Annie II

Annie Maria Pettett 
(25 July 1875 - 25 December 1958)  

Annie Maria Bland II was born in Auckland, New Zealand, on 25 July 1875 to John Richard Bland (19 December 1836 - 31 March 1918) and his wife Anne Maria Bland, nee Horne (17 April 1852 - 18 April 1933). Annie was named after her mother.

Annie II was part of a family that included sons from her father's first marriage. Her step-brothers, the children of John Richard Bland and Mary Jane Bland, nee Curtis (c1841 - c1867), were born in East London:

• Frederick William Bland (4th quarter 1860? - 1st quarter of 1872)
• Alfred (Alf) John Bland (June 1863 - 1956)  
• Charles (Charlie) Robert Bland (17 August 1864 - 13 February 1931)  
• Stephen (Steve) Bland (June 1866 - 1890) 

The children of John and Annie Bland were born in New Zealand:

• Annie Maria Pettett (25 July 1875 - 25 December 1958)   
• Robert (Bob) William Bland (28 August 1877 - 7 September 1918)
• Edward (Ted) Bland (19 March 1879 - 1965) 
• Susannah (Susie/Sue) Margaret Tonson (27 June 1880 - 5 January 1972)  
• John (Jack) Richard Bland II (29 March 1882 - 28 February 1966)  
• Sarah Bland (August 1883 - 17 July 1884)

Annie II and her brother Bob were both born in Auckland. Their parents had the two children baptised together at the St Matthew's Church, Auckland City, on 6 February 1878. The church register lists John's occupation as 'sawyer', and the first sponsor as a woman named, Mary Young. It also states that the family were living on Picton Street, Ponsonby.

Shortly after Annie II and Bob were baptised, their parents took the family north to Mangawhare, Marsden District, Northland where their youngest four children were born. The Bland family lived at Mangawhare until at least September 1886 at which time John won a ballot for the 'perpetual lease' of some land nearby, at Motukaraka. John worked as a carpenter.

Annie II attended the Native School in Motukaraka. Family records state that the Bland children were the only European children at their sole-teacher school, apart from the children of the schoolmaster, who would row across the harbour from Rawene to teach lessons. John Bland II would later tell his children much later, that the headmaster was often drunk when he arrived at school!

The Native School, Hokianga where the Bland children
attended school in the late 1880s and early 1890s
Unknown date and photographer.
(Photo courtesy of C Murphy)

Daughters of John Bland II outside the school-room in Hokianga
where the Bland children went to school in the late 1880s and early 1890s.
(Photo courtesy of L)

On 17 July 1884, when Annie II was eight years old, her baby sister Sarah died, aged 11 months. Sarah had suffered from lung congestion and apnoea. She was buried in Auckland.

Annie Bland with her children.
Left back to front: Bob, Ted & John II.
Right back to front: Annie II & Susie.
Photo taken 1884, probably just after John and
Annie's youngest daughter, Sarah, died.
Photographer unknown.
(Photo courtesy of C Murphy)

On 21 April 1890, her crippled step-brother Stephen (23), passed away at his residence in Dargaville after suffering from tuberculosis for two years. Sadly, Steve was destitute and living on charity when he died. He was buried at the Mount Wesley Cemetery, in Dargarville. More information about Steve can be found here.

In January 1888 Annie's mother took her youngsters to a community picnic at the farm Onoke, which belonged to the late Judge Manning. A contingent of about 100 from the nearby town of Rawene attended, and around 50 more, including the Blands, came across from Motukaraka. They spent a happy day together on the swings, playing cricket and football, fishing for mullet, and eating a delicious hangi.

On 29 January 1892, the Bland family probably attended the annual picnic on a farm near the Wairupe Creek. About 200 settlers and their friends attended the picnic. Races and activities were organised for the day, and a concert was held in the school in the evening.

At the monthly Band of Hope meeting in February 1892, Annie's daughter Annie II, who was about 17 years old at the time, sang a solo entitled, 'The Cottage by the Sea'. She also sang at the April meeting. (The Band of Hope was a church-run programme for young people which educated them about the dangers of alcohol, and encouraged them to abstein from it.

Annie II had two children prior to her marriage. The first was Edward John Bland. He was born while his mother was still a teenager. It appears that the baby remained in the family and was adopted by Annie's parents. Sadly, he died aged 8 months. In 1896 Annie, now 21 and still unmarried, gave birth to a daughter, whom she named Susannah Daisy Bland (known as Daisy). Daisy was adopted and raised by her grandparents.

