Historic Cambridge residents with ‘F’ Surnames
FISHER, FITZGERALD, FORKERT & FORSYTH are just some of those historic Cambridge residents who helped found our beautiful town. A full list of F surnames is below:
FARR Alfred Eliah(s)
Alf was born about 1839 in Stackness, Scotland. He enlisted in the 3rd Waikato Militia as Private 1431, on 12 January 1864 in Otahuhu, his occupation a drover.
In 1867 Alf joined the Lodge Alpha-Waikato, No 449 I.C., Cambridge. He was aged 26 and a carpenter when he joined the Duke of Cambridge Lodge 28 May 1867. He married Frances Isabella Connell Lockley in November 1867.
Alf enlisted in the Armed Constabulary as No 1690 on 1 July 1871, and was the constable in the Watch House from July 1873 till March 1879.
An Armed Constabulary Diary in the National Archives Auckland also lists Alf as doing guard duty and planting trees in paddock and fencing same; 1875 to Marshall’s Mill at Mangapiko; August 1875 to Auckland with prisoner.
On 14 October 1875, Alf was transferred to Bay of Islands and he was discharged 31 October 1876.
FARRELL James Joseph
Jim was a farmer from Kihikihi and joined the Waikato Mounted Rifles in Cambridge, 1 November 1899. His mother was Mrs B Farrell of Kihikihi.
He enrolled in the 5th Contingent as Trooper 2716, and left to serve in the South Africa War 31 March 1900. His medals are listed as “Queens South Africa Medal and three clasps – Transvaal, Rhodesia and South Africa 1901”.
On the ‘S S Chicago‘ when returning to New Zealand, Jim died of pneumonia 21 February 1901 and was buried at sea. He is listed on the Cambridge Returned Services Association Wall of Memories at the Cambridge Cemetery.
FEATHERSTONE Cuthbert John Haugh
Cuthbert was born about 1842 in Westminster. He enlisted in the 3rd Waikato Militia as a substitute soldier – Private 1658 – on 31 March 1865 in Cambridge, having transferred from the 4th Regiment.
When he joined the Duke of Cambridge Lodge on 15 July 1867 he was aged 25 years and his occupation was a settler.
FEATHERSTON William L Haugh
William was born about 1835 in Westminster, Middlesex and became a blacksmith. He enlisted in the 3rd Regiment of the Waikato Militia in Dunedin on 8 December 1863 as a Private No 1037. On 18 August 1864 he was promoted to Corporal and later was made Sergeant.
He joined the Alpha Waikato Lodge No. 449 I.C. in 1866.
His one-acre land grant was in Campbell Street.
FEE James
James was born in Antrim Ireland about 1828 and enlisted in the 3rd Waikato Militia, 1 December 1863 in Dunedin. His Regiment Number was Private 997 and occupation a carpenter.
In the Cambridge rates assessment list for 1869-70 James paid 2 pence an acre on 101 acres – totalling sixteen shillings and ten pence.
He crops up in the Cambridge Charge Book on 4 July 1871 for being drunk and incapable and the Waikato Times newspaper of 8 May 1877 records that he has sold his farm.
FEEHAN Malachi
Malachi was born Longhmore, Tipperary Ireland about 1837.
When he enlisted in the 3rd Waikato Militia in Dunedin on 19 November 1863 as Private 936 he was a miner.
Malachi later joined the Armed Constabulary and by January 1877 he was absent from his station – and drunk. He was up on drunk and disorderly charges 28 times until 1891. Often he spent 48 hours in the lockup – with labour.
In 1884 the police applied for a prohibition order. “Order issued prohibiting Publicans and others within the counties of Waipa and Waikato and portions of Piako from supplying offender with intoxicating liquor for the insuing 12 months”. Granted.
He spent time in Mt Eden goal and in 1890 another Prohibition Order was granted. “By excessive drinking misspends his means injures his health and lessens his estate,” said the Judge.
