Adelaide Gill nee Latto

Adelaide Latto was the youngest of David and Janet Latto's four children, born on 17 December 1887.  She must have been merely a baby when her father, David, left for Australia for good, leaving Janet with four children until six.

Adelaide and my great grandmother Mary Latto, were only two years apart in age and by all accounts were extremely close.  Adelaide was known as "Addie".  

Addie and Mary appear to have been cared for by their mother, Janet Latto, for some time after David left, however eventually it must have proved too difficult for Janet and the two little girls were brought up by a couple in Christchurch.  Grandad remembered his mother taking them, when they lived in Christchurch, to visit an old woman who lived in Tennyson Street, and he remembered his mother, Mary, pointing out a house in Ward Street and telling him that was where she had grown up.  Grandad said that he understood that the husband of the couple who brought them up worked for the railways, possibly as a crossing guard.  I have a couple of leads, as to who this couple might have been, but need to research it further before coming to any conclusions.


Addie and Mary's elder brother and sister Jim and Jennie seem to have been brought up by their father David's family and so they didn't seem to be as close with them, although Grandad remembered, when his family moved back to Christchurch, knowing Violet, David and Eric Latto - Jim's eldest three children.

The Latto family were Presbyterian, but the couple in Ward Street apparently brought Addie and Mary up in the Anglican faith.  The two girls moved up to Wellington around 1905/1906.  We're unsure exactly why they moved from Christchurch to Wellington, but in knowing that their mother Janet had made the move at least ten years earlier, Grandad always speculated that this had something to do with their move.  Prior to their marriages, both Addie and Mary became Catholics - in 1907/1908.  Grandad reckoned that they had "shopped around" and decided that they liked Catholicism.


In 1910, Addie married Thomas Patrick Gill in Wellington. Mary was her bridesmaid.  She was given away by a Mr Reed, who appears to her right in the following photograph.  

Addie returned the favour on 25 November 1912, when she was bridesmaid for Mary, at her wedding to William Nidd, where she was given a pearl brooch.  At that time, Tom Gill acted in the place of Mary's father, giving the bride away.


Thomas Gill had been born on 27 December 1879, son of Elizabeth Jane Gill (nee Price) and Thomas Gill.  Tom was a tailor and worked in Wellington with his brother Arthur. Prior to marrying Addie, Tom and Arthur had been boarding in a private hotel in Wellington.  Tom eventually set up a successful tailoring business for many years, in Wellington.  Arthur moved to Dunedin and set up business for himself there.  


Tom and Addie lived in Jackson Street, Island Bay, Wellington, and there are many photographs of my grandparents with the Gill family at the house.  Grandad and Addie's children were first cousins, and Kathleen Todd was one of Adelaide's best friends.  Tom and Addie had eight children - four boys and four girls:


Maurice James GILL 25 November 1910 - 5 June 1968 married 1935 Isobel Blair.  Maurice followed in his father's footsteps and, with Paul, was a tailor.  Isobel was a seamstress.  Maurice is buried at the Karori Cemetery.

1. Barry Thomas GILL 1935 married 1957 at Martinborough Paula Twomey.  Lived in Lower Hutt.
1. Male GILL 1959 married 1984 SAWTELL
2. Male GILL 1960 married 1982 MANDERSON
1. Male GILL 1988
2. Male GILL 1991
3. Female GILL 1963
2. Patrick James GILL
3. Maureen GILL 1938 married (1) 1960 John GILLESPIE (1930 - 1988); married (2) 1989 Richard Taylor - were living in Levin
1. Male GILLESPIE 1957 - was living in Napier
2. Female GILLISPIE 1961 married MONTAPERTO - were living in Levin
1. Male MONTAPERTO 1978
2. Female MONTAPERTO 1983
3. Female MONTAPERTO 1986

Gerald Patrick GILL 4 February 1912 became a priest.  He worked at St Mary of the Angels in Wellington; at St Augustine's in Wanganui and as Rector at St Patrick's College in Silverstream.


Mary Elizabeth GILL 9 August 1914 - 6 February 1988 married William Alan ORGAN (1922 - 25 October 1966  Mary was a secretary and William was a carpenter and a sailor.  They had one son:

1. Male ORGAN 1955
1. Male ORGAN c 1980

Adelaide Juliette GILL 29 June 1916 - 8 August 1987 married 1946 at St Francis de Sales Church, Island Bay, Wellington to James Francis PRENDERGAST (1 May 1914 - 21 October 1985).  Pauline and Margaret were born in the Hutt, while the younger three children were born in Napier.  The family moved to Tutira around 1950 to farm.   

