informative, but

is consistent with the above.)

In the next three years Charles and Eliza had two children of their own:

Emily Jane (born in 1877) and Frederick William (born in 1879).

New Zealand in the 1870s.

At this time New Zealand was beginning to recover from a decade of internal war.

Vast tracts of land had been confiscated from its native owners, but the military settler

scheme was not a success. Capital was scarce, infrastructure inadequate, the economy

was stagnant and there was a shortage of labour. The Premier, Julius Vogel, decided

the solution was to borrow heavily, embark on a programme to bring into the country

a large number immigrants “of the right stamp”, to invest heavily in infrastructure

(such as roads and rail) and clear land for new farms and towns.

The government sent immigration agents into the rural areas of England, to promote

the opportunities offered by New Zealand’s expansionist programme, and to offer

assisted passage to suitable emigrants. The conditions in rural England at this time

were favourable. England’s rural economy was depressed, unemployment was rife

and wages were low. Many thousands took the opportunity in the mid 1870s, and by

the end of the decade such were the numbers arriving that the Government was forced

to end the promotion and scale down the incentive of assisted passage.

In 1879 the Couchman family decided to emigrate to New Zealand



Here is a snapshot of the Couchman family in 1879, just prior to emigration.

Frederick Couchman Railway Signalman 44

Charlotte Couchman (nee Gardner) wife 44

Charles Frederic Couchman Carpenter 24

Eliza Victoria (nee Thornhill) wife 22

Emily Jane -- 1

Frederick William -- 5 months

Frederick Railway Employee 22

John Railway Employee 20

Horace Herbert Railway Employee 18

Matilda Jane Servant 16

William Shop Boy 13

Martha Annie -- 10

(The ages and occupations are as stated on the passenger list in ROOTSWEB)

Arethusa Ship: 1272 tons Captain: John H Stiven

Surgeon Superintendent: Dr Edward Husband

Sailed Plymouth September 3rd 1879 - arrived Wellington December 7th 1879

ARRIVAL OF THE SHIP ARETHUSA, WITH 375 IMMIGRANTS. Evening Post, Volume XVIII, Issue 137, 8 December 1879, Page 2



Frederick and Charlotte Couchman (and family) in New Zealand.

The Couchman family arrived in Wellington on 8th December 1879.

The family may have been part of a group of 50 who travelled to Wanganui the next

day, via Steamer Stormbird. (See the above news clip.)

Frederick’s obituary (see near the end of this section) states that after arriving in New

Zealand he spent “a short period at Bulls” before taking up residence at Petone.

Bulls is not far from Marton, in the Rangitikei district, so it is likely that Frederick,

Charlotte and at least some of the family did live for a short period somewhere near

Marton or Bulls, in the Rangitikei district.

The New Zealand electoral rolls record Frederick Couchman, labourer, residing in

Marton (in the Rangitikei district) in 1880 and 1890, and also in Wellington in 1890.

It is not clear if these records refer to Frederick, or to his second son, who was also

called Frederick, and who married Jane Kilner of Marton.

The registration of Frederick (labourer) in Wellington in 1890, whether it refers to

Frederick Junior or Frederick Senior, suggests that the family had moved to

Wellington some time before1890.

Furthermore, in 1889 Frederick junior had married Jane Kilner (who came from a

family which had settled early in Marton). Frederick Junior had died in Wellington in

1895 and his widow, Jane, was recorded in the 1896 roll as residing in Victoria

Street,Wellington.

The record is clear in 1896. The Wellington electoral rolls record that Frederick senior

and Charlotte were residing in Martin Square, Wellington.



Frederick Couchman is recorded as a porter and Charlotte’s occupation is “household

duties.”

Evidently thay moved back to Wanganui, as the 1900 electoral roll records that

Frederick Couchman (fellmonger) and his wife Charlotte were registered as residing

at Castlecliffe, Wanganui.

In 1902 Charlotte Couchman died in Wanganui. Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10777, 18 October 1902, Page 2

It seems likely that Frederick Couchman snr then moved back to Wellington.

He died in 1903 and was buried at Karori Cemetery, Wellington. Evening Post, Volume LXVI, Issue 34, 8 August 1903, Page 6

(Note: There appear to have been two other Couchman families who settled in New

Zealand in the 1800s. The electoral roll for Wallace (Southland) 1880 lists Albert

Couchman labourer and freeholder. The same man appears in 1896 in Awarua,

Southland. Hawera and Normanby Star, (22 October 1898), records a Couchman

family living in Alton (Taranaki). These two families appear to be unrelated to the

family of Frederick and Charlotte Couchman of Sussex.)



The children of Frederick and Charlotte Couchman:

1) Charles Frederick Couchman 1854 -1938 2) Mary Ann Couchman 1856 – 1860 3) Frederick Couchman 1857 – 1875 4) John Couchman 1860 - 1947 5) Horace Herbert Couchman 1861 -1914 6) Matilda Jane (married McGregor) 1863 - 1927 7) William Couchman 1865 - 1898 8) Martha Annie (married Nicholson) 1868 - 1956

The eldest son Charles Frederick Couchman is highlighted.