Sudden Death in Cambridge
On 19 May 1891 the Waikato Times reported, “A well-known inhabitant of Cambridge passed away today in a melancholy manner. The man was named Malachi Feehan, and for a number of years he has been in the employ of Mr E Hewitt at the Criterion Hotel. He came to Waikato about 18 years ago, and joined the Armed Constabulary Force, of which he was one of the most respected members; but he subsequently gave way to drink, and gradually got into so bad a state that he was several times prohibited.
“About 2.30 pm today he was found dead in Patrick Murphy’s carpenter shop, and Dr Cushney thinks he had expired in an epileptic fit, as he had on several occasions been subject to them. He was about the town at 8.30 am and seemed fairly well at the time. I believe he came of a good Irish family, but has not any relations in the colony.”
There was an inquest and the foreman of the jury said, “At the time of deceased death there was a prohibition order against him”, the jury then returned a verdict that deceased met his death through suffocation caused by an epileptic fit, brought on by excessive drinking. A rider to the following effect was added: “The jury also blamed those who had supplied deceased with drink when a prohibition order was taken out against him, as they felt sure the publicans had endeavoured to prevent deceased from getting intoxicants.”
FENNELL Patrick
Pat was born 1835 in Ireland. He was a labourer, 5′ 6″ tall when he enlisted in the 3rd Waikato Militia on 6 October 1863 in Hobarton. He was a Private, Regiment No. 403 and was granted one acre of land section 322 in Cambridge West and a farm section 158 at Ohaupo.
FERGUSON John Robert Clarke
John was born 13 May 1888, the son of Hugh and Margaret nee Crickett. He was enrolled at the Cambridge Primary School as ‘Robert’ by his father in 1901. He was a farmer aged nineteen years when he joined the Duke of Cambridge Lodge 21 May 1907 and he signed his name ‘J C Robert Ferguson’.
Robert served in WW1, Regimental Number 13/332, and was wounded in the chest while serving in France.
Robert married Emma Wright in 1934.
FINNIS John
John was 28 years of age and a cook when he joined the Duke of Cambridge Lodge on 5 August 1871. He was up against the Court in 1872 for stealing five bottles of ale for which he was sent to Hamilton under escort and received seven days with hard labour.
Again he came up in court in 1881 for being drunk.
FISHER John
John, who enlisted with the 3rd Waikato Militia in Cambridge on 7 July 1866, was a substitute soldier, Regiment Number 1715. (He had been a member of Colonel Nixon’s Royal Cavalry Corps and received the New Zealand War Medal for active service.)
John bought the land of neighbouring militiamen Wilkinson, Patterson, McCormack, Littledale and Bryant.
He married Margaret Scott in 1867 and their children were John Scott, Jessica, Margaret Muir, Robert Dougald, James William, Walter Alexander, Agnes Elizabeth, Allan Muir and Catherine Livingstone.
John was noted in 1872 on a farm map drawn by Charles Chitty in a report on the district to the Armed Constabulary Commissioner’s Office.
Also in 1872 he was on the Presbyterian Church committee and in 1879 the Sessions Clerk – a position he held for about forty years. On 12 March 1872 he enrolled as Sub Lieutenant in the Cambridge Cavalry Volunteers until it disbanded on 14 October 1882.
In 1875 he was elected to the Pukerimu School committee and was chairman for 16 years. Involved with the cheese factory in 1884, in 1886 was the Pukekura representative on Cambridge Domain Board, in 1888 became a Justice of the Peace, vice president of Waikato A&P Show in 1895, attended Waikato Farmers Club meetings and a committee member of the Cambridge West Athletic Club.
In 1899 he was chairman of the Waipa County Council, 1902-1915 Director of Cambridge Dairy Co-op, in 1903 on the first committee for the Cambridge Show. In 1914 John was appointed a Member of the Legislative Council and served seven years.
He died 13 January 1927 and his obituary in the Waikato Independent reads, “As a successful and able farmer, and particularly as a Milking Shorthorn breeder the name of John Fisher is known all over the Dominion.”
The family history, ‘Fishers of Pukerimu’ written by Kay Carter 1998, is in the Cambridge Museum library.
