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1852 Jury Roll listed as living in Porirua Rd.[labourer] JOSEPH MEADS born 1803 in England died January 9th 1880 at Tutaenui New Zealand. Various birthplaces for Joseph have been suggested. Potternewton district, Leeds is possible. Joseph's marriage to Maria Lord[ s ] took place at Birstall, Yorkshire. The spelling of Meads in the Parish Register was Medes. Three sons were born in England. The Parish Register has provided more alternative spellings of Meads in their entries. John Meeds, Joseph Meeds, and William Meads. Maria died and Joseph remarried Ann Coates in 1842. They sailed to New Zealand July 27, 1842 aboard the S.S. Thomas Sparks. along with John and Hannah, Joseph and William. They arrived in Wellington, New Zealand January 31, 1843 after a journey of 6 months and 4 days. (see below which give different dates) On the ship's manifest: Joseph was listed as a gardener John's occupation was labourer/gardener Joseph was aged 40 years. & Ann 25 years John 17 years & Hannah 25 years. (Hannah listed as 23 on below info) Joseph 13 years. William 11 years. The family remained in Wellington untill the birth of Anne's son Zachariah when they moved to New Plymouth. Two daughters were born in New Plymouth, Martha [Green] and Elizabeth [Jefferson] before they returned to Wellington where Ann died March 6, 1849 of Consumption. [ Tuberculosis ] At this time Joseph was listed as a Farmer from the Hutt. Joseph remained in Wellington, married Betsy Jefferson while in Wellington and had a furthur three sons, Adam, David and Nathan. In baptismal records Nathan is Charles. During 1856 they moved to the Wairapara where they remained for some time. Joseph was manager of Messers Gillies & Wilson's property. They arrived in the Rangitikei 1858 and lived at the northern extreme of Tutaenui overlooking the flats of Leedstown.A furthur two sons were born here, Francis [Frank] and Benjamin. Parewanui ennial booklet wrote as follows:- The family of Meads was founded in New Zealand 1843 by Joseph Meads (c1802 -1880) a native of Leeds, Yorkshire. He had been a landscape gardener in the "Old Country" but here he settled at Leedstown giving it the name of his birthplace. With three wives he had 11 sons and 2 daughters matched by his third son William with surviving 10 sons and 4 daughters. The 3rd son and namesake of William established a carrying business in Bulls which his two sons William and Bert (Hubert) carried on. It is needless to say that the Meads family are quite numerous in New Zealand, one of the grandsons of Joseph, Wenzel (Zach son) was Mayor of Marton. 1920's the Parewanui Pa entered into a period of decay. Some of the houses were pulled down while others were transported bodily to a new site at what is now Ratana Pa (between Turakina and Whangaehu) Much of this work was done by Meads Brothers carriers of Bulls. Joseph died January 9th 1880 at his residence from "Enlargement of the abdominal gland and gangrene" Betsy died a few weeks later of " Cancer of the Stomach" Both are buried at the Bonny Glen Cemetery [which was origionally known as the Rangitikei West Cemetery] but there is no headstone, nor do they figure in the cemetery records. These are known to be incomplete as they were compiled when the cemetery was already in a state of disrepair. I have been told that the grave is towards the back of the cemetery, on the left towards the top of the hill. Later Cemetery records show Joseph as buried in the Rangitikei West Cemetery but do not show Betsy. It is said that "all his childrern had biblical Names" ??? This may well be refuted I don't know of a biblical William. The confusion as to the spelling of Zachariah's name as Zechariah versus Zachariah could well stem from the family trying to put the Biblical spelling onto the name. Another failing in the Biblical names theory is Nathan. He was baptised Charles. When he became Nathan is unclear but origionally when his birth was registered he was not given a name. Joseph was born in England in 1903. The exact location of his birth is not known and was origionally thought to be around Leeds. However Birstall has come to the fore for later events of his life. Marriages to Maria Lord[s] and Ann Coates. Christenings of the children of Joseph and Maria were at St Mark's Church, Birstall, Yorkshire, England. Joseph along with his second wife Ann nee Coates, and his sons John, and his wife Hannah, Joseph, and William sailed for New Zealand aboard the S.S. Thomas Sparks.arriving in Wellington on 27/7/1842. John had married just before leaving England. Joseph's occupation was Gardener, John's ad labourer gardener. Joseph was 42 years, Ann 25 years, John 17 years, Hannah 25 years, Joseph Jnr 13 years and William 11 years. The family remained in Welington until the birth of Ann's first child Zachariah, 6th June 1843. The family then went to New Plymouth where Joseph's two daughters Martha Green [b. 1845] and Elizabeth Jefferson [b. 1846] were born. Ann had poor health from then on and died in Wellington 26/3/1849 of consumption {Pulmonary Tuberculosis] Joseph married thirdly Elizabeth [Betsy} Jefferson and they had a furthur seven sons. Adam b. 1851, Davidb. abt 1852 , Nathan b. 1854 Alfred b. 1856 Francis b. 1861, Benjamin 1862, and Nathaniel b. 1863. Joseph d 1880 at Tutaenui of enlargement of the abdominal gland and gangrene. He is buried in the Bonny Glen Cemetery. Betsy died 1880 at Tutaenui of cancer of the pancreas. She also is buried in the Bonny Glen Cemetery. <b>Thomas Sparks </b>Ship: 498 tons Captain: Robert G Sharp Surgeon Superintendent: David John Williams Sailed London November 27th 1842 - arrived Wellington January 31st 1843 (via Cape of Good Hope) Nelson 1843 February 26th 1843 New Plymouth May 29th 1843 This information was obtained from <i>Copyright Denise & Peter 2001 - 2006 </i> <i>Reference: Brett's Early New Zealand Wellington Public Library Early Wellington by Louis Ward New Zealand Colonist & Cook's Strait Guardian February 3rd 1843 website http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~ourstuff/ThomasSparks1843.htm </i>

