Lorraine Berry

Treacherous Weather & Earthquakes Lorraine Berry

John Howe CHALMERS left Scotland and eventually reached New Zealand in the 1870s where he took up dairying, specialising in quality cheese-making. While in Tauranga he met and married Londoner Eleanor Rebecca TIMS who also had musical talent. They moved south where they established general stores at Duntroon and Beaumont. The availability of land opening up for farming took them into new ventures at Kurow and Gibbston where they became sheep and crop farmers. The inexperienced farmers endured inadequate finances, flood, drought, snowstorm and plagues of rabbits. Their children, who totalled twelve in all, left school early to take up roles within the family enterprises. They worked as farmer, baker, shop assistant and hotelier and the family prospered for a time until World War I intervened. Three of their sons were called to serve and all returned, two having been injured in France. The loss of manpower at home, a tragic accident on her property and the death of her sister had a profound effect on Eleanor who succumbed to depression and after a time, died at age fifty-three. Family numbers were reduced as one by one the children married and moved away. Remaining members lived in four different places in their southward trek, ending at Hokonui in Southland. John Howe died at the age of eighty-nine, having been a widow for many years.