The Halcombe family

Westoe, Kakariki Road, Rangitikei. Harding, William James, 1826-1899 :

Negatives of Wanganui district. Ref: 1/1-000154-G. Alexander Turnbull Library,

Wellington, New Zealand. http://natlib.govt.nz/records/22603651

Photographer unknown : Arthur William Follett Halcombe and

Edith Stanway Halcombe, husband and wife. Harper, Laura Helen Bruce, 1888-1970 :Photographs. Ref: PA2-2119. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://natlib.govt.nz/records/22449412

Arthur William Follett Halcombe was born at Highgate, London in 1834. He was educated at St Paul's School, London and Oriel College, Oxford. In 1855, he and his brother, Christopher, emigrated to New Zealand, under the patronage of William Fox, whose wife Sarah was his cousin. He became manager of “Westoe”, William Fox's estate in Rangitikei, and in 1863 signed a six year lease for the property. In Dec 1863 he married Edith Stanway Swainson.

Edith's father, William Swainson (1789-1855), was a naturalist and artist who after his first wife, Mary Parkes, died, remarried Ann Grasby. In 1840 they emigrated to New Zealand on the barque “Jane” with his four eldest children.

He purchased 1100 acres in the Hutt Valley from the New Zealand Company.

Swainson, William, 1789-1855. Swainson, William, 1789-1855 :Hawkshead. 1845.

Ref: A-187-047. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.

http://natlib.govt.nz/records/23149091

The eldest daughter, Mary, (1826-1854) left vivid and entertaining accounts of early Wellington in diaries and letters. She married Captain John Marshall and had three sons.

Mary Ann Swainson (Arrowsmith) was the wife of his second son, George Swainson, surveyor. In 1869 she opened a school for girls in Wellington and in 1878, a larger boarding school in Thorndon, where she remained as headmistress until her death in 1897. (Alice and Lily Macarthur attended this school). Her daughter, Mary Jessy Swainson, continued the school and in 1920 it became what is now known as Marsden College.

Edith Swainson (1844-1903) was the second child from his second marriage. She married Arthur Halcombe who from 1862-5 was inspector of schools in the Wellington province. In 1865 Arthur was elected to the Wellington Provincial Council and from 1869 - 71 was editor of the Wellington Independent newspaper. In 1872 he was involved in the establishment of Scandinavian settlements in Manawatu, Wairarapa and Hawkes' Bay and became attorney and agent for the Emigrant and Colonist's Aid Corporation for the Manchester Block and Feilding district.

By 1874 the Halcombes were living at “The Pines” in Feilding. He and his wife were pivotal figures in the establishment of Feilding, helping new settlers come to terms with their strange new environment and the success of the scheme was largely due to his foresight and ability.

Halcombe, Edith Stanway, 1844-1903. [Halcombe, Edith Stanway (Swainson)] 1844-1903 :The Feilding Settlement, Manchester Block, Manawatu, New Zealand. By A W F Halcombe. Ref: A-226-014. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://natlib.govt.nz/records/23192522

Edith used her artistic skills to illustrate the pamphlet her husband published in 1878 to promote the settlement of the Manchester Block. NZ born Edith had a wide range of practical skills useful to the new community; she nursed the sick and assisted new arrivals, set up community institutions and helped establish the St John's Anglican Church in Feilding. She established a herd of Jersey cows and breeding stock she obtained contributed to the bloodlines of Jersey herds in NZ.

Fox, William (Rt Hon Sir), 1812?-1893. [Fox, William] 1812-1893 :

Urenui. [ca 1880]. Ref: WC-021. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.

http://natlib.govt.nz/records/22780942

In 1881, the Halcombes left Feilding and became involved in the Paterere Land Co settlement scheme, but the scheme ran into financial trouble. In 1886 they retired to “Ferngrove” at Urenui, Taranaki where Arthur died 3 Mar 1900.

Edith's paintings were exhibited with the Auckland Society of Arts. In 1890 she assisted William Fox in an ascent of Mount Taranaki and her oil paintings of the ascent are described as “vivid and lively”. Edith was drowned, 14 June 1903, at Waitotara.

Sources:

Orange C. (ed) Dictionary of New Zealand Biography Vol 2 1870-1900, Wellington: Bridget Williams Books, Dept of Internal Affairs 1993.

Mingins D. and Pilkington D. Feilding and the Manchester Block: The European Settler Families; Swamp, Sandflies and Settlers. Feilding and Districts Historical Society, Box 42, Feilding, 2000.

Macdonald C. (ed) The Book of New Zealand Women, Wellington: Bridget Williams Books, 1991.

Natusch S. and Swainson G. William Swainson of Fern Grove FRS, FLS -the anatomy of a nineteenth century naturalist, Palmerston North, 1987.

