Justin John Aylmer Sr Esq RM (1831 - 1885)

Born 11 Aug 1831 in Ireland

Ancestors

Husband of Caroline (Slatter) Aylmer — married 1854 in Akaroa, Canterbury, New Zealand

Husband of Sarah Anne Cockerill (Beswick) Aylmer — married 23 Oct 1869 in Hokitika, Westland, West Coast, New Zealand

Descendants

Died 12 Jan 1885 at age 53 in Akaroa, Canterbury, New Zealand

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Biography

Justin John Aylmer who resided at Hororata Station, was afterwards Resident Magistrate of Ross, Westland, and of Akaroa, Canterbury, New Zealand. He was a scion of the Aylmer baronetcy.

Background

The Aylmers had arrived at Lyttelton in the Lady Nugent at the end of 1851 so that they came near being the earliest pioneers of the Province. They went immediately to Akaroa, where Rev William Josiah Aylmer was the first incumbent of the Anglican Church in Akaroa and was also a member of the Canterbury Provincial Council.

In 1860 brothers Justin John Aylmer and William Aylmer bought the 30,000 acre Wairaki Station in Blackmount for 1000 pounds from Dr Samuel Hodgkinson, who was relieved to have got rid of it.

On 31 July 1860 William left Riverton for Blackmount with Caroline, her four daughters, the eldest only 5 years of age, two servants and a Mr Woodrife, all travelling on a bullock dray. Caroline’s husband Justin was ill and remained in Riverton until he recovered. The journey of 88 km during winter took 33 days where the party endured serious lack of food and freezing conditions and had to call on all their resources of fortitude and William’s bravery to survive. This was one of the worst winters experienced with snow and floods and great stock losses. The saga of survival is beyond our comprehension today but is well documented in much detail in 1930s issues of the Southland Times.

After the family had been on the farm for a year, Caroline became ill, and Justin offered a reward of 100 pounds to anyone who would ride to Riverton for medical help. Many tried but unfortunately the rivers were in flood and Caroline died before a doctor arrived. She died on 28 June 1861 in Blackmount, Western Southland. The farm today is still called Aylmer Downs in their honour.

The loss of his wife was not the last tragedy to visit Justin Aylmer. A major outbreak of two diseases in his sheep flocks decimated them and Dalgety and Rattray took over the farm. Justin went up to Dunstan in 1864 as assistant to Vincent Pyke, and was afterwards in 1865 appointed as Goldfields Warden to the West Coast. Here he married again.

On their journey to the West Coast the Aylmer family unfortunately met with further misfortune for they were shipwrecked, but luckily no lives were lost.

In 1869 Sarah Anne Cockerill Beswick and widower Justin John Aylmer were married. ^[1]

In August 1870 Justin Arthur Aylmer was born to Sarah Anne Cockerill and Justin John Aylmer. ^[2]

On 8 January 1872 an unnamed child was born to Sarah Ann Cockerill and Justin John Aylmer. ^[3] The registry entry has NR for the child's name. However, on 14 June 1873 Fitzgerald Beswick Aylmer passed away, aged 17M ^[4]

The family made their home in Ross until 1873 when Justin was appointed as Resident Magistrate in Akaroa.

Death

He died at Akaroa on 12 January 1885, aged 53.

Sources

1. ↑ NZBDM marriages 1869/6870 Sarah Anne Cockerill Beswick, Justin John Aylmer
2. ↑ NZBDM births 12/8/18701870/25956 Aylmer, Justin Arthur, Sarah Anne Cockerel (sic), Justin John
3. ↑ NZBDM births 8/1/1872 1872/26420 Aylmer, NR, Sarah Ann Cockrall (sic), Justin John
4. ↑ NZBDM deaths 14/6/1873 1873/8809 Aylmer, Fitzgerald Beswick, 17M

Obit 13 Jan 1885, Star, Issue 5207, NLNZ.

Prepared by the Historic Cemeteries Conservation Trust of New Zealand (www.cemeteries.org.nz) from information supplied by Stewart & Carol Weir who are the custodians of the gravesite.

Information from The Southland Times 28 June 2011 and their earlier series of articles entitled The Conquerors, Saga of the Stations 1933.

Marriage (2) Timaru Herald, 3 Nov 1869, Papers Past, NLNZ [1]

http://www.cemeteries.org.nz/stories/AylmerCaroline.pdf