Bracken family

Date: 1820-1896

By: Hirst family

Reference: MS-0994-1006

Description: Letters exchanged between members of the Bracken family in England and the Hirst family, mainly Grace Hirst. Discuss business affairs, day-to-day life in Taranaki, Maori wars in the 1860s, voyages to New Zealand, etc Source of title - Supplied In Dec 1851 Grace, Thomas and five of their children left England in the `Gwalior', arriving in Auckland in Jun 1852. They settled in New Plymouth and traded as general merchants. In Feb 1860, with the outbreak of war in Taranaki, the family retreated from Bell Block to the safety of New Plymouth. In 1861 Thomas & Grace returned to England where Grace remained for a year before returning to NZ on the `Silver Eagle' in 1863. Thomas returned on the Ravenscraig in 1861 Grace frequently assisted neighbouring families as a midwife and nurse, attended at the birth of many of her own grandchildren, and helped lay out the dead. She was also active in fundraising for the Anglican Church Quantity: 13 volume(s). 0.03 Linear Metres. Physical Description: Typescripts (27 cm; red buckram)

Date: 1852-1896

From: Australian Joint Copying Project : Miscellaneous Series microfilm

Reference: Micro-MS-Coll-20-2773

Description: Letters, exchanged between members of the Bracken family in Yorkshire, but mainly from Grace, describe daily life in Taranaki, the outbreak of war in 1860 and its progress, domestic and farm life. Included are detailed accounts of the voyages to New Zealand on the Gwalior, Ravenscraig and Silver Eagle. Thomas and Grace Hirst emigrated to New Zealand from West Riding, Yorkshire on board the Gwalior in 1851 with five of their eight children. They settled in Taranaki, first in New Plymouth where Thomas and Grace traded as general merchants. In 1854 they moved to a small farm at Bell Block, moving back to New Plymouth when marital law was declared in Feb 1860. Thomas & Grace made a visit to England later that year. On the return voyage their ship the William Brown caught fire and was destroyed. Thomas set sail again on the Ravenscraig and Grace returned in 1863 on the Silver Eagle. On the death of Grace's brother in 1870 the family inherited a substantial amount of money which was invested in land etc.. Grace frequently assisted neighbouring families as a midwife and nurse, attended at the birth of many of her own grandchildren, and helped lay out the dead. She was also active in fundraising for the Anglican Church Quantity: 1 microfilm reel(s). Physical Description: Microfilm of typed transcripts

Date: 1945, 1981-1982

From: Beach family : Genealogical and personal papers of the Beach and Woodward families

Reference: 89-266-1/06

Description: Quantity: 1 folder(s).

Date: 1876-1978

From: Beach family : Genealogical and personal papers of the Beach and Woodward families

Reference: 89-266-1/09

Description: Hirst obituaries, 1901-1913; article re Jonathan Bracken (1772-1853), father of Grace Hirst; notes on Hirst family and arrival in NZ; `Pioneer life in South Taranaki', genealogical notes and record sheets; copy of letter from James Hirst to Donald McLean, 9 Nov 1876 Quantity: 1 folder(s).

Date: 1989-1994

By: Bracken, Gerald G, active 1965-2002

Reference: MSY-5727

Description: Record of Gerald Bracken's correspondence with Thomas A Bracken in connection with his grandfather Thomas Bracken and including photocopies of Thomas Bracken's birth and baptism registrations. Source of title - Transcribed Quantity: 1 volume(s). 0.01 Linear Metres. Physical Description: Mss, typescripts and printed matter (photocopies) Provenance: Donor/Lender/Vendor - Donated by the New Zealand High Commission, London, Sep 2003

Date: [ca 1970s]

From: Beach family : Genealogical and personal papers of the Beach and Woodward families

Reference: 89-266-4/04

Description: Includes notes and certificates relating to the Bracken family of Yorkshire Quantity: 1 folder(s).

Date: [197-]

From: Beach family : Genealogical and personal papers of the Beach and Woodward families

Reference: 89-266-1/02

Description: Shows descendants of Richard Bracken (d 1769) who married Agnes (1681-1773); Samuel Appleyard of Shaw Booth, Halifax (1744-1809) who married Mary Woodhead (1749-1816) in 1772; Grace Bracken (1805-1901) and Thomas Hirst. Grace Hirst was the daughter of Grace Appleyard & Jonathan Bracken. The Hirst family immigrated to NZ in 1852. Quantity: 1 (roll).

Date: [ca 1980]

From: Beach family : Genealogical and personal papers of the Beach and Woodward families

Reference: 89-266-3/04

Description: File of research notes and papers relating to Hirst and Bracken families (all generations). Includes certificates, obituaries, etc Quantity: 1 folder(s).

Date: [ca 1974]

From: Beach family : Genealogical and personal papers of the Beach and Woodward families

Reference: 89-266-5/05

Description: Quantity: 1 folder(s).