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Francis Robert Baker, son of an attorney.

Posted by anne on 13/2/2019, 9:12 pm

Please can someone help with passenger lists to and from New Zealand. I am looking for Francis (Frank) Robert BAKER 1867-1933. Born Axminster, son of Henry Goldney Baker, attorney of law.

Francis and his oldest brother Henry Goldney Baker jnr sailed to New Zealand c1880's. They became gentlemen farmers at Methven, nr Canterbury, South Island. Francis returned to Devon sometime between 1891-1901. Having married a cook, Minnie Maud CODY on 13th December 1906 at Plymouth Registry Office, they set up home together at Hill Crest, Elbourton. The marriage didn't last and Francis returned to New Zealand fairly soon after 1911. Minnie with her new partner Lawn CORNISH eventually lived at Chillaton, Devon. Minnie and Lawn married in 1946, the year before she died. Francis Robert Baker died in New Zealand in 1933. There were never any children.

Re: Francis Robert Baker, son of an attorney.

Posted by Judith on 15/2/2019, 11:17 am, in reply to "Francis Robert Baker, son of an attorney."

Have you picked up William Henry Goldney Baker born 1888, son of Henry Goldney Baker and Edith Julia, born Christcurch. Looks as if they went out earlier and returned to u.k. and went back on the ship I found.

Re: Francis Robert Baker, son of an attorney.

Posted by Judith on 15/2/2019, 2:54 pm, in reply to "Re: Francis Robert Baker, son of an attorney."

William Henry and his sister Edith Isabel both born in New Zealand, and are listed on the same passenger list as Francis Robert, not named but the ages are right. William Henry went on to be a Lieut General in the Indian Army. (british library records for India)

Re: Francis Robert Baker, son of an attorney.

Posted by Judith on 15/2/2019, 3:19 pm, in reply to "Re: Francis Robert Baker, son of an attorney."

Henry G Baker married Edith Julia Luke(born 1863 Lewisham reg area), in New Zealand in 1888. So suggest he went out first, married and had 2 children, came back with wife and family and his brother went back out with them on the return journey.

Re: Francis Robert Baker, son of an attorney.

Posted by Judith on 15/2/2019, 3:37 pm, in reply to "Re: Francis Robert Baker, son of an attorney."

paperspastnewzealand has the marriage announcement. she was described as the eldest surviving daughter of Captain W.S.Luke R.N. of Exmouth. (so not sure about my previous birth find registered in Lewisham)

Re: Francis Robert Baker, son of an attorney.

Posted by OPC Co-ordinator on 15/2/2019, 4:11 pm, in reply to "Re: Francis Robert Baker, son of an attorney."

William Stephens LUKE married Georgina LARKINS in Kensington in 1857. Edith Julia's 1863 birth registration gives the mother's maiden name as LARKINS. In 1881 and 1891, William S LUKE was living in Littleham, Exmouth.

Re: Francis Robert Baker, son of an attorney.

Posted by Judith on 14/2/2019, 9:47 pm, in reply to "Francis Robert Baker, son of an attorney."

according to family search site the brothers, with Henrys wife and 2 children went out in 1893, on the Doric, and were travelling to Lyttleton, the port for Christchurch. You could get the death cert for Francis Baker from the online site for births deaths and marriages New Zealand. That would tell you where he was living when he died.

Re: Francis Robert Baker, son of an attorney.

Posted by OPC Co-ordinator on 14/2/2019, 8:15 am, in reply to "Francis Robert Baker, son of an attorney."

FindMyPast has passenger lists and on searching the index there is a potential match for a trip in 1921 for a Francis R BAKER born 1867. You can pay per view or subscribe monthly or annually. You can also access records in many public libraries.

Re: Francis Robert Baker, son of an attorney.

Posted by anne on 14/2/2019, 6:17 pm, in reply to "Re: Francis Robert Baker, son of an attorney."