Annie II married Frederick (known as Fred) William Pettett (c1876 - 4 October 1951) at Howe Street, Auckland, on 26 October 1898. They lived in Petone in 1898/99 according to Wises' New Zealand Post Office Directory, them moved to Palmerston North in 1903-06, then Feilding in 1907-10. They then settled in Hawera where Frederick worked as a carpenter. Fred also became superintendant of the Fire Brigade there. Fred and Annie had a daughter and five sons:

• John William Pettett ( September 1899 - 22 February 1933)
• Arthur Edward Pettett (1901 - 1966)
• Violet Annie Pettett (17 December 1902 - 27 October 1975)
• Herbert Henry Pettett (1904 - 1974)
• Sidney James Pettett (22 October 1907 - 31 May 1987)
• Robert Frederick Pettett (1910 - 1987)

There were several Bland weddings in the late 1890s and early 1900s which Annie II would have attended:

• 1899 - Half brother, Alf, married Henrietta (known as Hettie) Florence Minifie (1867 - 1956). They had one daughter, Leonie, in 1900.
• 1902 - Younger sister Susie married James Tonson (1873 - 1957) in Palmerston North where he worked as a confectioner. Family records suggest that the wedding occurred in the home of Susie's sister Annie Pettett.
• Also in 1902, Annie's half-brother Charlie, married Emily (known as Em) Barnett. They had three children.
• 1904 - Brother John II (known as Jack), married Flora (known as Flo) Alice Bently. They eventually settled in Birkenhead, Auckland where Jack worked at the sugar factory. Jack and Flo had twelve children.
• 1916 - Annie's 20 year old firstborn, Daisy Bland, married Henry Standen (dates unknown).

The Electoral Roll of 1911, Fred and Annie Pettett lived at Willis Street, Palmerston North. Fred was working as a carpenter.

On 14 April 1917 Annie II would have heard the tragic news that her niece, Hazel Margaret Tonson, her sister Susie's daughter, had been accidentally killed on Queen Street, Auckland. Seven year old Hazel had run out onto the road and was hit by a taxi coming down the hill. Click this link to read the story of Hazel's death. Hazel's funeral was on Tuesday afternoon, 17 April. 

Annie's brother Bob enlisted for war on 14 June, 1917 and by November he was en route to front line duties with G Company, 31st reinforcements Canterbury Battalion with the rank of Private. Bob was a the front lines in the Somme, France by March 1918.

On 31 March 1918, Annie's father, John, passed away at his home at 108 Grey Street (later Greys Avenue), Auckland Central, after suffering from a  long and painful illness. He was 81 years of age. John was buried at Purewa Cemetery on 2 April 1918 at Block A Row 15, Plot 64.  His death notice reads: 

Sadly, Annie's brother Bob was fatally wounded while on front line duties in France. He received gunshot wounds to his abdomen, right hip, right ankle and hands on 5 September, but died of his injuries 2 days later, aged 41. [More details about Bob's life and war service can be found at the blog 'They Served'.] The following memorials for Bob were shared by his family on the first anniversary of his death in 1919. Notice the lovely one written by Annie's daughter, Daisy Standen:

Fred and Annie's first son, John, married Doris Pearl Ball on 27 February 1924.
In 1928, Fred and Annie, along with two of their sons are listed on the Electoral Roll as living at 15 Surrey Street, Hawera. Fred was still working as a carpenter, while Arthur was a labourer and Herbert was working as a tailor.

Son, Herbert married Ivy Mary Cadman in 1933.

Annie I, died on 18 April 1933. She was buried with husband John I, at Purewa Cemetery on Thursday 20 April 1933 at Block A Row 15, Plot 64. Annie I was 81 years old at the time of her death. Her death notice is below:

Fred and Annie II celebrated two more weddings in 1934 and 1935. First, Robert married Mary Ethel Lilian Church, in 1934. The following year, Sidney married Erice Mildred Chong.

