George Rhodes Snr and family

George Rhodes (1816, York - 8 February 1883) married (1) ? Chadwick.  They had the following children, and then Mrs Rhodes must have died:

1. Jane Rhodes (30 January 1840 - 12 July 1918) - came to New Zealand and married Albert Walter Jones (1840 - May 1909).  Died on 12 July 1918, in her 79th year.  At the time of her death lived at 2 Onslow Road, Mount Eden.  Had two married daughters at her death and was a widow.  Albert was a shoemaker and he and Jane were in New Zealand by December 1884.

2. Charles Rhodes (15 September 1841 - 17 October 1861)
3. Mark Rhodes (15 May 1844 - 30 September 1853)

Following his first wife's death, George married Mary Readmon (1820 - 1898) of Whitby, Yorkshire, England. 

4. George Rhodes (1849, York, England - 24 August 1932) married Louisa Mary Stephenson (daughter of Henry Acey and Ann Stephenson nee Dry who had married in 1847 in Hull, England) (1851 - 14 June 1929).  They had a family of eight children - four boys and four girls.  See here.  

5. Thomas Rhodes (18 January 1851, England - 10 February 1851)

6. Mary Ann/Marion Rhodes (13 October 1853, Leeds, England - 23 July 1949, Papakura, Auckland) married Robert William Keals (1847 - 1925) in 1876.  Robert Keals was an architect in Auckland and owned farms in Onewhero and Papakura.  See here.

7. Hannah Rhodes (16 February 1855, Tasmania - 27 July 1894, Te Aroha) married Frank George Evans in 1886.  See here.

8. Francis Rhodes (16 November 1857, Tasmania - 23 July 1858, Tasmania)

9. Frances Rhodes (11 July 1860, Tasmania - 3 March 1865, Tasmania)

10. Joseph Rhodes (31 October 1862, Auckland, NZ - 9 March 1892, Ballarat, Australia).  News of Joseph's premature death was spread by way of an obituary in the 21 April 1892 edition of the Auckland Star, as follows:

Another Auckland young man has fallen a victim to typhoid in Australia, Mr Joseph Rhodes, youngest son of Mrs Rhodes, of Hamilton Road, Ponsonby, and brother to Mr George Rhodes, builder, has for over six years been following his trade as bricklayer, etc., in various cities in Australia. Since trade fell off in Melbourne he has been in several out districts, and whilst engaged on a contract at Ballarat was smitten by the influenza epidemic, which prostrated his strength. It seems he started to work too soon, for he had in a short time to succumb to typhoid, which necessitated his removal to the local hospital, where he had only remained a week when he was removed by death.

The following is from the Ballarat "Star":

"The funeral of the late Mr Joseph Rhodes took place yesterday, and was largely attended by friends of deceased and representatives of the Operative Bricklayers' Society, of which he was a member. Much sympathy was expressed for the relatives of the young fellow, all of whom reside in New Zealand. The Rev. Mr Rodgers at the burial service gave a short and impressive address."

George was a builder/joiner and worked from his arrival in Auckland around 1862.  He built various buildings in Auckland, including the historic Bank of New Zealand Building on Queen Street.  

He died suddenly in 1883 at the age of 67.  His death and consequent inquest (inquests in those days were held very soon after death - in this case, the following day) were reported upon in the 9 February 1883 editions of the New Zealand Herald and the Auckland Star, respectively, as follows:

FATAL ACCIDENT.

MR. GEORGE RHODES, SEN., DROWNED.

We regret to announce that Mr. George Rhodes, Sen., builder, a well-known and much respected citizen of Auckland, met his death on Thursday by drowning.

Mr. Rhodes was about 68 years of age, and had lived for some years at Dedwood. He was not in the habit of bathing, but a few days ago he expressed a wish to have a bathe in the sea, and yesterday morning he was seen by the servant to go out in the direction of the beach, which is only a few minutes' walk from his house. This was about six o'clock, and at a quarter to eight a boy ran up to Mr. Masefield, who was standing in front of his house, and said that there was a man floating in the water. Mr. Masefield, his son, Messrs. Nicholls and J. W. Porter ran down, and found Mr. Rhodes's body floating in the shallow water. His clothes were near him, while his hat and boots were on the grass at a little distance. Attempts at resusitation were tried, but they proved fruitless. A short time ago, Mr. Rhodes fainted in the bath, and it is thought that on the present occasion he had fainted in the shallow water, to where he had undressed. It was at first thought that there was still life in the body, but on Dr. Knight arriving, which he did in a very few minutes, he pronounced Mr. Rhodes to be beyond the hope of resuscitation.

