Ngapara Cemetery, North Otago, New Zealand
My Nana wanted to be buried here because it had a good view. She didn't get her wish, but she was right about the scenery. It is perched on a hill, the gates are not much mentioning but it very well tended and still in use.
A complete list of all the headstones, along with my usual typos and spelling mistakes, as of 25 Jan 2015
. - I have photos of all these, some good, some bad and some damned awful. I have no idea about unmarked graves, I was just passing. I was surprised not to find older head stones since Ngapara has been around since the 1860s. In 1877 it was a substantial place of a school, 2 hotels, 2 shops, a butcher, a blacksmith, a tailor, a saddler and a cobbler. There was also a wool scourer. They didn't get religion until a Presbyterian church was built in 1896. perhaps the population had other priorities, the railway fully opened in 1877 after several delays including an exploding loco. Maybe the early dead folks were shipped out by rail to Oamaru, I have yet to look that up.
Bews, Agnes Foubister died 06-09-194? at Oamaru daughter of J. and M. A. Bews, burned with David Wylie Bews and Margaret Ann Bews
Bews, David Wylie died 23-01-1962 at Magnetic Island, buried with Agnes Bews and Margaret Ann Bews
Bews, John died 12-01-1947 aged 93 at Oamaru husband of Margaret Ann Bews
Bews, Margaret Ann died 27-07-1952 aged 82 at Oamaru wife of John Bews
Bews, Margaret Ann died 03-02-1971 at Ashburton, buried with Agnes Bews and David Wylie Bews
Black, William 09-12-1887 -13-11-1931 son of Jeremiah and Sarah Black nee Hollow, brother of Mary-Jane, Jeremiah, John, Eveline, Agnes, Nathaniel and Robert
Conlan, Patrick Vincent died 15-11-1993 aged 74
Green, Agnes 01-01-1893 - 29-12-1923 wife of George Arthur Green (Roger), mother of Robert, Thomas, Ellen, Raymond and Agnes
Green, Joan Margaret 23-08-1925 - 17-07-2009 wife of Raymond James Green
Green, Raymond James 05-08-1920 - 02-? Husband of Joan Margaret Green
Hewton, Annie Jane died 02-12-1927 (1921?) aged 58 wife of David Hewton
Hewton, David died 10-03-1923 aged 61 at Ngapara, husband of Annie Jane Hewton
Holmes, Christina E. died 12-04-1935
Holmes, Elspeth died 17-01-1953 buried with Samuel Holmes
Holmes, Samuel died 04-08-1940 buried with Elspeth Holmes
Hutchison, George died 16-10-1918 aged 80 at Tokarahi, husband of Margaret Bruce Hutchison
Hutchison, Margaret Bruce died 29-01-1934 aged 84 wife of George Hutchison
Kilgour, Jane Pillans nee Nimmo 01-08-1896 - 14-4-1985 wife of Arthur Renwick Kilgour, mother of Bryan James Kilgour and Lois Adair Harrison
Macaulay, Noelene Mary 1939 - 2012
MacDonald, Allan David George died 01-04-1984 aged 61
MacDonald, Ethel died 20-12-1949 buried with Peter and Phyllis MacDonald
MacDonald, Peter died 19-08-1944 buried with Ethel MacDonald and Phyllis MacDonald
MacDonald, Phyllis 1921 - 1971 plaque on the grave of Peter and Ethel MacDonald
McAlister, M. R. died 09-03-1960 aged 80 1st NZEF Service No 8/2975 Cpl, Otago Regt
McCone, Arthur Selwyn Thomas (Sel) 13-06-1925 - 20-01-2011 husband of Helen Ainslie McCone
McCulloch, John Rennie died 22-07-1937 aged 80 husband of Magdalene
McCulloch, John Rennie died 20-10-1989 aged 70 husband of Margaret Grace McCulloch
McCulloch, Magdalene died 22-07-1951 aged 89 wife of John Rennie McCulloch
McCulloch, Margaret Grace died 14-04-2012 aged 82 wife of John Rennie McCulloch
McCulloch, Murray James 04-10-1932 - 19-09-1999 husband of Heather, father of Carron, Lynley, other names obscured by flowers
McCulloch, Thomas died 31-10-1935 aged 77 at Fern Cliff
McKee, Alexander died 21-6-1965 husband of Rachel McKee
McKee, Rachel died 03-02-1955 wife of Alexander McKee
Milton, Peter Edward 17-09-1956 - 06-12-2005 husband of Catherine, father and step father of David, Jeanine, David and Jonathan
Morrison, Mary Rennie nee McCulloch died 17-06-1920 aged 32 wife of William Morrison, daughter of J. R. McCulloch, mother of Vera Morrison