As we shall see, there is evidence that our “Digger” Couchman is descended from this

branch of the family of Frederick and Charlotte Couchman.

Charles Frederick and Eliza Victoria Couchman

Charles Frederick Couchman (Photo from the collection of Trevor Couchman.)

When the Couchman family emigrated to New Zealand in 1879, Charles Frederick

and Emily Victoria (nee Thornhill) were already married and had two children:

Emily Jane (1 year old) and Frederick William (5 months.)



At the time they emigrated, the occupation of Charles Couchman was recorded as

“carpenter.”

After arriving in New Zealand more children were born: Minnie Charlotte (Judy) was

born in 1881, Charles Horace in 1883, and Albert Edward in 1886.

The South Waitarapa Electoral Roll for 1885 states that a person called Charles

Couchman was living in Martinborough and his occupation was shepherd.

This place is inland, about 50 kilometres east of Wellington.

Charles was 33 at the time, South Wairarapa would have been a rather remote area.

(Trevor Couchman records that the address in 1885 was Bush Gully, South Wairarapa,

which makes the nearest town more likely to be nearby Featherston.)

In either case, the address and occupation is a little surprising.

One year later, by the end of 1886, without doubt, Charles Frederick Couchman was

well established in Petone, a northern suburb of Wellington, with a section to sell, and

a position on the executive of the Lodge Loyal, Petone Branch.



Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 175, 9 December 1886, Page 2

Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 190, 29 December 1886, Page 2

By the following year, 1887, Charles Couchman was further integrated into the

Petone community as an elected member of the Petone School Committee and on the

vestry of St. James’ Church, Lower Hutt.

School Committee Elections.

Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 97, 26 April 1887, Page 2

ST. JAMES' CHURCH, LOWER HUTT.



Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 19, 22 July 1887, Page 3

At the end of 1887 his eldest child, Emily Jane, now 10 years old, was in standard III

at school and awarded a prize in the end-of-year examinations.

Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 146, 19 December 1887, Page 4

In 1888 Charles Couchman decided to stand for election on the Petone Borough

Council, and in August that year he was duly elected.

Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 41, 17 August 1888, Page 3



Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 43, 20 August 1888, Page 3

In that year also another child was born: Marion Alice (known as Polly.)

In 1889 Emily, now in standard V, took a prize in the school end of year exams (as

she did again in 1890.)

An interesting little fragment from the past: Charles had a little trouble with the

Council Planning Department in regard to what might have been quite a progressive

request: Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 143, 19 June 1890, Page 4

A dry earth closet is an early version of the composting toilet, quite possibly an

improvement on arrangements which existed at the time.

(The Dry Earth Closet was invented by the English clergyman Henry Moule, who

dedicated his life to improving public sanitation after witnessing the horrors of the

cholera epidemics of 1849 and 1854. Patented in 1860. Wikipedia.)

Newspaper articles in the early 1890s record Charles Couchman’s continuing

attendance as a member of the Petone Borough Council, and his continuing

involvement in the Petone Lodge.

mailto:[email protected]://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Moulehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholera


The last record of Charles attending a council meeting was in August 1893: Evening Post, Volume XLVI, Issue 39, 15 August 1893, Page 4

In June 1892 Charles was recorded as being on the committee of the Petone Working

Men’s Club and Literary Institute.

In 1894 and in 1897 there are news articles which record that C. Couchman was a

committee member of the Wellington-Woodville Railway Employees Benefit

Society.

We may presume that Charles was no longer on the Petone Borough Council in 1898.

Reported as having constructed a building without the necessary permit, he responded

by admitting he had made a mistake, and requested that the permit be granted on the

basis that the rules had not been clear. His request was narrowly declined, by the

Mayor’s casting vote.

PETONE BOROUGH COUNCIL Evening Post, Volume LV, Issue 91, 19 April 1898, Page 2

Further conflict with the Council in 1900.

Evening Post, Volume LIX, Issue 64, 16 March 1900, Page 4

Perhaps Charles had proceeded with his “dry earth closet” ten years before, and found

it satisfactory.



In 1889 “Couchman” was elected a member of the Wellington branch of the New

Zealand Institute of Journalists. (Wairarapa Daily Times, 21 June 1899, Page 2)

It is not clear if this is Charles.

In 1902 in the end of year exams, another daughter, this time 12-year-old Elsie Annie,

took a prize. Besides Elsie who was born in 1890, three more children had been born:

Leonard John (Dick) in 1891, Florence May (Dolly) in 1895 and Ida Victoria in 1897.

The second son of Charles and Eliza, Charles Horace Couchman, was by now 19

years of age.

In 1896 and 1900 the address and occupations of Charles and “Lizzie” Couchman

were recorded in the Wellington Suburbs electoral roll.

Charles is working as a carpenter, and they reside at Cuba Street, Petone.

Eliza had recently established her Petone Laundry business, which grew over many

years to become well-known as Couchman’s Laundry.