Descendants of John Halcomb:

Generation No. 1

1. JOHN1 HALCOMB was born 1763 in Devizes, and died 1831. He married (1) CATHERINE NEATE 1789 in Devizes. He married (2) SUSANNAH HANCOCK 1800 in Marlborough. He married (3) MARGARETTA BARBOR 1816 in Charterhouse.

Notes for JOHN HALCOMB: Inkeeper Marlborough. The Castle Inn and The White House became the site of Marlborough College (established in 1843 to provide quality education for the sons of Anglican clergy).

Children of JOHN HALCOMB and CATHERINE NEATE are:

2. i. WILLIAM HALCOMB, b. 1790; d. 1884, Weston-Super-Mare.

ii. THOMAS HALCOMB, b. 1791.

3. iii. JOHN HALCOMBE, b. 1792, Marlborough; d. November 03, 1852, New Radnor.

iv. THOMAS HALCOMB, b. 1792, Marlborough; d. 1877, Cheltenham; m. EMMA WORTHINGTON, 1824.

v. ANNE HALCOMB, b. 1793, Marlborough; d. 1856; m. JOHN BLAGG.

vi. CATHERINE HALCOMB, b. 1795; d. 1855, Cheadle.

vii. CHARLES HALCOMB, b. 1796; d. 1815, Marlborough.

Generation No. 2

2. WILLIAM HALCOMB was born 1790, and died 1884 in Weston-Super-Mare. He married SARAH GILBERT 1815.

Children of WILLIAM HALCOMB and SARAH GILBERT are:

i. SARAH HALCOMB, b. 1816; m. WILLIAM FOX

Notes for William Fox: b. 1812, the third son of George Townshend Fox and Anne Stote Crofton. BA 1832 MA 1839 Oxford. Inner Temple 1838 called to the Bar 1842. Emigrated to NZ on the "George Fyfe" Nov 1842 with his wife, Sarah Halcomb. Became editor of the "NZ Gazette and Wellington Spectator." After the death of Arthur Wakefield in the Wairau incident he became Resident Agent for the NZ Company in Nelson (1843-1848). 1843 he was one of the first Europeans to journey into Wairarapa, 1845 explored the Buller Gorge with Brunner & Heaphey, 1846 explored Banks Peninsular & Otago. Fox was a talented and prolific painter of landscapes; his early paintings of Nelson & Wairarapa are significant in NZ's art history, His realistic style was largely free of the romantic anglicisation prevalent in many other artist's work of the time. 1841-1851 On the death of William Wakefield he became Principal Agent for the NZ Company. 1851 travelled to England to discuss the form of the colony's new constitution. In 1849 he purchased 5000 acres in Rangitikei, named Westoe after his birthplace in Durham. Fox entered politics in 1855 and served as Premier four times (1856, 1861, 1869, 1873) but always in short-lived ministries. He retired from politics in 1881 but continued to campaign vigorously for temperance. His last political appointment was Land Commissioner in Taranaki. At the age of 80 he climbed Mt Taranaki and died a year later in 1893. Wiiliam and Sarah Fox had no children but they "adopted" a Maori child, William Fox Omahuru. He trained as a lawyer but returned to his whanau and became a follower of Te Whiti at Parihaka.

Hemus & Hanna (Firm). William Fox. Schmidt, Herman John, 1872-1959 :

Portrait and landscape negatives, Auckland district. Ref: 1/1-001322-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.

http://natlib.govt.nz/records/22725830

4. ii. MARGARETTA HALCOMB, b. 1820.

iii. ELIZA BARBOR HALCOMB.

iv. ELLEN SMITH HALCOMB.

3. JOHN HALCOMBE was born 1792 in Marlborough, and died November 03, 1852 in New Radnor. He married MARGARET BIRCH January 01, 1824 in Wroxall, Warwickshire. She was born December 31, 1802 in Warwick.

Notes for JOHN HALCOMBE:Barrister of Highgate, Middlesex. Called to the bar at Inner Temple 1823

Conservative Member for Dover 1831-1835.

Appointed Sergeant-at-law 1839 and thence on the Western Circuit.

Children of JOHN HALCOMBE and MARGARET BIRCH are:

5. i. CHRISTOPHER HENRY JOHN HALCOMBE, b. November 18, 1824, Warwick; d. May 13, 1877, Nelson, NZ.

ii. CHARLES BIRCH HALCOMBE, b. September 06, 1827, London; d. 1899, Herne.

iii. CATHERINE MARGARET HALCOMBE, b. June 14, 1829, London; d. December 10, 1847, London.

6. iv. JOHN JOSEPH HALCOMBE, b. January 06, 1832, Holborn; d. January 05, 1910.

7. v. ARTHUR WILLIAM FOLLETT HALCOMBE, b. January 16, 1834; d. 1899, Urenui, NZ.

vi. JOHN FERRIS HALCOMBE, b. November 21, 1836, London; d. February 12, 1837.