FISHER Robert
Robert signed up in the 3rd Waikato Militia in Cambridge as a substitute soldier a month after his brother John, in August 1866. His Regiment Number was 1728.
In 1867 he began a long association with the Methodist church as a Trustee and is noted in 1872 on a farm map drawn by Charles Chitty in a report on the district to the Armed Constabulary Commissioner’s Office.
On 12 March 1872 Robert enrolled as Corporal in the Cambridge Cavalry Volunteers and served until it disbanded on 14 October 1882.
1875 he donated land for the Kaipaki-Pukerimu school. He married in 1877 to Marion Whitelaw Crickett and their children were Robert Muir ‘Bertie’, Mary Whitelaw, William Muir, Roy Robert, Agnes Ethelwin and Douglas Muir.
In 1880 he had 208 sheep. 1888 he sent 35 acres of wheat to Hallys’ flour mill. In 1895 he was vice chair of the Waikato Farmers’ Club and vice chair Cambridge West Athletic Club. In 1899 Chairman of the Pukekura Road Board, 1903 on the first committee of Waikato A&P Association and president 1908. In 1906 he was on the Manual School Committee, 1915-1921 a Director of the Cambridge Dairy Co-op.
Family history, ‘Fishers of Pukerimu’ written by Kay Carter 1998 is in the Cambridge Museum library.
FITZGERALD Hugh
Hugh was born 7 September 1828 in Scotland. He married Agnes Fisher in Glasgow 23 November 1855 and the next year they set sail for New Zealand. They arrived in Cambridge about 1870, joining Agnes’ brothers John and Robert Fisher of Pukerimu.
They had six children – John, Hugh, Margaret, Mary, Catherine and Annie. Their daughter Kate died of tuberculosis 17 August 1895. Her fiance Richard Bridgman died two days later and they are buried together in the Cambridge Cemetery.
From 1876 Hugh became Clerk and Rate Collector for the Pukekura Road Board and with tact and ability never had to sue anyone in the 31 years he was in the job. He also served on the Cambridge West (Leamington) School Committee.
In 1887 he was presented with a photo album from the Duke of Cambridge Lodge, for being their permanent secretary. They retired to ‘Sunnyside’ in Leamington and in 1908 Hugh became Clerk and Rate Collector for the Leamington Town and Domain Board.
Hugh died 6 September 1908 and Agnes died 11 January 1918 and they are buried at the Cambridge Cemetery at Hautapu.
FITZGERALD John Archibald
Jack was born in Auckland on 27 August 1856 – two weeks after his parents arrived from Scotland. On his fourteenth birthday in 1870 he took the coach to Mercer, the next day the boat to Ngaruawahia, then up river to the Pukerimu landing on the third day. He arrived in Cambridge to work for his uncles John and Robert Fisher.
Jack was a member of the Cambridge Cavalry Volunteers from 1880 to 1882 but did remember the murder of Timothy Sullivan in 1873. In 1936 he recalled that when Davy Jones galloped into town with the news, there was much indignation when Major Clare would not act in the matter until he received word from Wellington. Then shortly afterwards the rumour went around that E B Walker and his family had been wiped out by the Maori – fortunately untrue.
On another occasion the Volunteers were leaving for a field day at Thames when it was rumoured that the Maori were going to attack when they reached the bush! The Maori were in the bush all right, but their barricade was a pile of water melons – and they made the men very welcome.
Jack married Bessie Jane Kingdon on 7 July 1887 and they had two children – Hugh and Allan. They farmed at Pukerimu, bringing the fern and ti tree into a prosperous dairy farm. They retired to Cambridge in 1921.
Bessie died in 1933, Jack in 1949 and they are buried at the Cambridge Cemetery at Hautapu.
FLEMMING Richard
Richard was born in Dublin, Ireland about 1837 and enlisted in the 3rd Waikato Militia 12 November 1866 in Cambridge as a substitute soldier. His Regiment Number was Private 1745 and occupation a storeman.
In the Cambridge rates assessment list for 1869-70, Richard paid 2 pence an acre on 51 acres – totalling eight shillings and sixpence. In a notice in the Waikato Times newspaper it stated that his rates of 12/6d were due for 1872.
