Maurice Boyce (1878 - 1901)

Born 1878 in Leithfield, Canterbury, New Zealand

Ancestors

Died 12 Jan 1901 at about age 23 in Pretoria, South Africa

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Biography

Maurice was born in 1878. He was the son of John Boyce and Rebecca Chapman. ^[1]

Maurice Boyce (Service number 621) served in the Army during the South African (Boer) War of 1899-1902. A groom in civilian life, he gave his Next of kin on embarkation as Mr J. Boyce, of Leithfield,South African War, 1899-1902 He was Trooper with the 3rd New Zealand Mounted Rifles, F Company 3rd Contingent ("the Rough Riders") ^[2]

He passed away in 1901. ^[3] and is buried at the Pretoria Old Cemetery, along other NZer's ^[4]

THE THIRD CONTINGENT. A letter from which the following has been extracted has been received in Christchurch from Corporal Frank J. Ryan, of the Canterbury Rough Riders : I am in Pretoria on a week's leave just now after a touch of malaria at Commando Nek. On the advice of Major Jowsey I came oh here for a spell and am rapidly getting fit as a fiddle under the influence of plenty of food and sleep. I visited seven or eight of our fellows in hospital yesterday. Three of them were vary bad and Maurice Boyce died yesterday. When enquiring about Morry's death I met a New Zealand nurse, Miss Campbell, of Dunedin, and learned from her that Boyce was nursed by Miss Piper, formerly of Christchurch." ^[5]

LEITHFIELD ANGLICAN CHURCH. The old St Paul's Church at Leithfield, erected in 1862-3, of sun-dried bricks, suffered so much damage by the earthquake that was so disastrous at Cheviot as to render it unsafe, necessitating the providing of a new building. As the result of the efforts of the vicar, the Rev H. East, and his parishioners, a new church has been erected, and it was opened yesterday afternoon by Bishop Julius. The building, of which Messrs England Bros were the architects, is a neat little structure of Gothic design, very nicely finished both externally and internally, and will accommodate about seventy persons. The chief feature of the chancel is the east window of cathedral glass in geometrical design. This was erected by Mrs John Boyce, of Leithfield, in memory of her son Maurice, who was a member of the Third New Zealand Contingent, and died in South Africa. A brass memorial tablet is also on the chancel wall beside the window, placed there to the memory of Trooper Boyce. The -window sashes of the old church, being one of several sets sent out in the first four ships by the Canterbury, Association, and consisting of cast-iron Gothic headed frames for diamond-shaped panes, have been re-erected in the new church, thus linking the past with the present ^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ http://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
   • NZ Birth registration1878/8783
2. ↑ Online Cenotaph, Auckland War Memorial Museum
3. ↑ DEATHS. BOYCE.— At Pretoria, of enteric fever, Maurice, fifth son of John and Rebecca Boyce, Leithfield, in his twenty-second year. Deeply regretted. The Star, Issue 7000, 16 January 1901
4. ↑ https://www.nzwargraves.org.nz/cemeteries/pretoria-old-cemetery
5. ↑ The Star, Issue 7031, 22 February 1901
6. ↑ The Star, Issue 9085, 15 November 1907