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THE RESIDENTS
Researched and written by ERIS PARKER
A . B . C . D . E . F . G . H . I-J . K . L . M . Mc . N . O . P . Q-R . S . T . V-W-Y

DAVIDSON, Robert
Robert was born in Scotland in 1828 and enlisted in the 3rd Waikato Militia in Otahuhu, 22 October 1863, Regiment Number 333. He was reduced from a Corporal to Private on 24 October 1866.
In the Cambridge rates assessment list for 1869-70 Robert paid 2 pence an acre on 51 acres - totalling eight shillings and sixpence.

DAVIES, James
James enlisted in the 3rd Regiment of the Waikato Militia on 30 October 1863 as a Brevat Major. His one acre section was number 37 in Cambridge East and his farm sections in Pukerimu.
He joined the Alpha Waikato Lodge No 449 I.C. in 1865 and was married to Louise nee Vailon who died 17 December 1867, aged 20 years.

DAVYS, Henry Edwin
Henry Edwin was born on 2 July 1879 at Hamilton, the son of Henry John and Harriett Davys. He came to Cambridge in 1899 and started a coal, firewood and building business with his father. They built houses on the block bordered by Kirkwood, Empire, Queen and Lake Streets and his parents ran a boarding house.
When he joined the Duke of Cambridge Lodge on 11 December 1900 he signed his name 'Edwin', occupation - builder. In 1913 the Davys firm amalgamated with Speight, Pearce and Nicoll to create the well known building firm of S.P.N.D.
Edwin married Lillie Edith Bryant in Te Awamutu 17 December 1903 and they had five children. (Son Henry John carrying on with the SPND business.)

De BLOIS, Henry
Henry was born 30 September 1864 and joined in the Duke of Cambridge Lodge 12 May 1891 aged 27 years. His occupation was given as barber and his wife was Sarah Ann aged 30 years.

DeLANEY, George E McE
George was 27 years old and a Constable with the Armed Constabulary when he joined the Duke of Cambridge Lodge on 25 April 1876.
An Armed Constabulary Diary at the National Archives Auckland records that George was suspended as drunk and unfit for duty on 7 May 1876 and suspended drunk unable to march on 15 May 1876.

DENTON, Charles Richard
Charles was born 6 December 1875, the son of Charles and Louisa nee Bosher and with his brothers and sisters he went to school at Cambridge West (Leamington). He joined the Duke of Cambridge Lodge 1 August 1893 aged 18 years, his occupation a labourer. On 30 August 1905 he married Mercy Christina Elizabeth Chester.

DENTON, William
Bill was one of twelve children born to Charles and Louisa Denton who arrived in Cambridge about 1878. Bill's birthday was 12 January 1870 and he was on the original roll of the Cambridge West School when it opened in 1880.
He was 19 when he joined the Duke of Cambridge Lodge 25 June 1889 and on his death in 1953 he was the oldest member of the Lodge. He was Noble Grand in 1892 and 1917.
In June 1894 he married Lillian Georgina Mann and he spent his working life as a ploughman/farm labourer at the Taylor farm of 'Bardowie' and then at Speight Pearce Nicoll Davys' timber mill. In the book 'Plough of the Pakeha' by Beer and Gascoigne they describe Bill as "huge, powerful and fully moustached".

DILLON, Joseph John
Jos was born about 1845 and he enlisted in the 3rd Waikato Militia as Private 649 on 9 November 1863 in Dunedin.
On 3 June 1867 when he joined Duke of Cambridge Lodge his occupation was a settler/butcher.

DILWORTH, James
In the Cambridge rates assessment list for 1869-70 Jim paid 2 pence an acre on 51 acres - totalling eight shillings and sixpence.

DINNESON, William
In the Cambridge rates assessment list for 1869-70 Bill paid 2 pence an acre on 51 acres - totalling eight shillings and sixpence. "Dennison" was noted in 1872 on a farm map drawn by Charles Chitty in a report on the district to the Armed Constabulary Commissioner's Office.

