Walter Hodder (1818 - 1901)

Born 17 Jun 1818 in Huish Episcopi, Langport, Somerset, England

Ancestors

Husband of Emma Matilda (Gooding) Hodder — married 26 Jul 1840 in St James, Bath, Somerset, England

Descendants

Died 23 Feb 1901 at age 82 in Featherston, Wairarapa, New Zealand

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Lynne Keedwell [send private message]

Biography

Walter was born in 1817. He married Emma Gooding in 1840.^[1]

In the 1841 Census, Walter and Emma, and their baby daughter Elizabeth, were listed living in Queens Terrace, Lyncombe & Widcombe, Bath, Somerset, England. Walter was working as a Labourer. Also in their home were Elizabeth and Abel Swansborough. ^[2]

Walter and Emma Hodder immigrated to New Zealand aboard the London in 1842.^[3] He was listed in the Jury Lists for Wellington in 1845, where he was identified as Dairyman of Te Aro Flat. ^[4] By 1868, Walter and Emma had moved to Featherston in the Wairarapa. ^[5] They are said to have made the journey from Wellington to Featherston along the wild eastern coastline, and Walter is said to have been the one of the first to drive a bullock and dray over the Rimutaka Ranges. ^[6] Walter Hodder established the golden Fleece Hotel around 1850. A bush licence was granted to Walter in 1851 for the hotel. In 1866 the hotel was destroyed by fire and rebuilt the following year. Walter's son Frederick along with other proprietors managed the hotel from 1861 to 1880. The hotel was again destroyed by fire in 1880. This time they did not rebuild the Golden Fleece Hotel. ^[7]

Birth registrations have been located for perhaps seven children born to Emma and Walter in the years from 1848 to 1860. ^[8] A newspaper article on the occasion of their Silver Wedding Anniversary says they had seventeen children together, of whom 5 sons and 3 daughters were surviving in July 1899. ^[9]

Walter passed away in 1901.^[10][11][12]

Sources

1. ↑ "England Marriages, 1538–1973 ," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NFJC-12Q : 10 December 2014), Walter Hodder and Emma Gooding, 05 Jul 1840; citing Lyncombe And Widcombe, Somerset, England, reference item 1 p 236, index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 1,565,184.
2. ↑ 1841 England, Wales & Scotland Census. Archive reference HO107, Piece number 931, Book number 15, Folio number 44, Page number 19, Schedule 2854. Accessed on findmypast.co.uk
3. ↑ "New Zealand, Archives New Zealand, Passenger Lists, 1839-1973," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJDV-FTR3 : 10 August 2017), Walter Hodder, 1842; citing ship , Archives New Zealand, Wellington; FHL microfilm .
4. ↑ New Zealand Jury Lists, 1842–1862. Microfilm publication, 5 fiche. BAB Microfilming. Auckland, New Zealand. Accessed on ancestry.com
5. ↑ New Zealand Electoral Rolls, 1853–2010. Auckland, New Zealand: BAB microfilming and Electoral Roll Commison, New Zealand. Microfiche publication. Accessed on ancestry.com
6. ↑ NEW ZEALAND HERALD, VOLUME LIX, ISSUE 18064, 12 APRIL 1922, PAGE 8. Accessed from the online archive Paper Past at https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19220412.2.107?end_date=31-12-1930&items_per_page=10&page=2&query=walter+hodder&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1839
7. ↑ Historical Hotels of Upper Hutt; Golden Fleece Hotel. Recollect. Upper Hutt Historical Collections. Accessed online at https://uhcl.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/29971
8. ↑ New Zealand Civil Records. Birth registrations accessed on https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
9. ↑ BUSH ADVOCATE, VOLUME XII, ISSUE 1725, 25 JULY 1899, PAGE 2. Accessed from Papers Past, the online newspaper archive, accessed at https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/BA18990725.2.7?end_date=31-12-1930&items_per_page=10&query=walter+hodder&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1839
10. ↑ "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q295-KG7L : 8 September 2017), Walter Hodder, 1901; Burial, Featherston, South Wairarapa District, Wellington, New Zealand, Featherston Cemetery; citing record ID 150260273, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.
11. ↑ "BillionGraves Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QL79-3VF5 : 15 June 2017), Walter Hodder, died 23 Feb 1901; citing BillionGraves (http://www.billiongraves.com : 2012), Burial at Featherston Cemetery, Featherston, Wellington, New Zealand.
12. ↑ DEATH., Bush Advocate, Volume XII, Issue 1973, 26 February 1901

• "England and Wales Census, 1841," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQ18-337 : 5 September 2017), Walter Hodder, Lyncombe & Widcombe, Somerset, England; from "1841 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.

He arrived in Wellington New Zealand aboard the "London" on 01 May 1842