FARRELL, Amy Harriet
Born 1891; died 07 January 1919; buried 08 January 1919; age 28
Amy Harriet HARRINGTON was born on 10 December 1891 in Wellington, the fourth child of Alexander and Louisa (HOULDEY). Louisa was one of the descendants (through her mother) of the Spicer family who were early and longstanding settlers in Ohariu Valley, Johnsonville, Wellington. Alexander’s father Jeremiah, was born in Co Cork, Ireland and served with the 65th Regiment (Royal Tigers) for 16 years in Ireland, West Indies, Canada and England. He and wife Margaret arrived in the Bay of Islands on 4 January 1847. He obtained his discharge from the Regiment in 1848 and settled his family in Wellington. Alexander had 4 sisters and 6 brothers, nine of whom were born in New Zealand.
Alexander & Louisa married on 21 July 1883 at the Registrars Office, Wellington, New Zealand with Caroline Harrington and Thomas Houldey as their witnesses. They lived in Island Bay first, then moved to Brooklyn, where they lived in Reuben Avenue, Cleveland Street, and then Ohiro Road for many years. Alexander worked initially as a farm labourer and then as a carter/carrier.
Amy’s four siblings were: Ellen Amelia (1884); Arthur Alexander (1886); Jessie (1888); Florence Matilda (1892).
While there are no school records listed for Amy, it could be assumed she attended Vogeltown and Brooklyn Schools with her sister Jessie.
Jessie was the first of the daughters to marry. She married Arthur Edward LOGAN in 1908.
At the beginning of 1909 Amy, who was still only 18, married Victor John FARRELL in Wellington. Victor was born on 11 July 1886 in Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia, son of John Farrell and Elizabeth WATTS. Victor travelled to New Zealand sometime after 1904 - he was still in Sydney when his father died that year.
Amy & Victor’s daughter Olive Amy was born two months after the marriage, on 11 March 1909 in Wellington
Next to marry was the oldest of Amy’s sisters, Ellen Amelia. She married Henry George ATKINSON in 1913. The same year the youngest of the sisters, Florrie (Florence) Matilda married Ernest ARROWSMITH.
In the 1914 Electoral Roll for Wellington South Amy and her family were living at 60 Cleveland Street, Brooklyn, with Amy’s parents. Victor’s occupation is listed as a fruiterer. After a 7-year gap since Olive had been born, a son, Alick John, was born to Amy and Victor, on 21 February 1916.
Amy’s brother Arthur was balloted for military service in May 1917, but had a medical issue with his ankle and was never called upon to serve.
On 22 November 1918 Amy’s sister Jessie, who had been ill with influenza, died at the temporary Hospital at Thorndon Normal School. She was buried the following day in the Public 2 section of Karori Cemetery. Her story is published separately on this site.
Amy too became sick with influenza and pneumonia, and was transferred to a private hospital at 290 Willis Street, Wellington from the family home in Cleveland Street, Brooklyn. She died there on 7 January 1919. There is no indication on her death certificate as to duration of her illness, or how long she was in hospital before her death. Amy was buried in the Anglican section of Karori Cemetery on 8 January 1919.
A death notice was published in the Evening Post on 7 January 1919:
Farrell – On the 7th January, Amy Harriet, beloved wife of V J Farrell, of 60 Cleveland-street, Brooklyn, and third daughter of Mr A Harrington, Brooklyn; aged 28 years. At Rest.
On the anniversary of Amy’s death in 1920 six In Memoriam notices were published in the Evening Post - from her children Alick & Olive; her husband; her parents; her sister Florence & husband Ernest Arrowsmith; sister Ellen & her husband Henry Atkinson; and from M Skews. In 1921 there were further In Memoriam notices from her parents, sisters & brother and her children.
Victor married again sometime after 1919 a woman called Violet but the details of their marriage have not been found either in New Zealand or Australia. Presumably he continued to care for his 9-year old daughter, and his 2-year old son, perhaps with assistance and support from Amy’s parents and other family members.
On 15 January 1938 Victor died suddenly at his residence in Wellington, aged 50 years. He was buried in Karori Cemetery on 18 January in the same plot as Amy. There was no death notice, but a funeral notice was published in the Evening Post on 17 January 1938. In the Sydney Morning Herald, Saturday 5 February 1938 the following notice was published:
Farrell – January 15 (suddenly), at his residence, Wellington, NZ, Victor John Farrell, son of Elizabeth and the late John Farrell, of Denison Road, Lewisham, aged 50. R.I.P.
The headstone on the plot, purchased by Victor Farrell for Amy on 10 February 1919, is inscribed:
“Amy Harriett, beloved wife of Victor John Farrell, died 7 Jan 1919 aged 28 years; also her beloved husband Victor John Farrell who died 15 Jan 1938 aged 50 yrs”
A second plaque in front of the headstone reads:
“Also loving husband of Violet Farrell”
Amy’s sister Florence died in 1930 and is buried in the Anglican section of Karori Cemetery. Alexander and Louisa died in 1939 and 1945 respectively, and they too were buried in an Anglican section of Karori Cemetery but not with either of their two daughters.
