Derecourt Family History

John Greaves Derecourt, a carpenter, married Hannah Evans at St Thomas Church, Dudley, England, on December 14th 1814.
Their three children were all christened at the above church
Sarah Evans, November 1815;
William Charles, January 1817;
Thomas Whitehouse, July 1820.
In 1842 Thomas Whitehouse Derecourt was married to Elizabeth Smith of Tower Street, Dudley. His profession was a modeller and she, the daughter of Timothy Smith, a butcher.
The ceremony was performed in All Saints Church, West Bromwich where Thomas' brother William was a witness. Their father's occupation is described as a cabinet maker.
Thomas and Elizabeth's son, John Greaves, was born at Tepton in the County of Stafford on August 3rd 1845.
In 1865 he was married to Jane Spencer. Jane was born at West Bromwich on July 4th, 1846. She was the eldest child of William and Mary Anne Spencer (nee Stafford) of Ellesmore Road, a select area of Sheffield. Her father managed the family business "Spencer Steel Co" and John Greaves Derecourt was employed with this company before he departed to New Zealand in 1881.

Arrivals "Loch Urr" Barque Murdoch from London.
Passengers:
John Derecourt, Jane Derecourt.
Children:
Thomas Derecourt, Jane Derecourt, Thomas Derecourt, Frederick Derecourt, Ernest Derecourt, Harry Derecourt, John Derecourt, Herbert Green, Eileen Green, Beatrice Green, Edward Smith, John Leek, Mary McKenzie, Margaret McMura, Margaret Byree, Michel Byree, Sarah Swindails, Emily Swindails, Herbert Swindails, and Neah Swindails.

New Zealand Shipping Co. Agents
Imports per Loch Urr from London.

Plain Cotton 100 pounds, Printed Cotton 500 pounds, Linen in Bales100 pounds, Linen in Case 200 pounds, Woollens 100 pounds, Silk and velvets100 pounds, Ribbons 200 pounds, Haberdashery 400 pounds, Umbrellas 400 pounds, Cotton and Linen Shirts100 pounds,
Apparel 1000 pounds, Carpets and Rugs 300 pounds, Dressed Leather 520 pounds,Wrought Leather 570 pounds, Saddlery 490 pounds, Floor Cloth 20 pounds, Agricultural Implements 40 pounds, Agricultural Machinery 330. Pounds, Nails and General Machinery 340.pounds, Horsehair and seating, Books 230. Pounds, Paper – 231 paper hanging 300.pounds

Report from the New Zealand Herald.
Dated 16^th December 1881

 The New Zealand Shipping Co Chartered Barque Loch Urr arrived from London yesterday 18 days from port to port or 100 days from land to land.
Captain Murdoch reports of the trip. Left London on August 19^th. Took 50 tons of powder at Gravesend and was towed to the Downs on the 20^th . There was anchored. Wind strong from S.W. Got under weigh on the 23^rd. Wind light from S.E. Got down to Beach Head. When the wind shifted to S.W. with rain and increased to a gale, which continued until the end September. Cleared the Lizards on the 2^nd. Wind light from E.N.E. Shifted moderately on the 7^th. Experienced head winds to the 14^th when the trades were entered. Crossed the Equator on the 5^th in Long 28 deg. W. got S.E. trader on 5 in long 28 deg. 8 got SE trades 10 carried them till the 21^st October on the 24^th encountering a heavy gale from E.S. E. which lasted two days. Rounded Cape of Good Hope on 6^th November in Lat 42 degs N. Run easterly down in 6 lat 42 deg. N. Parallel at 44 deg. Wind steady. On 26 November had a heavy gale off Lewin from N.E. and ran it to 47 deg. Rounded Tasmania on December 4^th. Had Moderate wind from E.N.E. and N.E off Mount Egmont on Sunday 11^th. Rounded the North Cape on 13^th in Company with May Queen from London to Tauranga. She wished to be reported all well.
Passed poor Knights at 6pm on the 14^th and arrived as above passengers and crew all well.
Speaking Thomesine McCallan from Liverpool for Calcutter September 12. 20 deg 26 minutes.

John Greaves Derecourt born 3rd August 1845 Tepton, County of Stafford England. Died 29th March 1899 aged 53 years. (Died whilst crossing a flooded creek on horseback) Buried Matakana Cemetery. Married Jane Spencer born 4^th July 1846, Ryders Green, W. Bromwhich, County of Stafford England. Died 12^th June 1932, Auckland Infirmary Aged 81 years Buried 14^th June 1932 Matakana Cemetery

Children born:
Sheffield
Mary Elizabeth November 1866
John William July 1868
Thomas Whitehouse September 29^th 1869
Frederick Charles April 8^th 1871
Coal Aston Derbyshire
Minnie June 1873
Heeley Sheffield
Timothy Smith July 1874
Dronfield Derbyshire
Frank Arthur
Harry 4^th October 1876
Westbromwich Staffordshire
John Greaves August 14^th 1879
Ernest Birmingham January 25^th 1881
Matakana New Zealand
Jane Spencer April 12^th 1883
Alice August 25^th 1885

Frederick Charles Derecourt and Ethel Isobel Woolley

Frederick Charles Derecourt. Born 8 April 1871, Sheffield England. Son of John Greaves Derecourt and Jane Spencer. Died 26^th December 1950. married Ethel Isobel Woolley, born 9 July 1889, Glen Huon, Tasmania Daughter of John James Woolley and Louisa Smith. Died 2 August 1919.