Mr. Rhodes was well known as a builder, having been in Auckland for twenty years, and his death will be much regretted by a wide circle of friends. He leaves a widow, and three sons and two daughters, all grown up. One of the daughters is married to Mr. Keals, jun and the other to the Rev. Mr. Evans, of Northcote.

Mr. Rhodes had built some of our most important public buildings and warehouses, as well as many public works for the City Council. Among the buildings erected by him were: Theatre Royal, the Loan and Mercantile Agency Company's buildings, Sommerville's buildings, Queen-street, the Bank of New Zealand, the contract for the extention and additions to which he had recently secured, and which was being carried out under the supervision of his eldest son. Mr. Rhodes had recently returned from a trip to Tasmania, where he had been to select building stone for the bank contract. The inquest will be held by Dr. Philson, coroner, at the Ponsonby Club Hotel, at ten o'clock this morning....

PONSONBY DROWNING CASE.

Inquest on the Body.

AN inquest was held at the Ponsonby Club Hotel (Mr Stanford's) this forenoon, before Dr. Philson, Coroner, on the body of George Rhodes, senior, whose death by drowning was reported yesterday.

Constable Bernard represented the police.

George Riley, a carpenter, residing in Ponsonby, deposed that shortly before eight o'clock yesterday morning he went down to the beach at Home Bay to look after a boat, when he observed a man's hat and boots lying at the foot of the steps leading down to the water. He mounted a wall, but could not see anyone, he then went to see the boat when he noticed the body of deceased lyng on the beach close to the water-edge, where it had been left by the receding tide. The body, which was quite naked, appeared to be dead. He found a coat and trousers in tha water, close to the body. He immediately ran and informed Mr Masefield, and some carpenters of the discovery. He also went to Dr. Knight's, who returned with him, and pronounced life to be extinct. The place where the body was found was about ten yards from the steps. Thomas Taylor Masefield, deposed that he knew deceased, who was a very sober man. The young man Riley came and told him that there was a dead body on the beach. He ran down and discovered the body on the spot indicated, and with the assistance of several others endeavoured to restore animation, but without avail. The body was cold, but the limbs were not stiff. He believed the body had been dead fully an hour and a quarter. Deceased was subject to fainting fits.

Dr Alfred Osborne Knight deposed that he found the body of deceased lying dead in the boatshed at Home Bay soon after eight o'clock yesterday. There was a slight abrasion over the right eye. It was apparent that death had been caused by drowning.

Robert Wm. Keals, architect deposed that he was son-in-law of the deceased, who was a builder, aged about 67 years. He was generally in very good health, and was not known to be suffering from any disease. Saw him alive for the last time on Wednesday evening, and heard next morning that he had been found drowned. Had no doubt that he came to his death by drowning. He was not embarrassed in.. be subject to low spirits. He had once been seized with a fit in a bath, and was shy of the water since then.

Mr George Rhodes, junior, deposed that he was bathing with his father about sixteen years ago on the spot where the gasworks now stands, when deceased was seized with cramps, and had some difficulty in getting home.

The jury concluded from the evidence that there was not the slightest suspicion of suicide, and returned a verdict of "Found Drowned."

At the time of George Sr's death, his obituary refers to three sons and two daughters (Mary Ann and Hannah).  The sons are presumably George and Joseph, but I'm unsure who the third son would have been, who was still alive in 1883. I think this was possibly a mistake, and there should have been listed three daughters - including Jane, who was George's only surviving child to his first wife.

George's wife Mary Rhodes died on 29 March 1898, and her death was recorded in the Thames Star on 30 March of that year:

Auckland News.

Auckland, March 30,

DEATH OF AN OLD COLONIST.

Another old colonist, Mrs Rhodes, of Hamilton Road, Ponsonby, passed away last evening. It seems that the deceased lady has recently been prostrated by fainting fits, through weak action of the heart, and during one of these she quietly expired, Mrs Rhodes enjoyed the friendship of many residents in Auckland, to whom she was known for her kindnesss of heart and gentleness of disposition. She arrrived in 1862 from Launceston, Tasmania, to which colony she with her husband and family emigrated in 1854. Though her life was quiet and unostentatious, her influence for good was great, and her sympathies large and generous. She was latterly a member of the Ponsonby Baptist Church. Mr George Rhodes, builder, is a son of the deceased.