Edward James Weir (1880 - 1958)

Born 9 Jun 1880 in Wyndham, Southland, Southland, New Zealand

Ancestors

Husband of Isabella Elizabeth (Evans) Weir — married 29 Aug 1906 in Riverton, New Zealand

Husband of Mary Charlotte (Adamson) Weir — married 1912 in New Zealand

Descendants

Died 11 Oct 1958 at age 78 in Orepuki, Southland, Southland, New Zealand

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Biography

Edward James (Ned) Weir was born in 1880 in southern New Zealand, the youngest of five children. Like many of his generation he volunteered for the Boer War, joining the South Island Regiment of the 10th Contingent as a bugler. ^[1]

On his return from South Africa, Ned lived in Orepuki, in Southland, in the early 1900s. A family member recalls that Ned worked as a miner for the Evans family who had a gold claim in Orepuki and that Ned was a close friend of Rev Evan Evans (a son of the Evans family in Orepuki) and was best man at the wedding of Rev Evans.

Ned married Isabella Evans (Rev Evans’ sister) in 1906. Ned and Isabella went to Warkworth, north of Auckland for work, staying with Rev Evans who was then serving as the Presbyterian minister for Warkworth. Ned and Isabella’s first child, Grace Caldwell Weir, was born in 1908 in Auckland or Warkworth.

In late 1909 Isabella received word that her mother was dying. Desperate to get back south to see her mother Isabella set off, even though she was expecting her second child. Unfortunately Isabella arrived too late- her mother died in October 1909, before Isabella reached home. Isabella herself died January 1910 from childbirth complications. Isabella and Ned’s second daughter Dorothy Agnes died just two months later. Isabella and the baby Dorothy are buried in the Orepuki cemetery.

In 1912 Ned married a second time to Mary (May) Adamson and the couple went north for work. Eventually Ned and May came back to Orepuki for May to manage the family drapery store, known as Adamson's Drapery. This business had been founded by May’s father James Adamson in 1897. Ned had a taxi for at least part of this time at Orepuki and was involved in the drapery business. Ned and May had 4 children, Stanley, Edith, Leila and Frank.

Ned and May were were both closely associated with the Orepuki Church. A history of the local church notes that

“Mr and Mrs E. J. Weir gave long and faithful service to the Orepuki church. For many years Mrs Weir was the organist and often led the singing with her beautiful bell-like voice. She will long be remembered too for her work and leadership in women’s organisations. Mr Weir was also active in the church, serving on the Management Committee, including a period as both Secretary and Treasurer. He was also the Bell Ringer in the days when the church bell was rung to call people to worship”.^[2]

Ned was a long standing member of the Orepuki Bowling Club:

"Many characters have been among the members over the years, the best remembered perhaps being "Dearie" Mr Ned Weir, the club's only Life Member. He was green keeper for nearly thirty years and with the help of Hugh McLiskey who kept the borders a picture, it was a pleasure to visit the green".^[3]

Ned died in 11 October 1958 and is buried in the soldiers' section at Orepuki cemetery.

His death notice in the Southland Times reads:

"WEIR - On Saturday, October 11, 1958, at Invercargill, Edward James (South African Veteran), beloved husband of M.C. (May) Weir, of Orepuki, and loved father of Grace (Mrs Gardner), Edith (Mrs Brown), Leila (Mrs Bulman), Stanley and Frank; in his 79th year. A service will be held in the Presbyterian Church, Orepuki, at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, October 14, the funeral leaving at the conclusion for the Orepuki Cemetery. - J. Fraser & Sons, Funeral Directors."

Sources

1. ↑ Auckland Museum Online Cenotaph, accessed 23 Jan 2023 at https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C127212?n=edward+James+weir&from=%2Fwar-memorial%2Fonline-cenotaph%2Fsearch&ordinal=0
2. ↑ Orepuki Presyterian Church Centenary 1885-1985, compiled by Ian Brown. Page 15.
3. ↑ Orepuki: A Hundred Years of Memories. Ed by E. Wilson. Craig Printing, 1971. Page 103.

• New Zealand BDM Birth Reg. No. 1880/12250 Weir Edward James
• New Zealand BDM Marriage Reg. No. 1906/5684 - Isabella Elizabeth Evans & Edward James Weir
• New Zealand BDM Marriage No. 1912/4030 Mary Charlotte Adamson & Edward James Weir
• New Zealand BDM Death Reg. No. 1958/24565 Weir , Edward James
• Find A Grave: Memorial #158648678, Weir , Edward James, Orepuki Cemetery

Additional information:

• Information from family members