Rellies from Scotland to Fiji

StuartC · Post by **StuartC** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 4:36 pm

I have an ancestor John Thomson Collie b 24 May 1857 in Edinburgh, a jeweller/watchmaker to trade. Apparently went to Suva Rewa, Fiji, where he married a Sigrid (nee Christophoson, b Norway) Stuart, on 26 April 1896 (civil registration).
They had five children, four of whom died in infancy (carried the RH factor so survival in those days was slim). I understand four of the five were born in New Zealand (don't know where, or dates).
Apparently he owned the Fiji Times Building, his jewellry/watchmaker shop and a banana plantation.
He had also made friends with Robert Louis Stevenson who was living in Samoa.
I am looking for help in tracing when and where the children were born in New Zealand (sometime between 1896 and 1909), and any other information on John Thomson Collie. I believe he died in 1922 in Suva Rewa, Fiji.

Regards
StuartC

momat · Post by **momat** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 1:59 am

Hello Stuart,
You can now search for New Zealand historical records on the following.
I have not used it so would be interested to hear if you find anything useful from it.
http://www.dia.govt.nz/diawebsite.nsf

Post by **paddyscar** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 2:33 am

Hi Stuart:

There is a family record of his marriage on IGI
http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/ ... search.asp

Husband
John Thomson Collie
Birth: About 1858 , Midlothian, Scotland
Marriage: 29 APR 1896 Suva,Rewa, , Fiji, Pacific Islands

Wife
Sigrid Stewart
Birth: About 1868 Oslo, Akershus, Norway
Christening:
Marriage: 29 APR 1896 Suva,Rewa, , Fiji, Pacific Islands
Mother: Sofie Christophoson

Records for further Collie names in New Zealand produce records that are outside your search years.

This looks like a helpful site: http://www.janesoceania.com/oceania_genealogy/index.htm

And found two others listed: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fijiindia ... y/messages
http://www.cousinconnect.com/p/a/62/

Paddyscar

Post by **paddyscar** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 2:46 am

Looking further into what I've outlined above, I may be referring you to your own messages.

Paddyscar

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 5:24 am

Hello Stuart,

The LDS church appears to have an extensive vital record collection for Fiji. Search the catalogue https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/Fiji_C ... al_Records

Try PapersPast, search for Collie Suva (all words) http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast
There a 1908 article – storm damage to possibly his shop. In 1909 there’s a birth notice for a daughter. Any prior N.Z. births should be on the site posted by Maureen.

The Australian Newspapers site has a Melbourne Argus marriage notice for one of the Collie’s. It’s likely you’ll find other stuff there when more Australian newspaper content comes online over the next twelve months. http://ndpbeta.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/artic ... ollie+suva

Hope that helps,
Alan

momat · Post by **momat** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 8:18 am

Hi Stuart,
This from New Zealand Newspapers.
At least you have a date now.

Wellington Evening Post Newspaper 29th May 1909
Birth 27th May 1909
Collie at The Private Hospital for Women 6 MacDonald Crescent to Mr & Mrs John Thomson Collie ,Suva, Fiji - A Daughter.

This street address is still current in Wellington but no longer has any place like a private Hospital on it.
It was an area of wealthy people at that time.

momat · Post by **momat** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 8:27 am

Sorry meant to say that this came from searching the Paperspast
site posted here by Alan.

StuartC · Post by **StuartC** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 3:27 pm

Thanks to all who have replied There are some really good sites to go and look at.

The New Zealand Historical records did not yields anything positive, but could well be a source for future reference.

Regards
StuartC

momat · Post by **momat** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 7:39 am

Hi Stuart,

The IGI site has Sigrid as STEWART

John Thomson Collie Pedigree
Male Family

Event(s):
Birth:
About 1858 , Midlothian, Scotland
Christening:
Death:
Burial:

Marriages:
Spouse: Sigrid Stewart Family
Marriage:
29 APR 1896 Suva,Rewa, , Fiji, Pacific Islands

I see on Ancestry that Sigrid was a Widow with a Son Leonard when she married John Colllie.
So it looks like she married John Thomson Collie using her previous Husband's name of Stewart/Stuart ,not Christopheson !

StuartC · Post by **StuartC** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 9:23 am

Maureen,

Thanks for the info. I was aware she had married before and that there was a son. I have not found date or place for this first marriage.

I have however found a possible marriage for the son (Leonard Archibald ? Stuart to a Henrietta Lundquist in NZ in 1928. With his mother having Scandinavian origins this seems a good possiblility. If I could sight the birth cert this would possibly confirm the fathers name and then the marriage for him and Sigrid Christophoson.

Regards
Stuart