DIVER, Frank
Frank was born in St Nicholas, Aberdeen and left Scotland on 1 December 1862 and arrived in Dunedin on the ship 'Sir William Eyre' in April 1863. He joined the Otago Provincial Police and on 30 September 1863 he joined the 3rd Waikato Militia as a baker, aged 29,
After 12 days on the steamer 'Phoebe' they arrived at Onehunga. They marched to Otahuhu, were equipped with arms and 60 rounds of ammunition then marched for four days - 40 miles - to Queens Redoubt to join General Cameron. They stayed at posts on the Great South Road, escorted prisoners to Otahuhu and arrived in Cambridge after the war was over.
He was promoted to Colour Sergeant, 1 April 1864.
His land grant in 1866 shows he was given an acre (Section No 372) on the corner of Brewery (Empire) and Duke Streets, and his farm section in the Cambridge survey (near St Kilda Road). A total of 131 acres in all.
A daughter Elizabeth died in 1866, the year he joined the Alpha Waikato Lodge, and other Diver children were James, Jane, John, Katherine and May.
In the Cambridge rates assessment list for 1869-70 Frank paid 2 pence an acre on 131 acres - totalling ?1 1/10. His wife took sick and twice had to go to Auckland hospital. She died April 1870. Frank had to sell his land to pay for hospital and funeral expenses. His acre on the corner of Duke and Brewery Streets went to James Hally for ?100 in February 1870 and in June he sold his 80 acres for ?95 to an Auckland architect.
On 3 November 1870 he enlisted in the Armed Constabulary aged 32 years. (Not unusual for ages to fluctuate depending on the situation). He is described as having a fair complexion, sandy hair and hazel eyes, was a Roman Catholic and was married. He was dismissed 6th June 1873.
The Electoral Roll shows Frank was in Cambridge from 1869 to 1893. He had freehold of section 461 and sections 35 and 36 of Shepherd and McDowell's survey, and his occupation was a labourer.
From the Minute book of the Cambridge Cemetery Trustees we see Frank was the sexton from 1889 until 1892.
After leaving Cambridge, Frank remarried, worked as a labourer and was able to buy a freehold section with house. In 1905 he was 72 years old, still working and earning a little over ?1 a week so this barred him from getting the Old Age Pension. He petitioned the Government in 1905 for ?108 compensation for his service in Cambridge as he was struck off pay in 1865 - a year before his contract was up.
He was feeling his age, caused he said, by being exposed to all weathers in the Waikato for those six years. The Minister of Defence replied that Frank had had all he was entitled to and no further action would be taken.
Frank wrote again the next year and reiterated that he was only paid for two years when he had signed an agreement for three years. He stated that the Waikatos were left to starve and adds that as well as his little daughter and wife having died, his mother had come from Wellington to Cambridge and had also died in 1866.
Again Frank wrote in 1907 with no luck. In 1910 he applied for a New Zealand War Medal and remarked that he went onto his land, which was allotted to him, with his wife and 2 children. When he left the Militia he handed in his Arms and Accoutrements and Captain John Wilson stated that his conduct had been exemplary. As Frank did not serve under fire he was not entitled to the Colonial Medal.
In 1915 Frank was living at the Veterans' Home in Onehunga. Again he puts his case to his local MP to take before parliament. He felt if he was not entitled to a Military Pension surely he might be given a Compassionate Allowance for his services rendered.
But again the Minister of Defence regretted he was unable to do anything further in the matter. Frank died in the Home in 1920.

DODD, George
George was born 24 August 1884, the son of William and Maro Dodd, at about the time the family arrived in Cambridge. George was a member of the Drum and Fife Band and a Bellringer for St Andrew's Anglican Church. He left the Cambridge Primary in 1898 and was employed by Wilkinson the plumber and joined the Duke of Cambridge Lodge on 14 October 1902.
While canoeing on the Waikato River he capsized and drowned on 17 April 1904. His mother died of a broken heart two months later.

DODDS, John
John was born in Edinburgh, Scotland about 1824 and enlisted in the 3rd Waikato Militia 2 October 1863 in Dunedin. His Regiment Number was Private 229 and his occupation a baker.
In the Cambridge rates assessment list for 1869-70 John paid 2 pence an acre on 51 acres - totalling eight shillings and sixpence.
In 1879 John was on the Library committee when it became an Incorporated Society, and was the Cemetery Registrar.
He died in Auckland February 1905.

DOGHERTY, Daniel
Born in Ireland about 1833 he then enlisted in the 40th Regiment as Private No 2961. He arrived in New Zealand from Melbourne on the ?City of Hobart' in 1860 and was discharged 10 November 1863.
Dan transferred to 3rd Waikato Regiment, Number 1280 from Waiuku Rifles 12 November 1863. The name "Dougherty" was noted in 1872 on a farm map drawn by Charles Chitty in a report on the district to the Armed Constabulary Commissioner's Office.

DORANCE James
Jim was born 2 March 1865 and had been a tailor in Cambridge when joined the Duke of Cambridge Lodge 16 February 1904. He was married to Annie, was the drill instructor of the Volunteer Fire Brigade, handicapper for the Oddfellow's Sports and left for Waihi at the end of 1904.

DWYER, William Henry
Bill was born 16 August 1885 and a storeman when he joined the Duke of Cambridge Lodge, 17 February 1903.


A . B . C . D . E . F . G . H . I-J . K . L . M . Mc . N . O . P . Q-R . S . T . V-W-Y