Morrison, (Little) Vera died 28-01-1918?9? aged 3 ½ daughter of Wiiliam and Mary Rennie Morrison nee McCulloch
Newlands, Evan Victor 02-03-1952 - 24-08-2011 RNZN 19593, plaque on grave of Noel and Veda newlands
Newlands, James died 17-09-1960 husband of Mary Young Newlands, father of Marion Newlands
Newlands, (Little) Marion died 04-07-1923 aged 13, daughter of James and Mary Newlands
Newlands, Mary Young died 28-11-1948 wife of James Newlands, mother of Marion
Newlands, Noel 1907 -1993 buried with Veda Mary Newlands and plaque to Evan Victor Newlands
Newlands, Veda Mary 1907 - 1995 buried with Noel Newlands and plaque to Evan Victor Newlands
Nimmo, Captain James died 05-08-1979 husband of Elsie Annie Nimmo,
Nimmo, Elsie Annie died 10-06-1976 wife of Captain Nimmo, mother of Marian, Alison, Neil, William and James
Nimmo, Helen 1872 - 1956 buried with William Nimmo
Nimmo, William 1866 - 1941 buried with Helen Nimmo
Rapson, Boyd McLean 17-12-1912 - 05-07-2009 buried with Linda Rapson
Rapson, Linda I. L. 23-12-1911 - 02-01-2005 buried with Boyd McLean Rapson
Russell, George died 19-04-1961 aged 84 husband of Margaret Russell
Russell, Margaret died 22-05-1980 aged 100 wife of George Russell
Saunders-Loder, James died 24-04-1935 buried with Rachael Alice Saunders-Loder
Saunders-Loder, Rachael Alice died 22-02-1960 buried with James Saunders-Loder
Watson, C. M. buried with J. R. Watson
Watson, George Daniel died 09-07-1957 aged 81 husband of Margaret Watson
Watson, J. R. buried with C. M. Watson
Watson, Margaret died 28-06-1961 aged 81 wife of George Daniel Watson
Webber, Henry died 14-12-1930 aged 79 husband of Mary Webber
Webber, Mary died 25-11-1947 aged 82 wife of Henry Webber
Westlake, Anthony 25-10-1873 - 20-07-1946
Bews, Agnes Foubister died 06-09-194? at Oamaru daughter of J. and M. A. Bews, burned with David Wylie Bews and Margaret Ann Bews
Bews, David Wylie died 23-01-1962 at Magnetic Island, buried with Agnes Bews and Margaret Ann Bews
Bews, John died 12-01-1947 aged 93 at Oamaru husband of Margaret Ann Bews
Bews, Margaret Ann died 27-07-1952 aged 82 at Oamaru wife of John Bews
Bews, Margaret Ann died 03-02-1971 at Ashburton, buried with Agnes Bews and David Wylie Bews
Black, William 09-12-1887 -13-11-1931 son of Jeremiah and Sarah Black nee Hollow, brother of Mary-Jane, Jeremiah, John, Eveline, Agnes, Nathaniel and Robert
Conlan, Patrick Vincent died 15-11-1993 aged 74
Green, Agnes 01-01-1893 - 29-12-1923 wife of George Arthur Green (Roger), mother of Robert, Thomas, Ellen, Raymond and Agnes
Green, Joan Margaret 23-08-1925 - 17-07-2009 wife of Raymond James Green
Green, Raymond James 05-08-1920 - 02-? Husband of Joan Margaret Green
Hewton, Annie Jane died 02-12-1927 (1921?) aged 58 wife of David Hewton
Hewton, David died 10-03-1923 aged 61 at Ngapara, husband of Annie Jane Hewton
Holmes, Christina E. died 12-04-1935
Holmes, Elspeth died 17-01-1953 buried with Samuel Holmes
Holmes, Samuel died 04-08-1940 buried with Elspeth Holmes
Hutchison, George died 16-10-1918 aged 80 at Tokarahi, husband of Margaret Bruce Hutchison
Hutchison, Margaret Bruce died 29-01-1934 aged 84 wife of George Hutchison
Kilgour, Jane Pillans nee Nimmo 01-08-1896 - 14-4-1985 wife of Arthur Renwick Kilgour, mother of Bryan James Kilgour and Lois Adair Harrison
Macaulay, Noelene Mary 1939 - 2012
MacDonald, Allan David George died 01-04-1984 aged 61
MacDonald, Ethel died 20-12-1949 buried with Peter and Phyllis MacDonald
MacDonald, Peter died 19-08-1944 buried with Ethel MacDonald and Phyllis MacDonald
MacDonald, Phyllis 1921 - 1971 plaque on the grave of Peter and Ethel MacDonald
McAlister, M. R. died 09-03-1960 aged 80 1st NZEF Service No 8/2975 Cpl, Otago Regt
McCone, Arthur Selwyn Thomas (Sel) 13-06-1925 - 20-01-2011 husband of Helen Ainslie McCone
McCulloch, John Rennie died 22-07-1937 aged 80 husband of Magdalene
McCulloch, John Rennie died 20-10-1989 aged 70 husband of Margaret Grace McCulloch
McCulloch, Magdalene died 22-07-1951 aged 89 wife of John Rennie McCulloch