1. Pauline Frances PRENDERGAST 14 January 1947 married 10 January 1970 Michael PRENDERGAST
1. Female PRENDERGAST 1971
2. Male PRENDERGAST 1973
3. Male PRENDERGAST 1975 - 1996
4. Male PRENDERGAST 1979
5. Female PRENDERGAST 1984
2. Margaret Ann PRENDERGAST 20 November 1949 - 22 September 1998 married 1970 WHINCOP.  Prior to Margaret's death she had divorced Bryan Whincop.  She had been ill prior to her death.
1. Female PRENDERGAST 1979
3. Kevin Thomas PRENDERGAST 27 March 1951 married 1974 Judith Ann Wakelin
1. Male PRENDERGAST 1976
2. Female PRENDERGAST 1979
3. Female PRENDERGAST 1984
4. Nicolette Mary PRENDERGAST 3 November 1954 married 1976 Ross Eden MAYCROFT - since divorced - lived in Tauranga for a time.
1. Male MAYCROFT 1980
2. Male MAYCROFT 1984
3. Female MAYCROFT 1986
5. Denise May PRENDERGAST 5 November 1960 married Gerardus Theo WYNANDS.  
1. Female WYNANDS 1981
2. Male WYNANDS 1983
3. Male WYNANDS 1987

Thomas Francis "Frank" GILL 31 January 1917 - 1 March 1982 married Barbara Benson (b 1916).  Frank and Barbara married in England.  Please not separate blog about Frank Gill and his achievements.  

1. Virginia GILL 1943 married c1972 Tuma HAZOU - three sons.  Family lived in Jordan - now may  be in Australia. 
1. Male HAZOU 1973
2. Male HAZOU 1975
3. Male HAZOU 1978
2. Sally GILL 1948 married 1968 Lawrence Norman MITCHELL
1. Male MITCHELL 1969
2. Male MITCHELL 1970
3. Female MITCHELL 1971
4. Female MITCHELL 1974
3. Frances GILL 1950 married 1972 Rodney Charles SWIFT
1. Male SWIFT 1975
2. Female SWIFT 1977
3. Female SWIFT 1980
4. David GILL (deceased)

Kathleen Veronica GILL - Sr Mary Eugenia 10 November 1920

William Paul "Paul" GILL 20 May 1922 - 1974 married 1954 Gwen Hoxman (23 May 1915 - 1976).  Paul also worked as a tailor in Wellington and I remember my grandmother, Kathleen Nidd always used to talk very fondly of my grandfather's cousin, Paul Gill.  

1. Christopher Clifford GILL 1958
2. Stephen Thomas GILL 1958.  Christopher and Stephen lived in Island Bay.
3. Veronica Elizabeth GILL 1961 + partner Brian Louis BENNETT (1951 - ). They lived in Raumati.
1. Male BENNETT 1986
2. Male BENNETT 1987
3. Male BENNETT 1988

Monica Ellen GILL 28 October 1926 - 2003 married on 24 October 1949 to Leo James MAHER (27 July 1906 - 1994)  Monica had been a school teacher, and Leo was a Police Officer.  They had five children.

1. Helen Marie MAHER 1950 married 1974 John DOOLEY 
1. Female DOOLEY 1976
2. Female DOOLEY 1977
3. Male DOOLEY 1978
4. Male DOOLEY 1981
2. Elizabeth MAHER 1951 married 1974 Seamus MCCAUL
1. Male MCCAUL 1975
2. Female MCCAUL 1976
3. Female MCCAUL 1978
4. Female MCCAUL 1980
5. Male MCCAUL 1983
3. Martin Michael MAHER 1953 married 1978 Susan Claydon
4. John Joseph MAHER 1954 married 1975 Ethne Campbell
1. Female MAHER 1977
2. Male MAHER 1979
3. Male MAHER 1983
5. Celia Mary MAHER 1957 married 1981 Perry NICOL
1. Male NICOL 1987
2. Female NICOL 1989 
3. Male NICOL 1992 

Addie died on 15 August 1962, Tom following in June 1969.  They are both buried at the Karori Cemetery in Wellington.


***Names have been blanked out to protect privacy.  If anyone listed above would prefer their name removed, please contact me and I will do that.  

Pat Nidd writes to Alex Latto - Gill Family information 31 July 1994

Alex Latto was the youngest son of Jim Latto and Mary Tarling.  Jim Latto was Mary Nidd nee Latto's brother, hence Alex was Pat's first cousin.  


