Eugene (BELLARS) Bellairs immigrated to ENG to NZ on the Phoebe arriving NZ 29/3/1843 16/11/1842. Was present at Wairau massacre 17 jun 1845CW, RMA
I noticed you have Eugene Bellairs on your surname list and as I assume he is my Eugene ,he is a relative of my Hide family of Guernsey by marriage, I am interested in how he fits into your tree. Can supply lots of details on his relations.Leonie Freeman of Melbourne, Australia. dougandleonie@bigpond.com;
wrote about Wairau massacre see: Auckland Weekly news, ref vol 10 page 62 1897 Hocken University of Otago Library Collections.
These are the details I have on Eugene and family.
Eugene born 6th July 1824 Dinan, Brittany, France. Son of Captain John Bellairs (Bellears) British Army and Ann Louisa Frances Russell Bull.
A well connected English family. Educated Brittany and Newcastle on Tyne. Surveyor.
Eugene died 21 Sept 1911 87 years in Parnell, 33 Birdwood Crescent.
He was the last survivor of the Wairau Massacre and has written an article in one of your papers about the event but, I do not have a copy as yet. Ref. Vol 10 Page 62 1897 Newspaper articles collected by Dr. Hocken University of Otago Library Hocken Collections. Auckland Weekly News 10th, 17th and 20th1897.
He married Maria Margaret Priaulx in Hobart Tasmania 27 Jan 1855. She was the daughter of Henry Priaulx, Deputy Commissary General, who was transferred back to England just after this marriage.
The family of Eugene either died young or did not marry so there are no descendants as far as I can ascertain.
Children were Adele Marie Louise Bellairs born Launceston, Tasmania 17 August 1859 died 24 Dec 1848 33 Birdwood Crescent, Parnell.
Henry Eugene Bellairs born Launceston, Tasmania died 23 Jan 1862 Launceston.
Eugenie Amelia Bellairs born 26 (28?) July 1862 Parnell, New Zealand died North Head, Auckland NZ.
Ida Pauline Bellairs born25 Oct 1866 Auckland, NZ died 8 Dec 1866 Auckland, NZ
Emily Priaulx Bellairs born 7 Jan 1870 Wellington ,NZ died 23 Feb 1970 NZ
A Maria Bellairs may have been born about 1873 to this family but may be a related family. Not proven!
Eugene was a most interesting man he surveyed in South Australia then in Victoria before going to New Zealand. His survey drawings were excellent and can be seen in Melbourne. He may have left Victoria because there were complaints about his field work ? surveying considered lazy by superior. His mother and a sister emigrated to Tasmania and a sister in law joined Eugene and Maria in New Zealand from England. This sister in law Clarinda Priaulx did not marry, she arrived NZ Cabin Passenger ?Mary Shepherd? 15 Feb 1866 died 5 April 1923 in Auckland. Eugene was present at the Eureka Stockade in Ballarat and gave evidence at the subsequent enquiry, he carried dispatches during this event working as a ?Spy? for the government.
You may or may not have this gentleman -
Another relative Captain Edmund Hooke Wilson Bellairs Esq. 1823 ? 1898, banker, later to be Vice Consul of Great Britain to France came out to New Zealand, he had been in the Queen?s Yeoman of the Guard, and is said to have been a relative of W. Carr Young of NZ. A Lt. In the 7th Foot Royal Fusiliers Edmund arrived in NZ on the ?Tasmania? 26 Feb 1853 . He was a member of your Parliament, Legislative Assembly, and owned the property ?Fernhill? Dunedin then moved to selection at Waimahaka but he returned early to England 1854. Leonie FREEMAN. He had person sources.
4 He was a surveyor in 1843.