HARPER, James
Born 10 June 1846; died 24 November 1918; buried 26 November 1918; age 72
James was born on Unst, the most northerly of the Shetland Islands. His father, also James, was a fisher and crofter. His mother, Catherine, née STICKLE, was also from Unst and therefore well used to the harsh Island life in the middle of the North Sea. Young James was the couple’s seventh and last child. The children were well spaced out over almost 20 years, although by the time of the 1851 census, when James was said to be 4, his three brothers had left home and only his three sisters remained living with their parents together with a helpless pauper, aged 26.
When James reached adulthood, he followed his brothers in leaving Unst. By the time of the 1871 Census, he was boarding with a family in South Leith, Edinburgh’s port, and was a police constable. He was then 25. Two years later, he married Marion LAURENSON, a 29-year-old dressmaker who, like him, had been born and brought up on Unst and then left for a different kind of life.
Police work must have suited him, because 10 years later he had been promoted to Sergeant of Police, but that might have been as far as he could go. In another 10 years, in 1891, when James was 44, he and Marion were still living in South Leith, but he was then identified as a labourer. In that census the couple had six children living at home, all born in Leith. They ranged from the oldest, Andrina, a draper of 15, down to Ursula, aged 3. James junior, 13, was the only boy, and he was working then as a clerk.
By the turn of the century three daughters had left home, one to get married in 1901 and the other two to work as servants in Edinburgh. In this smaller household, James junior was working as a printing compositor (an occupation he stuck with over many years), while Janet was a dressmaker and the youngest in the family, Ursula, was still at school.
Despite the appearance of being in one location for many years, change was on the horizon. In 1907 James and his wife Marion, together with at least four of their children, boarded the steamship Rimutaka and sailed for New Zealand. At the time, James was 61 and Marion 63. Given their age, they might have been following the lead of one of their children, most likely James junior who was by now a qualified printer. Soon after arriving here he had become involved in the work of the Wellington Typographic Union.
They settled in Wellington where James senior found work as a labourer. At first, the family lived in Berhampore, but by the time of the 1914 electoral rolls, they had moved to Thorndon.
In 1918, James caught influenza and died at home at 16 Mowbray Street on 24 November. He was then 72, much older than most of those who died in this epidemic. His cemetery plot, number 331 I in the CH ENG 2 section, was paid for by his daughter Janet.
Barely 2 months later, Marion, his wife of 45 years, died. She was buried in the same grave. The couple was joined many years later by the cremated remains of several of their children.
Researched by John Boyd and Max Kerr, written by Max Kerr
Grave Information:
Section: PUBLIC2
Plot: 331 I
Born 10 June 1846; died 24 November 1918; buried 26 November 1918; age 72
James was born on Unst, the most northerly of the Shetland Islands. His father, also James, was a fisher and crofter. His mother, Catherine, née STICKLE, was also from Unst and therefore well used to the harsh Island life in the middle of the North Sea. Young James was the couple’s seventh and last child. The children were well spaced out over almost 20 years, although by the time of the 1851 census, when James was said to be 4, his three brothers had left home and only his three sisters remained living with their parents together with a helpless pauper, aged 26.
When James reached adulthood, he followed his brothers in leaving Unst. By the time of the 1871 Census, he was boarding with a family in South Leith, Edinburgh’s port, and was a police constable. He was then 25. Two years later, he married Marion LAURENSON, a 29-year-old dressmaker who, like him, had been born and brought up on Unst and then left for a different kind of life.
Police work must have suited him, because 10 years later he had been promoted to Sergeant of Police, but that might have been as far as he could go. In another 10 years, in 1891, when James was 44, he and Marion were still living in South Leith, but he was then identified as a labourer. In that census the couple had six children living at home, all born in Leith. They ranged from the oldest, Andrina, a draper of 15, down to Ursula, aged 3. James junior, 13, was the only boy, and he was working then as a clerk.
By the turn of the century three daughters had left home, one to get married in 1901 and the other two to work as servants in Edinburgh. In this smaller household, James junior was working as a printing compositor (an occupation he stuck with over many years), while Janet was a dressmaker and the youngest in the family, Ursula, was still at school.
Despite the appearance of being in one location for many years, change was on the horizon. In 1907 James and his wife Marion, together with at least four of their children, boarded the steamship Rimutaka and sailed for New Zealand. At the time, James was 61 and Marion 63. Given their age, they might have been following the lead of one of their children, most likely James junior who was by now a qualified printer. Soon after arriving here he had become involved in the work of the Wellington Typographic Union.
They settled in Wellington where James senior found work as a labourer. At first, the family lived in Berhampore, but by the time of the 1914 electoral rolls, they had moved to Thorndon.
In 1918, James caught influenza and died at home at 16 Mowbray Street on 24 November. He was then 72, much older than most of those who died in this epidemic. His cemetery plot, number 331 I in the CH ENG 2 section, was paid for by his daughter Janet.
Barely 2 months later, Marion, his wife of 45 years, died. She was buried in the same grave. The couple was joined many years later by the cremated remains of several of their children.
Researched by John Boyd and Max Kerr, written by Max Kerr
Grave Information:
Section: PUBLIC2
Plot: 331 I