James Allison Aitken

Other Events:

• Name: James Allison
• _UID: 582512CD40164F6A873E6AECEBE4EF95D99F

Notes:

On his Birth documents it gives his name as James Allison Aitken, illegitimate. His birth documents do not give the town. Just that he was born at Hazeldean Road, _______________, Otago.

He was born James Allison Aitken but dropped the Aitken name to become James Allison

In 1926 James paid 100 pound 5/- as deposit on a farm at Weedons, Canterbury, NZ.

James married Agnes Janet Aitken on 13 Jul 1921. Agnes (daughter of William Aitken and Jane Turnball Oliver) was born on 2 Nov 1891 in Totara Valley, Herbert, Otago, New Zealand; died on 15 Aug 1954 in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Living
2. John Allison was born on 11 Apr 1922; died in 1922.
3. Gordon William Allison was born in 1923; died on 20 Jun 1946.
4. Living
5. Joyce Barbara Allison was born on 8 Sep 1935; died on 28 Feb 1992.

Other Events:

• Name: Annie Allison
• _UID: 4B6D406C73E3404C80F9D535DB5B6FF56386

Notes:

Dianne Cable nee Smith, the great grandaughter of Anne, said that Anne was a very mysterious lady. Anne had an illegitimate son, James Allison Aitken. Eventually Anne disappeared and nothing much more is known of her.
She died on 16 Apr 1948 at her home at Papanui Road, Christchurch. It stated on her Death Certificate that she was commonly known as Anne Allison
From Trish (Patricia Watson nee Aitken); "Ann didn't actually disappear, she was living in Arden, Middlemarch, Central Otago in 1897, presumably with her sister Jane Melville Johnston nee Aitken as that was where the Johnstons lived. Her brother Richard Forrest Aitken was in Middlemarch at the same time. Then she appears again in Rangitikei in theNorth Island, as does her brother Richard. In 1893 she was a Housekeeper at the same address in Medbury, in the Ashley District of North Canterbury, as her brother Richard. School records show her son James Allison Aitken went to school in North Canterbury."

Other Events:

• _UID: 7FB2F0012B2943CBB2216B1E325E943034DC
• Occupation: 27 Mar 1851, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland; Carpenter & Joiner
• Emigration: 4 Oct 1857, Leith, Midlothian, Scotland
• Immigration: 8 Jan 1858, Otago, New Zealand

Notes:

William, Jessie, Jane and William junior departed from Leith, for NZ, on board the "Strathallen", in 1857.
The ship left Leith on the 4 Oct 1857 arriving at Port Chalmers, Otago, 8 Jan 1858 after a voyage of 96 days. Even after that long journey they still had to wait four days before they could get ashore.
By the time the family arrived in NZ there had been an addition to the family, Johan Todd Strathallen Aitken. The boy was named after the master of the ship and the ship itself.
This is rather surprising given the report of the captain's conduct. An extract from the "Otago Witness" of Saturday January 16th, 1858, reads;
"We have to welcome the immigrants by the Strathallen which arrived in this port on Friday last, bringing 289 passengers.
She left Leith on Sunday 4th of October, and had a fine passage of 79 days from land to land, and landed her passengers on the 100th day from leaving the Leith docks. The voyage was, we understand, a very agreeable one. We have to regret the death of one adult and several children, the latter being chiefly infants born on the voyage. The ship was plentifully and well found, and the passengers were much indebted to Mr Greene, the chief officer, to whose hands the management of the ship chiefly devolved for his considerate attention. We regret to hear that the conduct of the Captain was not such as could be desired, but any definicies (sic) on his part were fully made up by the conduct of his subordinates. It is satisfactory to know that the conduct of Mr Greene, the chief officer, has met with its due reward, that gentleman having conceded to the command of the vessel, the captain having resigned his charge."
In an extract from "NZ Shipwrecks and Tragedies";
"When the Strathallen arrived in Otago in 1858, after a voyage on which her master, Captain John Todd, spent most of his time rip-roaring drunk, the whole crew struck and was imprisoned for its common sense."
On the same ship travelled Thomas Aitken, William's cousin
William lived in Mosgiel and later Outram, Otago, where he was involved in the building trade. In 1879 he built a school at Taieri Ferry on the Taieri Plain. The school was established on the condition that the settler's children and the local Maori children are allowed to be educated together. This was the only school on the plain where this was permitted. It remained this way until its closure in 1925.

