Ella Dorothea Boys (1903)

Born 1903 in New Zealand

Wife of David Robert Douglas Cresswell — married 4 Aug 1925 (to 1930) in St Stephen's, Ashburton, Canterbury, NZ

Wife of Rodney Arnold Pankhurst — married 21 Jun 1932 (to 1934) in Wellington, New Zealand

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Biography

Ella Dorothea was born in 1903. She was the daughter of Fanny and James Boys ^[1] She married David Robert Douglas Cresswell in 1925 ^[2] They were divorced in 1930

Wife’s Infidelity. Douglas David Robert Cresswell, of Lismore, farmer, applied for divorce from Ella Dorothea Cresswell, on the ground of adultery with Hector Claude McDonald, of Ashburton, chemist. Mr W. D. Campbell appeared for petitioner, the action being undefended. Mr Campbell said that an answer had been filed on behalf of the corespondent, who had later intimated that he did not desire to defend the action. Petitioner had since become of opinion that he could not claim for damages, but would claim costs on the higher scale in view of the defence having been abandoned only quite recently. Petitioner stated that he had been married at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Ashburton, on August 4, 1925. There had been no children of the marriage. Witness had lived with his wife at Lismore, and in July 1929 he left for Hanmer. where he remained til' November 15th, of the same year. On the day following the return to his home, witness found two letters on his desk, in the handwriting of McDonald, whom he knew personally. The letters were handed to His Honour. who remarked: 'Who is dear •D’?” Witness: “My wife. Dorothea.” Mr Campbell: “When you read the letters, what did you do?”—“I accused my wife of infiidelity with McDonald. She confessed she had been unfaithful to me, and said she thought that all the letters received from McDonald had been destroyed.” Continuing under questioning by Mr Campbell, witness said that his wife had stated that her infidelity with McDonald had been brought about by her loneliness while witness had been away. ^[3]

She married 2nd Rodney Arnold Pankhurst in 1932 ^[4] They were divorced in 1934 ^[5] 3rd marriage?

Sources

1. ↑ http://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
   • NZ Birth registration 1903/3896
2. ↑ http://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
   • NZ Marriage registration 1925/7282 (his name misrecorded as "Creswell")
3. ↑ SUPREME COURT. TIMARU HERALD, VOLUME CXXV, ISSUE 18634, 1 AUGUST 1930, PAGE 7
4. ↑ http://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
   • NZ Marriage registration 1932/8256
5. ↑ IN DIVORCE EVENING POST, VOLUME CXVIII, ISSUE 55, 3 SEPTEMBER 1934, PAGE 11