Pat had known Violet, David and Eric Latto, as they were all around his age, however until we started with the family history, he was unaware that there was a third son, the younger Alex Latto.  


Alex Latto's father, James Latto was born in Swannanoa, North Canterbury to David Latto and Janet Latto nee Hislop in 1883.  He married Mary Tarling around 1909 and died in Christchurch aged 81.  He had worked on the railways and had apparently fought in the Boer War.  


Here, Pat writes to Alex:


Dear Alex, 


Well this would be a surprise to you getting a letter from your cousin, Pat Nidd.  To avoid any confusion, any reference to Pat refer s to William Thomas, the names I was christened.  Pat is a nick name and it has caused endless confusion over the years. 


I don't know how to start.  I always knew of Violet, David and Eric but did not know of you.  It was only when I spoke to Violet on the  phone when I was in Christchurch in March that she mentioned you.  I am 80 and you are a few years younger.  


It is possible that my sisters in Christchurch both who died a year or two years ago may have mentioned you as apparently they used to see Vi, David and Eric now and again.  They used to get things a bit muddled up and I used to get garbled messages from them.  


Now, interesting it is that some research into the Latto's has brought this about.  Philippa my granddaughter said to me a few months ago that she was going to do some research on the Latto's - who was my grandmother, where did she come from , where did she live, cousins, uncles, aunts.


I had some papers which I got from Isabel Butler.  They were copies which she got from Violet and were compiled by Baden her son.*


Over the years I was a bit interested in the Latto families, the only ones I knew anything about was your family.  I did not know anything of the others although I had heard my mother talk of the Falloons - but I never was sure of the relationship.


I was born in Wellington on 17 February 1914.


......page missing


... Edward Michael still living, Francis Gerald still living, Angela Adelaide deceased and Joan Hilary deceased.


In the Gill family there were eight - four boys and four girls.  They were Maurice, Gerald, Mary, Adelaide, Frank, Paul, Monica and Kathleen.


Maurice and Paul followed their father in the tailoring business. Gerald became a Marist Priest and taught at several colleges and was Rector at St Augustines College, Wanganui and St Patrick's, Silverstream - he died in 1991.  Maurice and Paul are both dead. 


Mary and Adelaide both married and are now dead.


Frank, you probably have heard of.  He joined the air force in NZ in 1936 and went to the UK in 1938.  He had a fairly distinguished record in the RAF during the war awarded a DSO for an exploit on Berlin and rose to the rank of Wing Commander.  On return to New Zealand after the war in 1948 he continued in the air force here and became an Air Commodore as deputy chief of air staff.  He retired when he was commanding Operations Group at Whenuapai and went to live up the East Coast Bays raising cattle when Muldoon talked him into standing for Parliament in the East Coast Bays seat, which he won.  He was Minister of Defence, Police, Health and Immigration.  He then went to Washington USA as our ambassador.  When he became ill with cancer, he returned to NZ and died in Auckland in 1981.


Jennie, whom I have mentioned married a Falloon and George, her son, became a Presbyterian Minister and was the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in 1970.  


Monica and Kathleen Gill are still alive and live in Wellington.  Monica is married and not in very good health - result of a stroke a couple of years aog.  Kathleen is a Catholic nun - she served in the Islands for a year or so and is now looking after the welfare of islanders around Wellington.


So you have ten cousins still living in New Zealand.  There may be some in Perth but I don't think so.  There are eleven Latto's in the Perth phone book.  Mary Pearl Latto - see under George Latto in the family tree** visited Perth about thirty years and the Latto's there made her most welcome. 


When I write further I will enlarge on your cousins.


In our family we have one boy and one girl - Michael, 49, and Jennifer, 45.  I married Kathleen Todd of Wellington who was a close friend of Adelaide Gill - that is how I met her.  


Michael is Philippa's father.  He lives in Feilding with his wife Pauline.  Philippa has two younger sister Jacquelyn and Victoria.  Jacquelyn is at university at Wellington and Victoria is in her last year at college in Feilding.  Michael has been in the meat business all his life with Agriculture Dept and Borthwicks but ten years ago he set up his own consultancy business in Feilding.  He has operations in NZ, Australia, Saudi Arabia, UK and has been pretty sucessful.  


Jennifer was married, now separated.  On separating she bougth a small farm near Masterton which she is now leasing.  She is working looking after P.J. Borthwick, on of the partners of the Borthwick Empire.  He is...