William married Jessie Melville Threadgold on 27 Mar 1851 in 256 Canongate, Edinburgh, Scotland. Jessie (daughter of John Threadgold and Jane Melville) was born on 15 Feb 1832 in Inverkeithing, Fife, Scotland; died on 24 Sep 1893 in Outram, Otago, New Zealand; was buried on 27 Sep 1893 in East Taieri Cemetery, Otago, New Zealand. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• _UID: F18FAC81F659483FBA273113DD6D11A5A8B0

Notes:

William, Jessie, Jane and William junior departed from Leith, for NZ, on board the "Strathallen", in 1857.
The ship left Leith on the 4 Oct 1857 arriving at Port Chalmers, Otago, 8 Jan 1858 after a voyage of 96 days. Even after that long journey they still had to wait four days before they could get ashore.
By the time the family arrived in NZ there had been an addition to the family, Johan Todd Strathallen Aitken. The boy was named after the master of the ship and the ship itself.
This is rather surprising given the report of the captain's conduct. An extract from the "Otago Witness" of Saturday January 16th, 1858, reads;
"We have to welcome the immigrants by the Strathallen which arrived in this port on Friday last, bringing 289 passengers.
She left Leith on Sunday 4th of October, and had a fine passage of 79 days from land to land, and landed her passengers on the 100th day from leaving the Leith docks. The voyage was, we understand, a very agreeable one. We have to regret the death of one adult and several children, the latter being chiefly infants born on the voyage. The ship was plentifully and well found, and the passengers were much indebted to Mr Greene, the chief officer, to whose hands the management of the ship chiefly devolved for his considerate attention. We regret to hear that the conduct of the Captain was not such as could be desired, but any definicies (sic) on his part were fully made up by the conduct of his subordinates. It is satisfactory to know that the conduct of Mr Greene, the chief officer, has met with its due reward, that gentleman having conceded to the command of the vessel, the captain having resigned his charge."
In an extract from "NZ Shipwrecks and Tragedies";
"When the Strathallen arrived in Otago in 1858, after a voyage on which her master, Captain John Todd, spent most of his time rip-roaring drunk, the whole crew struck and was imprisoned for its common sense."
On the same ship travelled Thomas Aitken, William's cousin

Following the death of Jessie there must have been some sort of autopsy held because it stated on her Death Certificate that it was "the verdict of the jury" that she died of Bright's disease of the kidney and heart failure.

(Medical):On her death certificate it said that it was "the verdict of the jury" that she died of Brights disease of the kidney and heart failure.

Notes:

Married:
Name: William Aitken
Gender: Male
Marriage Date: 27 Mar 1851
Marriage Place: Edinburgh Parish,Edinburgh,Midlothian,Scotland
Spouse: Jessie Threadgold
FHL Film Number: 1066696

Name: Jessie Threadgold
Gender: Female
Marriage Date: 27 Mar 1851
Marriage Place: Edinburgh Parish,Edinburgh,Midlothian,Scotland
Father: John Threadgold
Spouse: William Aitken
FHL Film Number: 1066696

Other Events:

• _UID: BA34BBFFCC8C405A9258783F5E3BD968155D
• Occupation: 14 May 1833; joiner

Notes:

Name: William Aitken
Gender: Male
Birth Date: 26 Jul 1787
Birth Place: Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland
Father: William Aitken
Mother: Margaret Aitken
FHL Film Number: 1066632, 0102988

William married Ann Allison on 1 Jan 1813 in Canongate, Edinburgh, Scotland. Ann (daughter of William Allison) was born on 10 Aug 1793 in Cannongate, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• _UID: 317EB029C63B45C287052FBBFE03D1B58DF0

Notes:

Married:
Name: William Aitken
Gender: Male
Marriage Date: 1 Jan 1813
Marriage Place: Canongate, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
Spouse: Ann Allison
FHL Film Number: 1067744

Name: Ann Allison
Gender: Female
Marriage Date: 1 Jan 1813
Marriage Place: Canongate, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
Father: William Allison
Spouse: William Aitken
FHL Film Number: 1067744

Other Events:

• _UID: 04BE72715C734885B3F896DCA02A4FC43BA9

John married Jane Melville. Jane and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• _UID: 9E8B9C868E6446BBBF854F3DB3FBF6590B46