McCulloch, Margaret Grace died 14-04-2012 aged 82 wife of John Rennie McCulloch
McCulloch, Murray James 04-10-1932 - 19-09-1999 husband of Heather, father of Carron, Lynley, other names obscured by flowers
McCulloch, Thomas died 31-10-1935 aged 77 at Fern Cliff
McKee, Alexander died 21-6-1965 husband of Rachel McKee
McKee, Rachel died 03-02-1955 wife of Alexander McKee
Milton, Peter Edward 17-09-1956 - 06-12-2005 husband of Catherine, father and step father of David, Jeanine, David and Jonathan
Morrison, Mary Rennie nee McCulloch died 17-06-1920 aged 32 wife of William Morrison, daughter of J. R. McCulloch, mother of Vera Morrison
Morrison, (Little) Vera died 28-01-1918?9? aged 3 ½ daughter of Wiiliam and Mary Rennie Morrison nee McCulloch
Newlands, Evan Victor 02-03-1952 - 24-08-2011 RNZN 19593, plaque on grave of Noel and Veda newlands
Newlands, James died 17-09-1960 husband of Mary Young Newlands, father of Marion Newlands
Newlands, (Little) Marion died 04-07-1923 aged 13, daughter of James and Mary Newlands
Newlands, Mary Young died 28-11-1948 wife of James Newlands, mother of Marion
Newlands, Noel 1907 -1993 buried with Veda Mary Newlands and plaque to Evan Victor Newlands
Newlands, Veda Mary 1907 - 1995 buried with Noel Newlands and plaque to Evan Victor Newlands
Nimmo, Captain James died 05-08-1979 husband of Elsie Annie Nimmo,
Nimmo, Elsie Annie died 10-06-1976 wife of Captain Nimmo, mother of Marian, Alison, Neil, William and James
Nimmo, Helen 1872 - 1956 buried with William Nimmo
Nimmo, William 1866 - 1941 buried with Helen Nimmo
Rapson, Boyd McLean 17-12-1912 - 05-07-2009 buried with Linda Rapson
Rapson, Linda I. L. 23-12-1911 - 02-01-2005 buried with Boyd McLean Rapson
Russell, George died 19-04-1961 aged 84 husband of Margaret Russell
Russell, Margaret died 22-05-1980 aged 100 wife of George Russell
Saunders-Loder, James died 24-04-1935 buried with Rachael Alice Saunders-Loder
Saunders-Loder, Rachael Alice died 22-02-1960 buried with James Saunders-Loder
Watson, C. M. buried with J. R. Watson
Watson, George Daniel died 09-07-1957 aged 81 husband of Margaret Watson
Watson, J. R. buried with C. M. Watson
Watson, Margaret died 28-06-1961 aged 81 wife of George Daniel Watson
Webber, Henry died 14-12-1930 aged 79 husband of Mary Webber
Webber, Mary died 25-11-1947 aged 82 wife of Henry Webber
Westlake, Anthony 25-10-1873 - 20-07-1946
When I was little Dad talked about Captain Nimmo who owned and worked the Ngapara coalmine. I never thought much about it as many men at the time used their rank as their title. So I also referred to Captain Nimmo, which as I found out, made me a rude little girl as Captain was his first name and adult men were called Mr back then. I have to wonder if Captain James Matheson Nimmo was named after a ship's captain, no idea really. That wondering led me on to what would have happened if he had been in the army. Well it turns out when he enlisted in 1917 he left out his first name, very wise as Private Captain James Matheson Nimmo would have been confusing as it has in later years. He was quite a prolific writer, his letters home now being in a museum archive. His account of the occupation of Cologne is interesting to any military history buff, dog lovers do not read. Captain, or should I say Private Nimmo left new Zealand with the 37th Reinforcements May 1918 and he joined the 3rd battalion of the NZ Rifle brigade. he was repatriated in 1919.
Captain Nimmo was born 22 Sep 1897. His occupation in 1917 was "Coalminer". His father was William Nimmo born 1866 Wilsontown, Lanarkshire, Scotland, died 1941. His mother, Helen Nimmo nee Matheson was born 21- Sep 1871 in Kakanui. She died in 1958. Their marrige was in 1891.
Mr Nimmo had 3 siblings I can find:
- Christina Marion Nimmo born 1891 who married John Robert Watson, also buried at Ngapara with the rather unassuming stone,
C. M. Watson and J. R. Watson.
- Mary Helena Nimmo born 1892 who married in 1921 to William Moffat Denholm born 1890. they had William Allan Denholm in 1922.
