Judith Lawson[1, 2]

Female Abt 1837 - 1918  (~ 81 years)


Personal Information    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name Judith Lawson 
    Born Abt 1837  Hornby, Yorkshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [3, 4, 5, 6
    Gender Female 
    Residence 1851  West Derby, Lancashire, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Address:
    13 Epworth Street 
    Residence 1861  Garston, Lancashire, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [4
    Address:
    The Woodlands, Woodlands Road 
    Adopted 23 Apr 1891  Christchurch, New Zealand Find all individuals with events at this location 
    with her husband J. E. Jacombs, she adopted William Henry Holmes 
    Residence 1896  Lower Riccarton, New Zealand Find all individuals with events at this location  [7
    Interest Jan 1896  Christchurch, New Zealand Find all individuals with events at this location 
    donated toys for a creche etc 
    Residence 1900  Christchurch, New Zealand Find all individuals with events at this location  [8
    Address:
    58 Gloucester Street 
    Interest Nov 1901  Christchurch, New Zealand Find all individuals with events at this location 
    made an offer of hospitality to mothers and children of Cheviot 
    Location Nov 1901  Christchurch, New Zealand Find all individuals with events at this location 
    living at 189 Madras Street 
    Residence Nov 1901  Christchurch, New Zealand Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Address:
    189 Madras Street 
    Residence 1905–1906  Christchurch, New Zealand Find all individuals with events at this location  [9
    Address:
    189 Madras Street 
    Travel Jun 1906–26 Mar 1907 
    went with her husband and son on a trip to England 
    Misc Nov 1908  New Zealand Find all individuals with events at this location 
    and her husband visited Hanmer Springs 
    Residence 1911  Christchurch, New Zealand Find all individuals with events at this location  [10
    Address:
    277 Madras St 
    Interest Jun 1911–MAR 1912  Christchurch, New Zealand Find all individuals with events at this location 
    donated clothing, biscuits and cakes to St Saviour's Home 
    Will 2 Apr 1913  Christchurch, New Zealand Find all individuals with events at this location  [11
    Travel 29 Aug 1880–6 Jun 1913 
    travelled within New Zealand by sea 
    Residence 1914  Christchurch, New Zealand Find all individuals with events at this location  [12
    Address:
    277 Madras St 
    Residence 1918  Christchurch, New Zealand Find all individuals with events at this location  [13
    Address:
    277 Madras St 
    Died 28 Jun 1918  Christchurch, New Zealand Find all individuals with events at this location  [5, 6, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18
    Address:
    277 Madras St 
    Buried 29 Jun 1918  Halswell, New Zealand Find all individuals with events at this location  [14, 15, 17
    Probate 10 Sep 1918  Wellington, New Zealand Find all individuals with events at this location  [16, 19
    Address:
    the Supreme Court 
    _UID 338C4E57B7174FFD9F5BB5D8D1719F40269F 
    Person ID I1511  Treefive
    Last Modified 2 Jan 2016 

    Father John Lawson,   b. 17 Aug 1790, Darlington, County Durham, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 5 Oct 1856, Liverpool, Lancashire, England Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 66 years) 
    Mother Ruth Banks,   b. 20 Dec 1799, Richmond, Yorkshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 21 Apr 1879, Wellington, New Zealand Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 79 years) 
    Married 16 Dec 1824  Darlington, County Durham, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [5
    Family ID F539  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Living 
    Children 
     1. Living
    Last Modified 12 Sep 2023 
    Family ID F547  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 


    • This biography is a compilation of facts derived from various sources.  It is basically a chronology of events, as little is known of Judith.  There is no information from people with personal knowledge of her.
       
      Judith Lawson was born about 1837 in Hornby,Yorkshire, England.  She emigrated from England to New Zealand about 1874, but remained a British subject all her life.  Her brother John and his family also lived in New Zealand – John’s daughter Florence and his son James are known to have emigrated about 1872, so it is possible that the family migrated together at that time.
       
      Judith married John Edward Jacombs on 29 Aug 1878 at St Peters Church in Wellington.  The marriage entry gives her age as full and her status as spinster.  Her niece Florence Banks Lawson was a witness.
       
      On 8 Sep 1878 a Mr Jacombs arrived at Lyttelton on s.s. Rotorua from Sydney via Auckland, Hawkes Bay and Wellington.  This was John Edward returning home after his marriage in Wellington.  There was a Miss Lawson on board - but not a Mrs Jacombs. Perhaps they forgot to use her new name.
       
      The couple lived in Christchurch.
       
      On 29 Aug 1880 Mr and Mrs Jacombs left Lyttelton on the s.s. Hawea for Wellington. They returned to Lyttelton on 10 Sep 1880 on the s.s. Wakatipu.  The reason for the journey is not known.
       
