the Bloy's of Lawrence...

Road Trip...

In September I went on a trip to pick up my niece from the airport and managed to fit in some ancestors, and visits to my cousins as well.  

First stop was at the Waitaki Bridge - 

The road bridge would be the site of my Grandfather's accident in 1915 - probably a different bridge!

Here is the Papers Past item as reported in the Oamaru papers...

and the article typed up for sharing...

Later that afternoon, I found the Old cemetery in Ashburton. It is now a green space with a monument to the early pioneers. My 2 Great Grandfather Henry (Harry) Bennett is on this stone.

The next morning I went to the main big Ashburton Cemetery, just off the main road to the north of the town...
Here I found - thank's to the Ashburton Council website with indexes and grid references...
Henry's wife Margaret Bennett, (yes they were both Bennett's). She had remarried, after Harry's death by dray accident, to William Brown.

 In Loving Memory of Margaret Brown, died 26 Sept 1898 Aged 52 Gone but not forgotten.

Next to her was the grave of her brother, John Bennett...

"Sacred to the Memory of John Bennett who was accidentally killed March 21st 1885
Aged 57 years. Watch and Pray = Mathew.... (he was killed in a dray accident too.)

Next up was the gravestones of the Johnson's - Frederick and Elizabeth,
(whose daughter Laura married Robert-Henry Bennett)

In Loving Memory of Elizabeth beloved wife of Frederick Johnson died 9 Sept 1920

aged 70 years

also Frederick  beloved husband of above

died July 7th 1938

At Rest

So that's two sets of 2nd Great grandparents in the one town,

Henry and Margaret Bennett came from Armagh, Northern Ireland,
and Frederick and Elizabeth came from London and Sussex.