.....page missing


...reading "The River rules my Life" that I read in the fly leaf where Mona thanked her Aunt Mary Latto for information and photos.  She also mentioned her brother Mick Tarling.


I am pretty certain that Mick Tarling is the one I knew here in the 1960s and was an Instructor at the Police School.  It was in the six o'clock closing days for the pubs.  He and a cobber of his, Lance Bandwell, used to drink at the old Te Aro Hotel where I used to drink.  It was owned by Jim Smither from Christchurch who I used to go to Marist School with.  Anyhow one Saturday night when I was not at the pub they turned up home here with a load of beer with a cobber of mine.  I got to know Mick and Lance pretty well - both finished up Chief Superintendents.  


When I was down in March I think it was Violet who told me that Mick had the pub at the Hill Top, Little River.  


My father was married twice.  It was, I think, in 1907 he had the Wellington Hotel lease.  His first wife died in child birth with her second child.  yes, it was 1907 the year his father died at the Wellington.  Dad's mother died in 1900 and they are both buried here in Wellington in the Mount Street Cemetery. 


After the Wellington Hotel he had the Te Aro Hotel where mother was a barmaid.  Mum told me that she was one of the first barmaids who were required to be licensed in 1908.  Eventually he married mum and I was born there in 1914.***


Mum and Auntie Addie must have come to Wellington about 1905 I think.  If only I had talked with your father (Uncle Jim of Addington) about this.  


Auntie Addie married a Thomas Gill who boarded at a private hotel here in Wellington.  The Gills, I think, came from Darfield.  Old Mrs Gill - Tom's mother - used to live in Jerrold Street - she was still alive in 1938.  Tom Gill and a brother boarded at this hotel - the brother was Arthur.  They were tailors by trade.


Tom Gill eventually started in business here as a tailor and stayed such all his life.  he had two sons Maurice and Paul who came into the business.  Maurice and Paul are both dead.  


Arthur Gill went to Dunedin where he had a pretty substantial tailoring business. Another brother, Jim, was a carrier.  He had a horse and flat top and lived at the top of Lincoln Road near Sunnyside.  I remember him well.  

Arthur Gill - at Tom and Addie's Wedding 1910

I think that my mother may have been engaged to him (Jim) before she came to Wellington.

As for religion, it was a proper mix-up.  According to Kathleen Gill, Mum and Auntie Addie were as Latto's, Presbyterian.  Their foster parents were Anglican. They shopped around and when they came to Wellington became they became Roman Catholics.  I have their certificates in 1907 and 1908.  

Now I come to a most controversial part which has always been obscure but which Philippa has solved.  Perhaps she may have told you about it.  It concerns our grandmother.  Janet was a most peculiar person.   You are aware of the background.  Wherever she was from the time David left them and went to Australia we will never know now.  Obviously she turned up in Wellington and it must have been about 1892.  Mum and Auntie Addie must then still have been in Christchurch.  From what we have discovered Mum and Addie must have married in Wellington while their mother was also here.  I wonder whether Janet went to their weddings?  I don't think so.  I have never heard my mother mention her mother - it was always a mystery to me.

In 1922/24 I remember going often to see a relative with my mother in Tennyson Street.  I  always understood the person to be Mum's mother - but of course it could not have been her.  She (Janet) died in 1922.

I discussed this with Isabel and almost certainly it was Mary Latto, the wife of George Latto, we used to visit.  I also remember a woman there and this would have been her daughter Pearlie.  George is buried in Oamaru, and his wife also, and Pearlie.    Pearl died in 1969 and Isabel has told me that George Falloon took her ashes to Oamaru and placed them in her mother and father's grave.

I have been out to Cust and have seen the grave of James Latto and Mary - our great grandparents.  James died May 20, 1907 and Mary Nov 5, 1888.  I have taken a photo and must get some copies made. 

You can imagine the surprise I got when Philippa unearthed Constance Amy.  Constance was born in 1892, father shown as David - which is most unlikely.  Janet did not register the birth until 1920 - Constance then aged 28 and married to Temperley in 1914 - how most strange.

Then Janet married to Beckett.  It would be interesting to find out where he came from.  I expect Philippa has told you all of this in her letter.  

Philippa has now discovered that Constance married again to a D.N. Wilkinson who lived opposite their house in Hataitai Road, Wellington.  She had a daughter in 1930.  This daughter, Philippa is sure was Judith and married a Knowles.  She thought she had traced her as living in Hastings but it is not her.  There is another Judith Knowles living in Mt Roskill, Auckland so she is trying to contact her. 