Researched and written by Beverley Hamlin
Grave Information:
Section: CH ENG2
Plot: 205 E
Sources:
1. New Zealand Births Deaths & Marriages historical – www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz
2. Newspapers – www.paperspast.natlib.gov.nz
3. Karori Cemetery – www.wellington.govt.nz > Services > Community & Culture > Cemeteries
4. New Zealand Electoral Rolls – www.ancestry.co.uk
5. Trove Newspapers, Australia – www.trove.nla.gov.au
Born 1891; died 07 January 1919; buried 08 January 1919; age 28
Amy Harriet HARRINGTON was born on 10 December 1891 in Wellington, the fourth child of Alexander and Louisa (HOULDEY). Louisa was one of the descendants (through her mother) of the Spicer family who were early and longstanding settlers in Ohariu Valley, Johnsonville, Wellington. Alexander’s father Jeremiah, was born in Co Cork, Ireland and served with the 65th Regiment (Royal Tigers) for 16 years in Ireland, West Indies, Canada and England. He and wife Margaret arrived in the Bay of Islands on 4 January 1847. He obtained his discharge from the Regiment in 1848 and settled his family in Wellington. Alexander had 4 sisters and 6 brothers, nine of whom were born in New Zealand.
Alexander & Louisa married on 21 July 1883 at the Registrars Office, Wellington, New Zealand with Caroline Harrington and Thomas Houldey as their witnesses. They lived in Island Bay first, then moved to Brooklyn, where they lived in Reuben Avenue, Cleveland Street, and then Ohiro Road for many years. Alexander worked initially as a farm labourer and then as a carter/carrier.
Amy’s four siblings were: Ellen Amelia (1884); Arthur Alexander (1886); Jessie (1888); Florence Matilda (1892).
While there are no school records listed for Amy, it could be assumed she attended Vogeltown and Brooklyn Schools with her sister Jessie.
Jessie was the first of the daughters to marry. She married Arthur Edward LOGAN in 1908.
At the beginning of 1909 Amy, who was still only 18, married Victor John FARRELL in Wellington. Victor was born on 11 July 1886 in Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia, son of John Farrell and Elizabeth WATTS. Victor travelled to New Zealand sometime after 1904 - he was still in Sydney when his father died that year.
Amy & Victor’s daughter Olive Amy was born two months after the marriage, on 11 March 1909 in Wellington
Next to marry was the oldest of Amy’s sisters, Ellen Amelia. She married Henry George ATKINSON in 1913. The same year the youngest of the sisters, Florrie (Florence) Matilda married Ernest ARROWSMITH.
In the 1914 Electoral Roll for Wellington South Amy and her family were living at 60 Cleveland Street, Brooklyn, with Amy’s parents. Victor’s occupation is listed as a fruiterer. After a 7-year gap since Olive had been born, a son, Alick John, was born to Amy and Victor, on 21 February 1916.
Amy’s brother Arthur was balloted for military service in May 1917, but had a medical issue with his ankle and was never called upon to serve.
On 22 November 1918 Amy’s sister Jessie, who had been ill with influenza, died at the temporary Hospital at Thorndon Normal School. She was buried the following day in the Public 2 section of Karori Cemetery. Her story is published separately on this site.
Amy too became sick with influenza and pneumonia, and was transferred to a private hospital at 290 Willis Street, Wellington from the family home in Cleveland Street, Brooklyn. She died there on 7 January 1919. There is no indication on her death certificate as to duration of her illness, or how long she was in hospital before her death. Amy was buried in the Anglican section of Karori Cemetery on 8 January 1919.
A death notice was published in the Evening Post on 7 January 1919:
Farrell – On the 7th January, Amy Harriet, beloved wife of V J Farrell, of 60 Cleveland-street, Brooklyn, and third daughter of Mr A Harrington, Brooklyn; aged 28 years. At Rest.
On the anniversary of Amy’s death in 1920 six In Memoriam notices were published in the Evening Post - from her children Alick & Olive; her husband; her parents; her sister Florence & husband Ernest Arrowsmith; sister Ellen & her husband Henry Atkinson; and from M Skews. In 1921 there were further In Memoriam notices from her parents, sisters & brother and her children.
Victor married again sometime after 1919 a woman called Violet but the details of their marriage have not been found either in New Zealand or Australia. Presumably he continued to care for his 9-year old daughter, and his 2-year old son, perhaps with assistance and support from Amy’s parents and other family members.
On 15 January 1938 Victor died suddenly at his residence in Wellington, aged 50 years. He was buried in Karori Cemetery on 18 January in the same plot as Amy. There was no death notice, but a funeral notice was published in the Evening Post on 17 January 1938. In the Sydney Morning Herald, Saturday 5 February 1938 the following notice was published:
Farrell – January 15 (suddenly), at his residence, Wellington, NZ, Victor John Farrell, son of Elizabeth and the late John Farrell, of Denison Road, Lewisham, aged 50. R.I.P.
The headstone on the plot, purchased by Victor Farrell for Amy on 10 February 1919, is inscribed:
“Amy Harriett, beloved wife of Victor John Farrell, died 7 Jan 1919 aged 28 years; also her beloved husband Victor John Farrell who died 15 Jan 1938 aged 50 yrs”
A second plaque in front of the headstone reads:
“Also loving husband of Violet Farrell”
Amy’s sister Florence died in 1930 and is buried in the Anglican section of Karori Cemetery. Alexander and Louisa died in 1939 and 1945 respectively, and they too were buried in an Anglican section of Karori Cemetery but not with either of their two daughters.
Researched and written by Beverley Hamlin
Grave Information:
Section: CH ENG2
Plot: 205 E
Sources:
1. New Zealand Births Deaths & Marriages historical – www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz
2. Newspapers – www.paperspast.natlib.gov.nz
3. Karori Cemetery – www.wellington.govt.nz > Services > Community & Culture > Cemeteries
4. New Zealand Electoral Rolls – www.ancestry.co.uk
5. Trove Newspapers, Australia – www.trove.nla.gov.au