Exploring Roots in Nelson, New Zealand

I’m a recently retired 72 year old woman from Horowhenua New Zealand.

As an adoptee, I had a curiosity about my roots, my family of origin, though it wasn’t until I was in my 40s that I began to do some research.

My Dad knew what my birth name and some details about my birth mother so I spent a day in the Birth, Death and Marriages office, then in Lower Hutt, and found it was easy to find who my birth mother was. I was fortunate, many are not. My identity discovery had begun.

I contacted the adoption officer in the Department of Social Welfare and was met with a brick wall. My birth mother had placed a veto on any information being given to me. I understand this, having an illegitimate child was a thing of great shame in those days. I felt sad for her, that she may have felt it necessary to keep it a secret from her family – just speculation of course. I was later able to verify her death and receive my details and by this time I had a family tree and some knowledge. I connected with my half sisters and have maintained contact. I am so fortunate to be accepted and welcomed in to the family.

My birthfather was listed as “Robert. Tall dark and of average appearance from Nelson”. Not a lot to go on and I put it to one side.

By 2017 I had done several DNA tests and transferred them to the various DNA/genealogy website but there hadn’t been any close hit though I was able to begin to gather a picture of the area I had probably come from, yes Nelson, though nothing specific. One day, I was checking MyHeritage and there it was – a half sister!! I spoke to her that day and had an immediate and close connection.

“Robert” was Wallace and while born in Nelson had lived most of his life in Auckland, where he was living when I was conceived. I won’t go into the details, he was an “interesting” man to say the least, he did get about. Consequently I have 7 half brothers and sister that we know of and suspect there are more.

I now have an extensive family tree, had contact with many relatives by phone, email and message but, except for my sisters Jo and Vicki and their family, have not made contact in person. They have limited knowledge about Wally as Jo’s mum divorced him when Jo was 5 years old and they only had limited contact with him.

So, on 3 May I am going to Nelson to meet with my 1st cousin John, my remaining uncle, also John and aged 88 years old. A meet and greet has been arranged with some of the rellies.

I want to visit the places the family lived and to see their graves. The came to New Zealand in the 1850s from England and Germany, true pioneers in a country that had just been colonised.