      On 23 April 1891 John Edward and Judith Jacombs adopted William Henry Holmes who had been born in Christchurch in 1888.  They named him William Henry Jacombs.  William's birth mother was Annie Matilda Holmes, and his birth father was Edwin Pitt, husband of Annie's sister Sarah.  It is not known if there was any relationship between Annie and the Jacombs but, later in William’s life, at times he used the name “William Henry Holmes Jacombs”, so he must have been aware of his origins.  This knowledge was not passed on to his children.
       
      In 1901 Judith and John Edward were living at 189 Madras Street, Christchurch.
       
      John Edward and Judith’s son William Henry attended Christchurch Boys High School. After he had left school, John Edward and his family went to UK on holiday.  On 29 Mar 1906 they left Lyttelton on s.s. Rotomahana for Wellington on the first stage of the trip.  In London, they visited the office of the New Zealand High Commissioner in June 1906.  They left London on the Athenic on 8 Feb 1907 to return to New Zealand.
       
      Judith was on the Christchurch East electoral roll for 1905-06  Jacombs as a housewife living at 189 Madras St, Christchurch.
       
      In Nov 1908 Mr and Mrs Jacombs visited Hanmer Springs.
       
      In Jun 1911, she donated clothing to St Saviour's Home.  In Mar 1912, the donation was clothing, biscuits and cakes. Judith was clearly a caring person – these were just a few of the many donations of goods and time that she gave over the years, including toys for a creche in 1896 and an offer of hospitality to mothers and children of Cheviot in 1901.
       
      On 2 Sep 1911 Mr and Mrs Jacombs left Wellington on s.s. Maori for Lyttelton.  This was probably the return journey after going to Auckland to the marriage of their son William to Frances Mary Howell on 21 Aug 1911.
       
      On 13 Aug 1912 Mr Jacombs arrived at Wellington on the s.s. Mokoia from Lyttelton. Perhaps Judith travelled to Wellington on a different ship, as they both left Wellington on 27 Sep 1912 on the s.s. Maori heading for Lyttelton.  The trip may have been related to the birth of their granddaughter Natalie Jacombs at Wellington on 14 Jul 1912.
       
      On 5 Jun 1913 Mr and Mrs Jacombs left Lyttelton on the s.s. Maori for Wellington. They arrived the following day. The purpose of this trip is unknown.
       
      Judith signed a will on 2 April 1913 in Christchurch.  She signed a codicil to the will on 9 Feb 1916.
       
      Judith died on 28 June 1918 at the age of 81 at 277 Madras Street, Christchurch.  She was buried on 29 June 1918 at Halswell.
       
      She was still on the Christchurch East electoral roll in 1919 at 277 Madras St.
       
      Her estate was probated on 10 Sep 1918 at the Supreme Court in Wellington

  • Sources 
    1. [S109] DTH003 Death Jacombs, John Edward, DTH003.

    2. [S249] DTH042 Death Jacombs, William Henry, DTH042.

    3. [S1656] ancestry.com 1851 England Census, Class: HO107; Piece: 2192; Folio: 53; Page: 26; GSU roll: 87200-87201.

    4. [S2144] ancestry.com 1861 England Census, Class: RG 9; Piece: 2738; Folio: 86; Page: 24; GSU roll: 543021.

    5. [S1664] Ancestry Family Trees, Duerden/Rowland and all Family Tree, owner AntheaDuerden44.

    6. [S3309] DTH Death Index New Zealand, Judith Jacombs; 6285; 1918.

    7. [S1671] New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981 Auckland, Grey Lynn, 1896, Riccaarton.

    8. [S1671] New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981 Auckland, Grey Lynn, 1900, Christchurch.

    9. [S1671] New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981 Auckland, Grey Lynn, 1905-1906, Christchurch East.

    10. [S1671] New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981 Auckland, Grey Lynn, 1911, Christchurch East.

    11. [S708] WIL010 Will and codicil - Jacombs, Judith, WIL010., Judith Jacombs; Will 2 Apr 1913; codicil 5 Feb 1916.

    12. [S1671] New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981 Auckland, Grey Lynn, 1914, Christchurch East.

    13. [S1671] New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981 Auckland, Grey Lynn, 1919, Christchurch East.

    14. [S239] DTH027 Death Jacombs, Judith, DTH027.

    15. [S4551] ancestry.com New Zealand, Cemetery Records, 1800-2007, BUR193., St Mary's Anglican Cemetery, Halswell.

    16. [S4148] Ancestry.com New Zealand, Notices of Deceased Estates, 1880-1950.

    17. [S4871] BUR Burial billiongraves.com - Lawson, Ann and Jacombs, Judith (sisters), Ann lawson and Judith Jacombs; St Mary's Anglican Church Cemetery; Christchurch, New Zealand; 15604867.

    18. [S3793] DTH Death Register New Zealand, Christchurch; Judith Jacombs; 28 June 1918; Certified Copy of Entry of Death in the Registrar-General's Office; E. 4877; 1 July 1918.

    19. [S708] WIL010 Will and codicil - Jacombs, Judith, WIL010., Judith Jacombs; 2 April 1913.