The Children of Fanny Frances Mary and Francis Hamer Arden the Artist Were
I know of; Leslie Arden, Hilda Katherine Alice Arden and probably Cecil Henry Arden. I suspect there is another daughter as Hilda is mentioned as the eldest daughter in her newspaper marriage notice. She was born in 1877. Her mother died 1882, so I presume another daughter born during that interval. Were there any other sons?
hello Aspiring,
Francis Hamer ARDEN (1841-1899) married Mary Frances OLDFIELD (1840-1882) 1 Feb 1873
Francis & Mary had the following known children:
1873 - 1873 a still born son in NSW on 19 Nov 1873
1874 - 1936 Cecil Henry Arden
1877 - Hilda Katherine Alice Arden
1879 - 1902 Leslie Hamar Arden
- accidentally killed on active served during Boer War
1882 - 1882 Eric Oldfield Arden
- died aged 2 9 weeks, buried Te Henui, New Plymouth
Mary Frances Arden died 2 Feb 1882 aged 41
- she is buried Te Henui, New Plymouth
Francis remarried in 1887 to Fanny Eliza GODFREY (1859-1955)
Francis & Fanny had the following known children:
1889 - 1915 Henry Neville Arden
- Captain 23/1288 was killed in action Belgium
1892 - Phyllis Godfrey Arden
1895 - Frances Jean Arden
sorry, bit confusing - I was going to say Eric Oldfield Arden died aged 2 months, then changed it to 9 weeks so it says died aged 2 9 weeks!
Thanks Ngaireedith.
It seems that I had researched correctly apart from baby Eric. Seems likely that Fanny died during/ post child birth. Fanny was the 'strength' in the orphaned Oldfield family. Her father Captain Anthony Oldfield was killed in the Crimean War. Her mother - Sophia Buchan had died earlier from Tb. The boys ; Anthony George, and Thomas Henry were sent out to NZ. Her sister Kate remained in England. The boys were losing money hand over fist. Fanny came out really to take control, her passage paid by John Hitchcock Buchan, 'the silver king' of Mexico - a very wealthy benefactor (her uncle) She worked as a 'nanny' at Waikouaiti, north of Dunedin at the home of the famous whaler and land owner Jones (first name escapes me at the moment). Worked for the Cargill family in Dunedin. Moved North to join her brother Thomas Oldfield, my GGrandfather, (who bought the Iron sand Works, and in so doing met Francis Hamer Arden who was distantly related to the Oldfields in England. Have you ever come across a photo of her?
John Jones (1808-1869) :)
thank you for that interesting look into the early life of this family
do you know the spouses of the 3 girls above??
Eric Oldfield Arden was born 6 Jan 1882
his mother, Mary Frances Arden died 2 Feb 1882
Eric died 12 March 1882
KATE OLDFIELD
'Kate was devoted to all kinds of Christian activity and attended church regularly and often. But she was more than that, a practical Christian, with a strong sympathy for and interest in the welfare of the aged, the sick, the poor, and the unfortunate .....
She was artistically inclined and helped to make and place texts and floral decorations in churches.'(13)
She became Sister Katherine on entering St Margaret's Anglican Convent at East Grimstead, later moving to St Leonard's Orphanage in London. She died aged eighty eight.
HILDA ARDEN
'By 1877, the Ardens were back in New Zealand awaiting the birth of their eldest daughter, Hilda Katherine Alice. Fanny Arden died in New Zealand February 1882. Francis Hamar died December 1899, having remarried following his wife's death. Hilda was sent back to England after her mother's death to live with her Aunt Kate, embarking on the 'British Queen', Lyttelton for London 31st May, 1883. In 1891, aged fourteen, she was a school girl at St Margaret's in Parish of East Grimstead Ladies School.The census of 1891, lists her place of residence as Sussex. Perhaps she was visiting her grandfather - General John Oldfield. Her marriage to Lionel Ottley Leefe took place at St Michaels Polwatte, Colombo on 3rd February 1898. In November, a son Lionel Cuthbert Arden was born. He married Isabel Forbes in 1824 at the same church as his parents. His mother is not mentioned in the wedding guest list. (19) He died in Sussex in 1984, having ......'
There was a branch of the Leefe family in New Plymouth.
also see ARDEN marriages New Zealand