In the early 1900s Charles appears to have taken a passing interest in owning and

racing horses. Evening Post, Volume LXIV, Issue 90, 13 October 1902, Page 2

There are no other such reports, apart from the news item that Charles did own a

stable, that it was burned down in 1903……. Evening Post, Volume LXVI, Issue 145, 16 December 1903, Page 6



…… and that in 1908 he was fined 5s for allowing horses to wander. Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 183, 28 April 1908, Page 10

The last public position held by Charles Couchman was recorded in 1903.

He was secretary of the Petone Navals Ex-Members Assn Evening Post, Volume LXVI, Issue 145, 16 December 1903, Page 6

In 1904 Charles and “Lizzie” put on the market their Cuba Street property, where they

had been living. Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 146, 17 December 1904, Page 2

From 1905 onwards, the electoral roll records their address as Tory Street.



Eliza Couchman and Couchman’s Laundry

This was first advertised in Petone in 1895. Evening Post, Volume L, Issue 83, 7 October 1895, Page 3

From this time on advertisements were run almost daily in the newspaper, for many

years, both for business and for employees as the business grew.

Here is a selection: Evening Post, Volume LIV, Issue 141, 11 December 1897, Page 6

Evening Post, 3 October 1898

In July 1900 Eliza made a trip to England, and returned in November the same year

July 1900 inward shipping passenger list ship Whakatane.

November 1900 outward shipping passenger list ship Papanui.



Evening Post, Volume LXIV, Issue 155, 30 December 1902, Page 1

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 65, 17 March 1906, Page 6

Eliza had an accident in 1906.

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 26, 31 January 1906, Page 5

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 29, 3 February 1906, Page 6

and later in the year it seems she was in charge of property sales:



Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 98, 26 April 1906, Page 1

Evening Post, Volume LXXII, Issue 120, 17 November 1906, Page 1

The Laundry business continued to expand ….. Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 124, 26 May 1906, Page 1

………but not without its share of drama.

Evening Post, Volume LXXII, Issue 86, 9 October 1906, Page 5



Some time after this incident, the firm invested in a motor van.

From the collection of Trevor Couchman

Eliza Victoria (Lizzy) Couchman with some of her family members.

Adults standing in the back row (L to R) are:

Leonard John (Dick) Couchman

Eliza Victoria Couchman

Minnie Charlotte (Judy) Couchman

Elsie Annie Couchman

Albert Edward Couchman



In February 1907 the laundry business was the target of some very unfortunate

publicity.

' GIRLS FAINT AT WORK." ALLEGATION OF INSPECTOR OF FACTORIES. Evening Post, Volume LXXIII, Issue 39, 15 February 1907, Page 6

By now news services were syndicated, and the matter was widely reported.

Taranaki Herald, 16 February 1907 Wanganui Chronicle, 16 February 1907 Wairarapa Daily Times, 16 February 1907 Auckland Star, 16 February 1907 Hawera & Normanby Star, 16 February 1907 Manawatu Standard, 16 February 1907

Grey River Argus, 19 February 1907 Clutha Leader, 19 February 1907



In typical fashion the Truth reporters smelled mud, and leapt in with lurid headlines.

NZ Truth , Issue 87, 16 February 1907, Page 4

The response from the Couchmans was probably ill advised.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIII, Issue 42, 19 February 1907, Page 8

\ Evening Post, Volume LXXIII, Issue 42, 19 February 1907, Page 8



The denial was simply ignored by the Free Lance…..

SWEATED GIRLS. That Petone Case. Free Lance, Volume VII, Issue 347, 23 February 1907, Page 6

and provided fuel for an even more virulent attack by the Truth:



NZ Truth , Issue 88, 23 February 1907, Page 4

However, business continued, and appointment of staff increased - perhaps now with

a little more care for the welfare of employees.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 12, 13 July 1907, Page 1



Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 36, 10 August 1907, Page 6

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 41, 18 February 1908, Page 1

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 48, 25 August 1908, Page 1

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 75, 25 September 1908, Page 1

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 315, 30 September 1908, Page 2

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 336, 24 October 1908, Page 2

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 63, 11 September 1909, Page 1



By 1909 the Couchmans were able to proudly report:

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 609, 11 September 1909, Page

1 Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 87, 9 October 1909, Page 6

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1105, 19 April 1911, Page 9

Advertising in a similar vein continued through the war years and continued until at

least the 1920s.

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 106, 1 November 1915, Page 10



Eliza Victoria Couchman died in 1933.

DEATHS. Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 7, 8 July 1933, Page 1

BEREAVEMENT NOTICES. THANKS. Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 13, 15 July 1933, Page 1

Charles Couchman died in 1938.

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 141, 17 June 1938, Page 1



photographs from the collection of Trevor Couchman

It is unproved, but Charles Horace (Rodge) Couchman is most likely to be the

“Digger” Couchman who is remembered as the natural father of Douglas Ramon

Ward.

appendix 5 the couchman family · 2016. 11. 16. · the new zealand electoral rolls record...

Documents