FLETCHER Frank
Frank was born in Birmingham, England on 3 June 1877 the son of Samuel and Louisa nee Jarrett. They arrived in New Zealand on the ship ‘Maraval‘ 1879 and Frank attended the Cambridge West (Leamington) school. He joined the Duke of Cambridge Lodge 21 April 1896 aged 18 years and his occupation a labourer. On 21 June 1911 he married Jessie Bubb and the next year he drowned in the flooded river while working as a station hand on the Elgar Station near Featherston. A month later his widow gave birth to a baby girl.
FLETCHER Samuel
Sam was born 17 October 1857 in Gloucestershire, England. He married Louisa Rebecca Jarrett in 1877 and they had four children. They arrived in New Zealand in 1879 and Sam was a labourer when he joined the Duke of Cambridge Lodge, 13 January 1885. He served as Noble Grand 1887, 1890, 1891, 1896, 1906 and 1907.
Louisa died 5 September 1895 from acute rheumatism and Sam married for a second time to Mary Jane Tonge. They had a further five children.
From 1889 Sam suffered from a sprained back, influenza, an inflamed foot, gout and rheumatism. He became a painter, paperhanger and glazier working from their house in Fort Street.
Sam died September 1921 from lead poisoning.
FLOYD Edward
Ed was born 26 March 1878, the son of George and Mary Ann.
He joined the 9th Contingent as Private 7166 and left for the South Africa War on 19 March 1902. He wrote home often while serving in South Africa – ” 30th May 1902 8 pm. A large force of Boers have been seen in the vicinity & we have put out a strong outpost. I am on picket tonight but go on patrol at four in the morning mounted, perhaps we will have the pleasure of meeting (Johnnie) on the Veldt.”
Ed returned to New Zealand and married Maud Thomas and they had two children.
FOGARTY Thomas
Thomas was born about 1824 and enlisted in the 3rd Waikato Militia in Otahuhu, 29 October 1863, Regiment Number 503. In the Cambridge rates assessment list for 1869-70 Charles paid 2 pence an acre on 51 acres – totalling eight shillings and sixpence. In a notice in the Waikato Times newspaper it stated that his rates of 12/6d were due for 1872.
FOGARTY William
Bill was 21 years old and a brewer when he joined the Duke of Cambridge Lodge on 30 September 1879. When he married Annie Callinan in July 1887 his occupation was a carter and the electoral roll up to 1893 has his occupation as a labourer.
In 1891 he was reminded by the Cambridge Borough Council that because his dog was not a Collie, he had to pay ten shillings Registration Fee.
On 14 September 1893 their only child, William Thomas, died aged 2 years and 11 months and he is buried in the Cambridge Cemetery at Hautapu. In a local paper in December 1895 it is reported that William had left the Colony but Annie was still responsible for their property in Princes Street until William’s brother, Patrick, took them over.
Annie died in August 1925 aged 77 years at the ‘Sisters of the Poor’ in Auckland and the Waikato Independent newspapers reports that she was also buried in the Cambridge Cemetery.
FORBES George
George enlisted in the 3rd Waikato Militia in Dunedin 24 November 1863, Regiment Number 1382. In the Cambridge rates assessment list for 1869-70, George paid 2 pence an acre on 102 acres – totalling seventeen shillings.
In 1920 he still had his 1 acre section number 67 in Cambridge which was leased to H Riley.
FORKERT Louis
Louis was born 1836 in Germany. He was a labourer, 5′ 4″ tall when he enlisted in the 3rd Waikato Militia on 29 February 1864 in Papakura. He was a Private, Regiment No. 1485 and was granted one acre of land section 193 in Cambridge West and a farm section 30 at Ohaupo.
FORREST Archibald James
Archie was the eldest son of James and Sarah Forrest who came to Cambridge 1866.
Archie had been born in Dunedin and joined the Cambridge Cavalry Volunteers in 1879 aged 17 years. He served for 3 years until they disbanded in 1882.