The Electoral Roll of 1935, 1938, 1946 shows the Pettett sons with their own households. Here are the details of where the Pettett familiy lived:

• Fred & Annie, and son Arthur, lived at 8 Victoria Street, Hawera. Frederick is listed as a carpenter and Arthur was working as a labourer.
• Sidney & Erice lived at 51 Gladstone Street, Hawera in 1935, and Waihi Road in 1938, and 14 Laurent V C Street in 1946. Sidney was a painter.
• Herbert was living at 12 George Street, Hawera. He was a tailor. Interestingly, his wife, Ivy Mary Pettett was living at 38 Egmont Street. 
• Robert lived at 37 Cameron Street, Hawera in 1935, and Collins Street in 1938. In 1946, Robert lived in 8 Collins Street with his wife Mary. In 1949 they lived at Milmoe Street. He worked as an electrician.
• The Electoral Roll of 1928 records the John and Doris were living at Standish Street, Inglewood where he was working as a bank officer. No other locations for them have been found.

Fred died on 4 October 1951, aged 75. He was buried two days later at the Hawera General Episcopalian Cemetery, New Plot No. 10647, Block LXXIV, Old Plot No.30.

Annie II died in Hawera Hospital on Christmas Day 1958, aged 83. She was buried the following day with her husband.



The children of Fred and Annie II:

• John William Pettet ( September 1899 - 22 February 1933)
• Married Doris Pearl Ball on 27 February 1924.
• John worked as a bank manager in Inglewood.
• John and Doris had two sons, Robert John Maurice Pettet (4 Oct 1926 - 2016), and Donald Graheme Pettet (20 April 1931 -  2008).
• John died in 1933 aged 33 years.
• Arthur Edward Pettet (9 May 1901 - 11 January 1966)
• No record of marriage.
• Arthur lived with his parents in Hawera.
• Died 1966, aged 64.
• Buried at the Hawera General Episcopalian Cemetery, New Plot No. 11155, Block LXXXV, Old Plot No.6.
• Violet Annie Frampton (17 December 1902 - 27 October 1975)
• Violet was born in Palmerston North.
• She married Percy Gordon Frampton (18 August 1902 - 2 April 1980) on 28 September 1927. They had two sons and a daughter: Gordon William Frampton (18 August 1902 - unknown), Kenneth Sydney Frampton (31 December 1931 - 2014), and BVF
• Herbert Henry Pettet (1904 - 1974)
• He married Ivy Mary Cadman in 1933. They had a two children, Marina Joy Pettet (1938 - 2020) and Graham Pettet (8 October 1940 - 2018)
• Herbert and Ivy lived in Hawera.
• Sidney James Pettet (22 October 1907 - 31 May 1987)
• He married Erice Mildred Chong (c1907 - 16 October 1966) around 1935.
• Sidney and Erice lived in Hawera where he worked as a painter and paper hanger.
• They had one son, John Pettet (dates unknown)
• Erice died in 1966, aged 59. She is buried at the Hawera General Episcopalian Cemetery, New Plot No.11079, Block LXXXIII, Old Plot No. 30.
• Sidney married Phyllis Redondo (unknown surname) (1908 - 27 May 1972). Phyllis died aged 63 and was buried at the Hawera General Presbyterian Cemetery, New Plot Id; 7910, Block LXXIV, Old Plot No.11. 
  
• We believe that after Phyllis died, Sidney married a third wife.
• Sidney died in 1987, aged 79. He is buried at the Hawera Burial Returned Service Association, New Plot no. 12348, Block LXIX, Old Plot No.54. Sidney's cemetery record lists him as Anglican.
• Robert Frederick Pettet (7 March 1910 - 25 January 1987)
• He married Mary Ethel Lilian Church (8 January 1915 - 1982) in September 1934. They had one daughter, Joan Pettet (c1936 - ?)
• Robert and Mary settled in Hawera.

Sources:

• FreeBMD England & Wales, FreeBMD Death Index, 1837-1915 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USE Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006
• Free BMD England & Wales, FreeBMD Marriage Index, 1837-1915 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USE Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006
• Ancestry.com. 1871 England Census [data base on-line]. Provo, UT, USE Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004
• Ancestry.com - Murphy Bentley family tree
• Wiki Tree - Emily Barnett
• Family held records (courtesy of K J Bland)
• Purewa Cemetery Search 
• Papers Past
• Archway - Archives New Zealand
• Archway: Archives New Zealand - Record R20806572
• South Taranki District Council - Cemetery Search
• Anglican Archives - St Matthew's Church, Auckland Baptism register & St Paul's Church (Symonds Street) memorial planning notebook. Accessed 28 June 2016.
• J Frampton's family tree - Ancestry.com

Updated 20 November 2022