Saturday, May 14, 2011

Robert and Ellen Smith

My great grandmother Ellen "Nellie" Smith was born on 25 March1889 to Joseph and Margaret Smith nee McMahon.  


Nellie trained as a teacher, and I remember my grandmother had a silver mirror which had been given to Nellie by the children of Denniston School where she taught prior to her marriage.  Nellie must have .


Nellie married Robert Todd at St Canices Catholic Church in Westport in 1913. Connie was the flower girl and Joe was also part of the bridal party. I suspect the elder bridesmaid was also a sister.  See photograph of bridal party below:


Robert Todd was the only son of Robert and Jane Todd.  He was born on 15 March 1879.  Prior to his marriage he served with the 10th Echelon in the Boer War.  

Robert and Nellie moved, probably soon after their marriage, further down south and were in Invercargill for a few years.   They had five children - their first was apparently a daughter, for whom I have yet to find a birth record, and then four children who survived infancy:

Kathleen Marie TODD 22 April 1915 - 2 May 2011.  Kathleen was my grandmother.  She married my grandfather Pat NIDD on 6 August 1940 at St Francis de Sales Church in Island Bay, Wellington.  Kath and Pat her two children.  My father Michael John was born on 19 October 1944 and my aunt, Jennifer Mary was born on 12 October 1948.

Robert Joseph "Bob" TODD 11 May 1917 14 May 1984. Bob was a builder and lived for many years in the Wairarapa.  He married Irene Ann Corlet (3 July 1915 - 21 September 1975) and they had three daughters: 
 - Ann Marie Todd b 5 January 1947
 - Christine Todd b 23 August 1949
 - Susan Todd b 10 August 1950 d 1 July 1998


John Douglas "Jack" TODD 11 July 1920 - 19 November 2008.  Jack was a doctor.  He married Judith Lorraine Luke (16 May 1919 - 18 May 2005).  Jack and Judith had two daughters:
 - Elizabeth Todd b 11 February 1947 
 - Kathryn Todd


Francis Murray "Murray" TODD 5 May 1927 - 30 December 1960.  Murray was a very clever fellow and he became an academic, lecturing at Hobart University in Tasmania.  He married Barbara Scott and had three daughters.  He died very young and suddenly from leukaemia. 
 - Ann Todd married Christopher Cunningham
 - Margaret "Meg" Todd
 - Sarah Todd

Nellie died in December 1975 aged 86.  She was buried at Makara Cemetery and Robert joined her within three weeks. He was never told that Nellie had died, but family visiting noticed that from the time of her death, he rapidly declined in health.

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