- William Allan Stewart Nimmo born much later in 1908, so I am probably wrong, died 1997. He married Mary Jessie Helen Chambers born in Dunedin in 1901. She died in Wellington in 1993. Her parents were Kenneth James Chambers, 1875 - 1958 who married Mary Dempster Mitchell 1868 - 1943.
Mr Nimmo married Elsie Scoon. They had Marion, Alison, Neil, William and James.
The Ngapara mine was opened in 1878 and according to the Otago museum, produced 1,000 tones per year up to 1944, then after that production rose to 2000 - 3000 tonnes per year. it is just to the left as you drive into Ngapara on Coalpit Rd. Going by my drive there in Jan of 2015 the road is called Ngapara- georgetown Rd, probably of help to lost tourists but less interesting historically. The mine entrance has been collapsed, probably too keep out nosy teenagers like my cousins who lived across the gully and it is all overgrown with gorse. I can still remember going out in the Bedford to get a load of coal. Dad would back the truck under the hopper and the noise as the coal hit the deck was deafening. then as it seemed to be over a few last lumps of the lignite would crash down. A light dust would enter the cab. It always had a certain smell.
Captain Nimmo was born 22 Sep 1897. His occupation in 1917 was "Coalminer". His father was William Nimmo born 1866 Wilsontown, Lanarkshire, Scotland, died 1941. His mother, Helen Nimmo nee Matheson was born 21- Sep 1871 in Kakanui. She died in 1958. Their marrige was in 1891.
Mr Nimmo had 3 siblings I can find:
- Christina Marion Nimmo born 1891 who married John Robert Watson, also buried at Ngapara with the rather unassuming stone,
C. M. Watson and J. R. Watson.
- Mary Helena Nimmo born 1892 who married in 1921 to William Moffat Denholm born 1890. they had William Allan Denholm in 1922.
- William Allan Stewart Nimmo born much later in 1908, so I am probably wrong, died 1997. He married Mary Jessie Helen Chambers born in Dunedin in 1901. She died in Wellington in 1993. Her parents were Kenneth James Chambers, 1875 - 1958 who married Mary Dempster Mitchell 1868 - 1943.
Mr Nimmo married Elsie Scoon. They had Marion, Alison, Neil, William and James.
The Ngapara mine was opened in 1878 and according to the Otago museum, produced 1,000 tones per year up to 1944, then after that production rose to 2000 - 3000 tonnes per year. it is just to the left as you drive into Ngapara on Coalpit Rd. Going by my drive there in Jan of 2015 the road is called Ngapara- georgetown Rd, probably of help to lost tourists but less interesting historically. The mine entrance has been collapsed, probably too keep out nosy teenagers like my cousins who lived across the gully and it is all overgrown with gorse. I can still remember going out in the Bedford to get a load of coal. Dad would back the truck under the hopper and the noise as the coal hit the deck was deafening. then as it seemed to be over a few last lumps of the lignite would crash down. A light dust would enter the cab. It always had a certain smell.
It would seem to me that whenever I am poking about on what I consider my own territory, this being anywhere I happen to be, home in North Otago, wandering about Bank's Peninsula or taking a cyber trip through downtown Glasgow in the 1800s, I will run into my husband's family. Shake the family tree hard enough and another relative of Arth's falls out. This time being in Ngapara I thought I was safe from the Bruce boney ancestral clutches but.........
Linda I. L. Rapson's maiden name was Cant. - "I" standing for Iris.This makes her "Natty Joe" Cant's daughter. His father was Daniel Cant, son of Charles Cant who was the brother of Arth's great great grandfather.
Linda I. L. Rapson's maiden name was Cant. - "I" standing for Iris.This makes her "Natty Joe" Cant's daughter. His father was Daniel Cant, son of Charles Cant who was the brother of Arth's great great grandfather.
George Daniel Watson, born 1875, married Margaret Little. Amongst their children was Percy Fisher Watson born 23 Oct 1914. Percy is of signicant interest. He married Barbara Calder Whittaker (might be of the Whittakers who married into the Rawsons, yet to persue). He was in the RNZAF, Flight Sergeant , service number NZ 415569. Percy was on the Flight crew of a Hallifax which went down in WW2 in the Netherlands, 26 July 1943. He died along with rest of the crew apart from the only survivor being a Loudoun (no known relation). He was 29. Ngapara was only a small place but many of its young men died in the wars.orn 23 Oct 1914
With apologies to Percy, this is my scribbled version of him from a very small newspaper clipping of him. I have messed uphis hair, his ears and his jawline but you get the general idea. Where is my sister the artist when I need her?