In 1890 at age 27, Archie married Sophia Vincent and they went to live in Morrinsville and then Te Aroha. Archie died in 1940.
FORREST James
James enlisted in the 3rd Waikato Militia in Cambridge 14 April 1866 as a substitute soldier No 697.
He had married Sarah Perkins in February 1861 in Dunedin and their children were Charlotte Sarah, Archie J, Arthur Henry, Eleanor Mary, Emma, Grace Emily, Edith Gertrude, Lucy Matilda, Roseline Agnes.
James, having been born in Surrey called their farm ‘Surrey Park’ and for many years lived on their own products, bearing ups and downs with fortitude and cheerfulness. In the Cambridge rates assessment list for 1869-70 James paid 2 pence an acre on 180 acres – totalling £1 10/-. From 1866 to 1870 he was member of the Cambridge Road Board and by 1869 James was farming 180 acres and tendering for contracting work as well. He is also noted in 1872 on a farm map drawn by Charles Chitty in a report on the district to the Armed Constabulary Commissioner’s Office.
James was a member of the Cambridge Cavalry Volunteers from 1872 to 1880 and in January 1877 became Collector of Rates for the Cambridge North Highway District.
He bred prize-winning Lincoln sheep having 33 in 1880 and 82 in 1886. He was a member of the Waikato Farmers’ Club and Waikato Fruit Growers’ Association as well as chairman of the Waikato Horticultural Society and later president of the Cambridge Farmers’ Club. He was a Justice of the Peace in 1897 and in 1906 took a trip ‘home’ finding the English people very conservative and slow to make themselves acquainted with new ideas and modern methods of agriculture.
In May 1910 he employed Fred Potts to build him a house on the corner of Forrest and Hamilton Roads – having lived in their previous house for 44 years. James died 24 November 1914, Sarah 14 August 1922.
FORSYTH David
David was 19 years old and a labourer when he joined the Duke of Cambridge Lodge on 5 August 1876. Four years later he was brought up before the Court for fighting in Duke Street and he did 14 days labour in default of a 20 shillings fine and 6 shillings and 6 pence costs.
FOX James
Jim was born 1834 in Quebec, America. He was a mariner, 5′ 8″ tall when he transferred from the Waiuku Rifles to the 3rd Waikato Militia on 4 December 1863 in Auckland. He was a Private, Regiment No. 1286 and was granted one acre of land section 302 in Cambridge West and a farm section 144 at Ohaupo.
FRANK Charles
Born in Prussia about 1841 Charles enlisted in the 3rd Waikato Militia in Melbourne in September 1863 – Regiment Number 1507.
In the Cambridge rates assessment list for 1869-70 Charles paid 2 pence an acre on 51 acres – totalling eight shillings and sixpence.
FRAZER George James
George was born about 1859 and was a tinsmith when he joined the Duke of Cambridge Lodge, 23 September 1884.
FREY James Lewis (Louis)
Jim was born 1833 in Schaffhaus, Brunswick. He was a coachmaker and saddler, 5′ 5½” tall when he enlisted in the 3rd Waikato Militia on 29 September 1863 in Otago. He was a Private, Regiment No. 549 and served in the Imperial Commissariat Transport Corps. He was granted one acre of land section 203 in Cambridge West and a farm section 111 at Ohaupo.
Jim enlisted with the Armed Constabulary on 4 November 1868, Regiment No. 1043. He states he was born in Switzerland and was a saddler aged 33 years. He re-enlisted 12 February 1872 and was dismissed 10 July 1875 at Taupo.
FROST Bertie George
Bertie was born on 2 February 1876 and joined the Duke of Cambridge Lodge 9 March 1909.
FULLERTON Mathew
Mathew FOWLERTON was born about 1824 in Scotland and was a labourer when he enlisted in the 3rd Regiment of the Waikato Militia in Dunedin on 18 December 1863 as a Private No 1099. He served in the Imperial Commissariat Transport Corps. Mathew FULLERTON joined the Alpha Waikato Lodge No. 449 I.C. in 1866.