Edward Thomas Evans (Head Master 1881 – 1888)

(Thanks to Jack Evans, our elder participant at the 2007 Jubilee for sharing this family history)

Birthday Celebrations

Mrs E. Evans 80 Years Old

Family Gathering

Long Residence in Stratford (circa 1924)

The 80 the anniversary of Mrs Elizabeth Evan’s Birthday was the occasion yesterday of a gathering of all the members of her family – six in number – and including a son whom she has not seen for 14 years.

Mrs Evans, whose home is in Portia Street, has lived in Stratford since 1884 and she has very vivid recollections of those days.

The members of the family present at the reunion gathering yesterday were
Mr Evan Evans Hawera
Mrs H. Pitt Stratford
Mr D P Evans New Plymouth
Mr R P Evans Nelson
Mr E D Evans Stratford
Mrs A R Masters Stratford

There were also present seven of Mrs Evans 26 grandchildren and a friend of 1884 days at Stratford, Mrs Gardiner. The day was spent quietly, Mrs Evans not being allowed too much strenuous exercise, although she thinks nothing of early rising and baking and her hearing and eyesight are unimpaired.

Mrs Evan, who married Mr Edward Thomas Evans in North Wales, came with him to Port Chalmers in the ship Cospatric in 1873. There were 44 passengers on the ship which had a cargo of gunpowder and racehourses, and then returned to England to bring out 500 immigrants. Unfortunately the Cospatric was burnt at sea and all the crew lost except the first mate and third mate who rowed 500 miles before being picked up.

In her 61 years of life in New Zealand, Mrs Evans has had many changes. For six months she lived at Dunedin while Mr Evans looked for a farm. Then came North to Egmont Village and farmed there until 1880. “There was nothing in farming in those days,” said Mrs Evans “and my husband, in common with many others lost all his money.”

That made things hard for the young couple but Mr Evans secured a post in Webster Brothers shipping office for nine months until the farm went bankrupt.

The school was worth only ($140) a year said Mrs Evans but there was no rent to pay and they managed all right. After 15 months there they went to Okato for about 2 years and then were transferred to Stratford in 1881.

Wild and Rough Settlement
Stratford of those days was a wild and rough settlement. The school house was at the present school site and it was impossible to get to Newton King’s at Broadway and Fenton Street intersection without being completely bogged. The school was large however, there were 100 children and three teachers, Messrs Johnson, Butler and King.

After seven years teaching at Stratford, Mr Evans died leaving Mrs Evans with a family of six, of which the oldest 18 and the youngest 2 years. Mrs Evans brought all up, living in a house on her property, which is now the Avon Bowling Clubs green and always had the best garden in Stratford.