We are a family of four - Jim, Alice, Raymond & Carol. We were all born in Morrinsville, New Zealand - a small country town in the center of New Zealand's North Island. Our parents, Bert and Pearl (née Johnston), worked, met and married there, and lived out their days there.

Jim has, over the years, built a comprehensive review of our parents' lives, and just recently has produced a truly wonderful account of the journeys Mum and Dads' respective families took over some 100 plus years, culminating in the four of us being raised as third generation New Zealanders. We remain proud citizens of Aotearoa, though Alice now lives in Australia and Raymond in Canada.

Jim's account comes in two parts. First, Dad's journey under the heading "From Birmingham To Morrinsville–The Antecedents Of Herbert Henry Skett". and second, Mum's journey under the heading "Fort Douglas To Morrinsville: The Antecedents Of Agnes Pearl Skett."

A summary of each account follows below and you can go to each of the two accounts by clicking on the appropriate links above.

There is also a third link (above) where you can submit any questions, comments, suggestions and addenda you may wish to make.

England to New Zealand

Selkirk Settlement (Canada) to New Zealand

From Birmingham To Morrinsville.

The Antecedents Of Herbert Henry Skett

  • Martin Skett (1829 - 1893)And Maria (Brown) Skett (1828 - ?)

    Dad’s Grandparents

  • Charles Henry Skett (1858 – 1917)

    Son of Martin & Maria Skett and Dad's father.

  • Charles married Emma Woliter (b.1857 d.1901) in 1885 - they had at least two children

  • In 1906 Charles Henry married Alice Wright (1864 - 1938) in 1906.

  • Herbert Henry Skett (1909 - 1992) (Dad)

    , was born to Charles and Alice, 25th February 1909.

  • Charles and Alice had two more children: Ivy (our auntie) and Clifford (our uncle)

  • Herbert (Bert) and Pearl (nee Johnston)

    married in Morrinsville, New Zealand, 29 November 1938

From Fort Gary, Canada, To Morrinsville.

The Antecedents Of Agnes Pearl Skett

  • Robert Shields In Canada

    Fort Gary

  • Robert Shields (1799 (?) – 1860) married Mary Brown (1801 (?) - 1850) in 1819 at the Kildonan Settlement, Canada.

    They had two children born at the settlement - Robert and Mary. The family returned to Edinborough, leaving Canada in 1824.

  • Robert and Mary's, 2nd child John, married Elizabeth then emigrated to New Zealand. They were Mum’s paternal Great-grandparents.

  • Robert and Elizabeth's daughter, Agnes Shields, married John Johnston

  • John and Agnes's 3rd son, James, married Jane Stewart, their oldest child was Agnes Pearl (Mum)

  • Pearl and Bert had five children: Jim, Alice, Raymond, Carol (adopted) and Dianne (died in infancy)

Skett/Johnston Family, Morrinsvile, New Zealand/Aotearoa

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