Potternewton is a pleasant suburban township, extending from the barracks to Chapelton and Halton Dial and from 1 quarter to two and a half miles N and NW of Leeds. It comproses 2340 Acres, 1384 souls, The suburb of New leeds, Part of Buslingthorpe, and the pleasanr hamlets of Harehills, Gipton, and Squire Pastures. It has quarries of excellent stone and many hansome houses. The Earl of Mexborough is Lord of the Maor but a great part of the soil belongs to otehr freeholders. Leeds Directory

It has been stated that Joseph's place of birth was Leeds and the Potternewton district has been suggested. However, Buckingham is another possibility. Records have been searched but so far without success. Joseph married Maria Lords and had three sons, John, Joseph and William. Maria died and he married secondly Ann Coates 8-7-1842 at St. Mark's Church, Woodhouse, Yorkshire. It is possible that Joseph at this stage had lived for some years at Buckingham as William was born there in 1831. There is a story about Ann being connected to the Coates of cotton mill fame but this is doubtful as her father is listed as a "toll bar keeper" in some of the records. Joseph and Ann sailed from Gravesend aboard the S.S. Thomas Sparks 27-7-1842 accompanied by John and his wife, Hannah (nee Cawthorne), Joseph and William. They arrived in Wellington, New Zealand after a voyage of 6 months and 4 days. On the ship's manifest Joseph's occupation was listed as gardener. John's as labourer / gardener. Joseph was aged 40 years, Ann 25 years, John 17 years and Hannah 23 years. Joseph was 13 years and William 11 years. The family remained in Wellington intil after the birth of Ann's first child, Zachariah, Jun e 1843. They next went to New Plymouth where Martha (1845) and Elizabeth (1846) were born. How long they stayed in New Plymouth is not known for sure but we do have them back in Wellington in 1849. Ann died of consumption 26-3-1849 and Joseph at this time was listed as farmer from Hutt. Consumption today is known as tuberculosis. Joseph married thirdly Elizabeth (Betsy) Jefferson 12-12-1850 at St. Peter's Church, Wellingt on. A further three sons were born while they were there, Adam, David and Nathan. Nathan was born in 1854 and we find the family at the top of the Rimutaka Ranges during the great earthquake in 1856. They stayed in the Wairarapa for a period of time where they had charge of Messrs. Gillies and Wilson's station. They arrived in the Rangitikei in 1858. The last four sons were born there. Joseph lived on the flat at the very eastern end of Tutaenui road overlooking the flats of Leedstown. Leedstown was named by Joseph supposedly after his home town, or birth place in England. Leedstown was, on his instruction, surveyed for a town, the streets were named and it was anticipated that the railway would go through the town. However, when the railwaywent further to the east the town was never built and to this day remains a farming area. Joseph remained in this area for the remainder of his life and he died 9-1-1880 at his reside nce of "enlargement of the abdominal gland and gangrene". Betsy died a few weeks later of "cancer of the stomach" on 1-3-1880. They are buried, I believe, in the Bonny Glen Cemetery a few miles west of Marton. There is no headstone nor do they appear in the cemetery records. However, these records are known to be incomplete.

Reference Number:WDM1031