Ann Maria SIMMONDS was born 28 December 1842, reg. Queens Gardens, Nelson, NZ. She was one of the first European children born in Nelson.
She was the daughter of Joseph SIMMONDS and Frances Levina THACKER who arrived in the Fifeshire, the first ship to bring settlers to Nelson, arriving 2 February 1842. Joseph & Frances emigrated with an infant daughter, Fanny.
After leaving Queens Gardens, Nelson, where Ann Maria was born, the family moved to Moutere but, finding the land unsuitable for farming, they moved to Spring Grove, and finally cut a home out of the bush on the banks of the Wai-iti River.
On 16 August 1881 Ann Maria SIMMONDS married John BAGGE (his second marriage), first Postmaster of Masterton, and on his retirement they moved to Marton. They had one daughter, Evelyn Muriel, in 1882.
On marriage to John, Annie was to become a mother to five children from his first marriage aged 5-19. John & Elizabeth, his first wife, had the very sad loss of seven children to Diptheria in August 1868 within three weeks; and lost his wife in 1876. So Annie had a very important role to play in mothering this large family.
She was living as a married woman in Masterton in 1893 (Electoral Roll).
1919 - Annie Maria BAGGE in Electoral Roll for Wellington South. Her daughter, Evelyn Muriel, was living in Wellington South in 1919, so Annie must have gone to live with her daughter.
Ann Maria BAGGE died 30 July 1934, aged 91, in Wellington, Wellington, NZ. Buried Karori.
A brother was Rev. J. H. Simmonds, M.A., Principal of Wesley College at Three Kings, Auckland from 1895-1916.
Biography contributed by Sylvia Robertson (nee Taylor), paternal great-granddaughter
Sources
- Family & Birth fiche
- Family & IGI
- Family & Burial Locator
- Dominion newspaper 10-8-1934 & Three Kings College
Image
Ann Maria Bagge
Click on sheet number to see the 1893 petition sheet this signature appeared on. Digital copies of the sheets supplied by Archives New Zealand.
Community contributions