I expect Philippa has told you all about Janet - Constance.

I have found the grave of Janet and Beckett here in Wellington which is in fairly good condition.  The plaque is well preserved and seems to have been placed on the grave after it (the grave) was completed.  We could not make out who placed it on the grave so now presume it could have been Constance's daughter (Knowles).  I have taken photos but its hard to read the inscription because of the age.  Will clean it up and maybe get a better photo.

Also have found the grave of Timperley who was Constance's first husband - died 1916 aged 32 - very hard to read in a photo.

It is amazing, Alex, that Janet was alive until 1922.  Never have I heard Mother or Auntie Addie ever mention her.  I wonder whether your father ever knew of her in 1922?  Somehow I have a feeling that they thought that she had  just disappeared.  In about 1922 I can remember coming to Wellington with my mother.  We stayed at the Gill's.  Could it have been that she came up to her mother's funeral?  if so one would have thought that I would have heard from one of the Gills who were older than me.

One or two things still remain a bit of a mystery - who was Auntie Addie's father?  Where was Janet from 1892?  Who was Beckett?  Perhaps we may solve it all before long.

Did Philippa tell you her background, I hope she did.  She is our son Michael's eldest.  

________________________________________________


*Baden Dingwall was Violet's son-in-law - things were confused as Baden married Violet's daughter Molly, who was also a Dingwall - their fathers had been cousins.  Baden was a wealth of genealogical knowledge but passed away some time around 2006.
**Mary Pearl Latto was daughter of George Latto, David's brother, so was a cousin of Mary Nidd nee Latto.  
***Actually, Pat was born on the Terrace at a private hospital - but his father did own the Te Aro Hotel at the time. 


_________________________________________________



Ernest Edward Timperley  was born around 1884 in England.  I believe he probably arrived in Wellington as a third class passenger on the ship Arawa in June 1910.  Following his marriage to Constance Latto in 1914, Ernie died on 4 March 1916 aged just 32.  The following obituary appeared in the Evening Post on 6 March 1916:

The death occurred in a private hospital on Saturday, after a serious operation, of Mr. Ernie Timperley. Deceased, who was connected with the firm of Messrs. Brodrick and Co., was well known in Wellington amongst cricket and association football enthusiasts, and as a member of the Y.M.C.A. Club was considered one of the cleverest forwards in the Wellington representative team, until ill-health compelled him to give up the game. Mr. Timperley's good nature and cheerful disposition won him many friends.

The following day, on 7 March 1916 in the Evening Post, this appeared:

A service in .connection with the funeral of the late Mr. Ernest Edward Timperley was conducted in St. Mark's Church this afternoon by the Rev. C. F. .Askew, who also officiated at the graveside in the Karori Cemetery. Amongst those who attended the funeral were a number of people with whom the deceased had been associated in football and cricketing matters. Mr. Timperley, who was 30 years of age, has left a widow.

What did Ernie Timperley look like?  Here's a clue:

Ernest Timperley
Inside left forward in the YMCA and Wellington Representative Association Football Team

The above cartoon appeared in the New Zealand Free Lance paper on 24 July 1909.

Letter from Pat Nidd to Judith Knowles

"74A McAlpine Avenue
Wellington


22 August 1994


Dear Judith


I am Pat Nidd, Philippa Myer's grandfather and you are a cousin I did not know of and I am a cousin you did not know of.  I answer to the christian name Pat but my names are William Thomas and known also as Bill - it has caused a lot of confusion over the years.  Anyhow greetings and welcome.


It has been only the past few months that Philippa and I have been seriously trying to trace the comings and goings of my grandparents - grandfather and grandmother David and Janet Latto.  We have succeeded very well.


I knew practically nothing of them.  My mother told me little.  I suspect you are the same way although your mother may have revealed some knowledge of them to you.  it is possible my mother did not know much or if she did she was reluctant to divulge it.


Therefore I presume you know little of the history of our grandparents but should you have some knowledge that I do not have it would be grateful to hear from you about it. 


I can go to some length to give you a full picture of all I know and details of your cousins, which I will do, but in the meantime I will put you in the picture with this letter giving you an outline - more to follow.