Thanks for the response above. Think this will be my Francis as it ties in with when he 'disappears' from the electoral list in Elbourton. I wonder if he went back to the same area in New Zealand as he lived in before his marriage.

Re: Francis Robert Baker, son of an attorney.

Posted by anne on 15/2/2019, 9:37 pm, in reply to "Re: Francis Robert Baker, son of an attorney."

Thanks for all the comments. Interesting that Francis Robert went to New Zealand in 1893,several years after his brother first went out there.

Would love to know what year Francis Robert Baker returned to England (1894-1901). He was back at his parents house in Budleigh Salterton on night of the census 1901.

On the 1901 census his future wife Minnie Maud Cody was working in Sidmouth as a cook for soliciter William Harding Hastings. This man could easily have been in the same social circles as the Baker family of Budleigh Salterton. I would think Francis Robert Baker must have been turned out by his family for marrying one of the servants! What a scandal that must have been.

Re: Francis Robert Baker, son of an attorney.

Posted by Judith on 16/2/2019, 11:07 am, in reply to "Re: Francis Robert Baker, son of an attorney."

1891 has Minnie Maud Cody with her family at Dolton Mills, Otterton, which is very close to Budleigh Salterton. Her father was a miller born in Ireland. (I think Dolton mill was on Time team t.v. programme some years ago)

Re: Francis Robert Baker, son of an attorney.

Posted by anne on 16/2/2019, 9:48 pm, in reply to "Re: Francis Robert Baker, son of an attorney."

Hi Judith - yes you have found the correct Minnie Maud and yes Time Team did a programme about Dotton Mill. I watched the programme being filmed and had a very minor role in the programme. The Cody's never made any money at the mill - by then things were pretty desperate for the Cody family. Minnie's mother died in Exeter County Asylum in 1907. Minnie was 'in service' and her marriage to Francis Robert Baker in 1906 would have 'rocked the establishment'. She never had a baby. I am not surprised the marriage never lasted they were from such different backgrounds!

Re: Francis Robert Baker, son of an attorney.

Posted by Judith on 16/2/2019, 1:45 pm, in reply to "Re: Francis Robert Baker, son of an attorney."

Have you checked the 1939 register? It would appear that Edith Julia and her daughter Edith Isabell came back to u.k. and are living in Budleigh Salterton with a John H.G. Baker (birth reg Lambeth 1927. (mothers surname Laker)

Re: Francis Robert Baker, son of an attorney.

Posted by anne on 16/2/2019, 9:55 pm, in reply to "Re: Francis Robert Baker, son of an attorney."

Francis Robert Baker returned to UK before his brother, although they might have quit the New Zealand sheep farm at much the same time. The brother Henry Goldney Baker was ordained in NZ and in 1906 returned to UK (Budleigh Salterton) with his wife and 'children'. There are several Baker family gravestones at Budleigh Salterton. However my interest is with Francis Robert Baker. After the marriage to Minnie broke down, he eventually returned to New Zealand in 1921 and died there in 1933.

Re: Francis Robert Baker, son of an attorney.

Posted by Judith on 17/2/2019, 10:13 am, in reply to "Re: Francis Robert Baker, son of an attorney."

the website for birthsdeathsmarriages in New Zealand is www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz
you can order the death cert on line, and it will give you some more information.
Francis was a bit older than Minnie, I note, perhaps she became pregnant and the shotgun came out, and perhaps baby lost, then they could not have any more? possibilities are endless. Sad really that he was out there on his own at the end. Good luck.

Re: Francis Robert Baker, son of an attorney.

Posted by Chris on 17/2/2019, 12:05 pm, in reply to "Re: Francis Robert Baker, son of an attorney."

If you order death certificates from New Zealand then make sure you order the print out as it contains more information. Depending on date of death you can expect to see wife's name and maiden name, date of marriage, children born to the deceased, parents names along with mother's maiden name, place of birth, burial details along with the normal death details. They are easy to order from UK and the printout version can be sent by email, I've received them by email and by post.

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