Generation No. 3

4. MARGARETTA HALCOMB was born 1820. She married DANIEL RACE GODFREY 1858.

Notes for DANIEL RACE GODFREY: Rector of Stow Bedon

Child of MARGARETTA HALCOMB and DANIEL GODFREY is:

8. i. WILLIAM RACE GODFREY, b. Somerset; d. 1943, Waimate, NZ.

5. CHRISTOPHER HENRY JOHN HALCOMBE was born November 18, 1824 in Warwick, and died May 13, 1877 in Nelson, NZ. He married MARY CARNE BAMFIELD 1859 in Homiston, Middlesex, daughter of SAMUEL BAMFIELD and MARY CARNE. She was born September 11, 1839 in Falmouth, Cornwall, and died 1892 in Feilding, NZ.

Notes for CHRISTOPHER HENRY JOHN HALCOMBE:

BA 1850 Queen's College, Cambridge.

Curate of Guisborough, Northants 1851-60.

Missionary Curate, Collingwood, Nelson Province, NZ 1861-1871.

Children of CHRISTOPHER HALCOMBE and MARY BAMFIELD are:

9. i. MARY MARGARET HALCOMBE, b. October 01, 1862, Aorere, Collingwood, Nelson; d. 1917, Levin, NZ.

ii. HARRY JOSEPH HALCOMBE, b. April 12, 1864, Aorere, Collingwood, Nelson; d. July 17, 1939, Sydney, NSW.

10. iii. JOHN CUTHBERT HALCOMBE, b. November 24, 1865, Aorere, Collingwood, Nelson; d. April 03, 1922, Tauranga.

iv. CHRISTOPHER EDMUND HALCOMBE, b. June 26, 1868, Aorere, Collingwood, Nelson; d. 1905, Eketahuna, NZ.

6. JOHN JOSEPH HALCOMBE was born January 06, 1832 in Holborn, and died January 05, 1910.

Notes for JOHN JOSEPH HALCOMBE:

BA 1855 MA 1859 Magdalen College, Cambridge. Ordained deacon 1857, priest 1858.

Curate of Hanover Chapel, Regent St, London 1857-9.

Curate of Wimbledon, Surrey 1859-60.

Reader and Librarian of Charterhouse 1862-74.

Rector of Balsham, Cambridgeshire 1874-1910.

Child of JOHN JOSEPH HALCOMBE is:

i. PHILIP BIRCH HALCOMBE, b. September 25, 1865; d. May 13, 1943.

Notes for PHILIP BIRCH HALCOMBE:

BA 1887 MA 1891 Football Blue 1888 King's College, Cambridge.

Headmaster of a boys' preparatory school at Bexhill, Sussex 1889-1900 then Littlehampton 1900-1903, then at Ascot 1903-1904.

Afterwards a private tutor.

7. ARTHUR WILLIAM FOLLETT HALCOMBE was born January 16, 1834, and died 1899 in Urenui, NZ. He married EDITH STANWAY SWAINSON 1863.

Children of ARTHUR HALCOMBE and EDITH SWAINSON are:

i. MARGARET HALCOMBE, b. 1864.

ii. WILLIAM FOX HALCOMBE.

iii. ARTHUR HERBERT HALCOMBE, b. 1869.

iv. MARY LUCILLA HALCOMBE, b. 1872.

v. DOUGLAS NOEL HALCOMBE, b. 1873.

vi. NORMAN HALCOMBE.

vii. BLANCHE (QUEENIE) HALCOMBE.

viii. INNIO HALCOMBE.

Generation No. 4

8. MARY MARGARET HALCOMBE was born October 01, 1862 in Aorere, Collingwood, Nelson, and died 1917 in Levin, NZ. She married WILLIAM RACE GODFREY 1887 in Feilding, NZ, son of DANIEL GODFREY and MARGARETTA HALCOMB. He was born in Somerset, and died 1943 in Waimate, NZ.

9. JOHN CUTHBERT HALCOMBE was born November 24, 1865 in Aorere, Collingwood, Nelson, and died April 03, 1922 in Tauranga. He married LILY LOUISE MACARTHUR August 01, 1900 in Urenui, Taranaki, NZ, daughter of DOUGLAS MACARTHUR and MARY HANNAY. She was born 1879 in Feilding, NZ, and died 1964 in Tauranga.

Children of JOHN HALCOMBE and LILY MACARTHUR are:

i. DOUGLAS FOLLETT HALCOMBE, b. 1901.

ii. JOHN BAMFIELD HALCOMBE, b. 1902.

iii. MARGARET CARNE HALCOMBE, b. 1903.

iv. WINIFRED ITHYLL HALCOMBE, b. 1905.

v. MARY MONTGOMERY HALCOMBE, b. 1910.

vi. NANCY SEYMOUR HALCOMBE, b. 1912.

From left; Douglas Halcombe, Audrey Myers, Mary Halcombe,
John Halcombe, Margaret Myers, Nancy Halcombe, Chappie Myers