Children:
Born at Kawhia
Jane Spencer (Jean)
Frederick Charles
Born at Rukuhia
Edna Rose
Arnold Edwin 26^th June 1918 - 18 April 1988
Florence 26 July 1919 died July 1919

 Frederick Charles Derecourt arrived in New Zealand with his family at the age of twelve years. He attended part time school leaving at around about the age of twelve, to go north, gum digging. Wages were one shilling a week and half a stick of tobacco. Booking up a spear at a local store he sallied forth, no doubt thinking at that tender age of the great fortune he may make on the gumfields. He worked in various parts of the North Island during his youth.
In time he was to draw land in a ballot in the Kawhia South area, and walked from Hangatiki to Kinohaku. Here he worked in the district for some time before having the launch Kinohaku built in 1904. The launch cost £341-12-6d. The steamer freight cost £IO when it was brought from Onehunga to Kawhia and the wharfage fee here was eleven shillings. It cost another £8. to bring it to Kinohaku.
The launch service played a vital role in these early days, it being the chief link between the settlers and the outside world.
Roads were poorly formed, little more than tracks, which became slush and boggy in wet weather, so road transport was not reliable. The Kinohaku was moored at Kinohaku where Fred lived in a small cottage overlooking the harbour.
The service was run according to the tides, calling at Te Waitere, Te Maika, Rakaunui and Oparau. Butter, food sup- plies, chaff, grass seed, and many other needs for the farming community were carried as well as passengers.
The years of plying his boat up and down the harbour were happy times for Fred who always loved the sea. It was also the time he met the girl who was to become his wife. Ethel Isobel Woolley helped Mrs Jim Scott in her boarding house where Fred sometimes had a meal.
In 1908 he sold the Kinohaku and together with his friend Harry Green pit sawed the timber for his home in the Whakapirau Valley.
In 1910 he and Ethel were married. They milked cows by hand on the property, Waerengahou as well as continuing to clear the land. They would go out at night, heaping up the fallen growth ready for burning.
The milk from the cows was scalded, and set in containers for later skimming of the cream. This was then churned to butter and packed in boxes to be taken by pack- horse to the launch, and so on to Kawhia.
Their daughter Jane Spencer, (Jean) was born in 1913. Their son Fred was born two years later. The birth this time being at the home of Ethel's parents, the farm known locally as "Woolleys' Orchard".
The sale yards at Te Anga and the cemetery at Potato Point, between Te Waitere and Kinohaku, were projects which Fred played a vital part in promoting. He did much of the correspondence with the authorities for the latter, and had shares in the sale yards for many years.
Ethel's health became a concern, and though medical advice was sought, the problem was not diagnosed. She became very ill, so the doctor advised she should be nearer town where help could be at hand when needed. A stretcher was made and Fred with the help of two neighbours, carried his wife up the steep valley hills. Jean remembers Fred junior and herself walking behind. When the stretcher bearers had gone so far ahead, they would then come back to help the children. The launch at Te Waitere took them to Kawhia, whence they went by coach via Pirongia to Hamilton.
The farm was then sold and the family moved to Rukuhia.
A third child, Edna Rose was born when Fred junior was two years old. Arnold Edwin (Arnie) was born in Hamilton. Baby Florence lived for only three hours.
Jean married George Albury, Fred married Myrtle Stone, Edna married Syd Blake and Arnold married 1. Shirley Herbert 2. Ida Shea. 3. Olga Kay.

Ethel Derecourt died a young woman aged 29 in 1920 and is buried in Hillcrest Cemetery in Hamilton.
At one time the grave collapsed and her son Arnie and daughter Edna rebuilt the grave of Ethel, her niece Bessie Wotherspoon (daughter of Ethels sister Ada and Jack Wotherspoon) who died aged 13 is buried alongside of Ethel. Bessie was a favourite of Ethels and died during the depression. The family could not afford a gravesite and so Fred who had purchased a plot next to Ethel for himself gave the plot to Bessies family.
Fred passed away in 1950 aged 79 and is buried at Potato Point at Te Waitere.
Official records show him to be incorrectly buried in Hamilton Cemetery.
On the memorial wall at Potato Point Te Waitere is a plaque for Ethel Isobel, Baby Florence and Arnold (Arnie) Derecourt who are buried elsewhere.

Derecourt Surname Connections

	Herbert
	Grigsby
	Woolley
	Bluett
	Passfield
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