The Latto's were Scottish coming from Fife, Scotland.  We have been able to trace them back to 1750.  I have prepared a family tree a copy of which I have attached.  Our great grandparents were James and Mary who of course were David's mother and father which you can trace in the tree. They came to  Christchurch in 1863.  David married Janet Hislop in 1881 at Kaiapoi, just north of Christchurch.  Have not traced how Janet arrived - Hislop family tree also attached.  The family of David and Janet was James, Jennie and Mary, my mother - it is from here things went off the rails unfortunately.  


Work was getting hard to get in New Zealand and David went to Australia in 1887 to see how things were there.  He was away for some time leaving the family in Christchurch.


Now, what I write about it what I was told in Christchurch in 1988 by my cousins (and yours).  The story goes that David returned and found Janet pregnant and he could not have been the father.  The child was christened Hannah Adelaide Todd Latto by Janet - we have her birth certificate (copy).  She therefore was a half sister to my mother, Jennie and James.  Hannah Adelaide was always known to us as Auntie Addie.  She and my mother were always very close to one another.


Addie married a Thomas Gill in Wellington and lived here all her life.  I will add here that I was born in Wellington and we went to Christchurch about 1916 - all our family born in Christchurch where they have always lived.   I married in Wellington 1940 shortly before I went to the war and settled in Wellington on my return.  I have always been very close to my Gill cousins in Wellington. 


I do not know whether the Gills ever knew that their mother and mine were half sisters but our cousins in Christchurch say they did know.  This does not worry me one bit and I am never going to mention to the two surviving girls.  So be it.  


Janet apparently left her family after Addie was born and David deserted them and ... is buried in the Karori Cemetery - I found the grave in the Lawn Cemetery last week and have taken a photo.


It seems that my mother and Auntie Addie - very close together - came to Wellington about 1905.  Now Grandma Janet was also in Wellington at this time - did she bring the girls up with her or did they come of their own accord - I wonder.  


Mum and Addie were Presbyterian as Scots, became Anglican through foster parents I think and eventually became Roman Catholics.  I have obtained the certifications of coming into the Catholic Church in Newtown, Wellington.  The year was 1908.


Auntie Addie married Thomas Gill in Wellington in 1910 and my mother married William Nidd in Wellington in 1912.  Their mother Janet was living in Wellington in those years - one would think she knew of her daughters' weddings - perhaps they did not know of each others' existence - we were never told. 


I have a suspicion that my mother may have come to Wellington to her mother's funeral in 1922 and that Auntie Addie may have visited your mother in Hataitai in 1924 - 25.  I will expand on this in my enlarged essay to you.


You have quite a few cousins still living in New Zealand.  From the family tree you will see James Latto - Uncle Jim.  He had a family of four - Violet, David, Eric and Alex.  David is dead and the others live in Christchurch.


Jennie had a boy and a girl George and Isabel.  Jennie had another daughter who died still born and Jennie died shortly after the birth.  George is dead as of 1985 and Isabel lives in Christchurch.


In our family there were three boys and four girls - I am the eldest, born in Wellington in 1914. Then there were Marie, now deceased, Monica still living, Edward Michael (Mickey)...


.........page missing.............


...recognise something in them.  I have a photo of myself, Frank, Mick and Monica taken at Angela's funeral three years ago - I will send you a copy.  


Well Judith, I am most delighted that you made yourself known to Philippa and thus establishing that I had another cousin.


Isabel in Christchurch I did not know was my cousin until 1985 although we both attended the Christchurch Technical College together - I will tell you about it in my enlarged essay.


Well I hope I have managed to put you in the picture in respect of your existing cousins and will start to put together an enlarged writing.


I hope it will not be too long when we will be able to meet each other. 


Our kindest regards and love, 


Pat N." 


Judith Knowles was the child of Constance Amy Latto and her husband Norman Wilkinson, born 1896 in Wellington, and purported to be the child of  Janet and David Latto.  David had long since left for Australia and had a new family there and could not have possibly been the father of this child.


The rumours which circulated within the cousins about Addie not being David's daughter, appear to have been a misunderstanding - as until the 1990s it wasn't clear that Addie wasn't Janet's youngest daughter, but that there was another - Constance.  


Although I can't find a copy of any 'enlarged essay' Pat wrote to Judith, he does make mention in some of his notes of remembering a visit to Wellington he made as a child in 1922 - I believe that this is where he based his belief that his mother may have attended her mother, Janet Beckett's funeral in 1922.  
We found Judith and met her in Auckland in 1994/1995.  She was a lovely, friendly lady.  Having been brought up an only child, she was very excited to find she had cousins.  Unfortunately we lost touch with her.