The Cambridge New Zealand Home Guard Roll Index W

John James Edmonds (1835-1912) was born 21 Oct 1835 in England. He married Maria Edwards (1847-1907). They had at least two sons born in Sydney

His obit tells his story
Wanganui Chronicle, 18 Nov 1912
EDMONDS - On the 16th inst at Wanganui, John Edmonds, of Marton, in his 77th year. Private interment.

Rangitikei Advocate, 18 Nov 1912
We regret to record the death of Mr John James Edmonds, which took place in the Wanganui Hospital on Saturday morning at one o'clock.
For many years past Mr Edmonds has been verger of St. Stephen's Anglican Church, Marton and was a well-known figure in the town. "Old Edmonds" was the name by which he was familiarly known amongst his friends.
In earlier life he served in the Royal navy and wore to the end a jersey bearing on the breast the inscription "H.M.S. Terrible, 1854." Loyalty and patriotism were strongly marked features in his character and he was justly proud of the service he had rendered. The last words he said to those about him in the hospital were: "Tell them not to forget that I served in the Crimean and the Maori Wars."
Throughout his tenure of office at the church he was punctual, ready and willing and there grew up in consequence feelings of the most kindly character to the 'old man.'
A year or more ago he became seriously ill but made a partial recovery. Recently his old trouble returned and he had again to go to the hospital. He was resting comfortably, enjoying his pipe, when on Friday at about six o'clock he had a paralytic stroke, from which he never recovered, passing away a few hours later in the presence of his son who had gone to the hospital on hearing the news.
The funeral is to take place at Wanganui, where, five years ago, Mrs Edmonds was buried, this afternoon at 2 o'clock, the service being taken by the Vicar of Marton. Mr E. J. Wilde, parishioners' church warden, has also gone to Wanganui on purpose to be present and is bearing with him flowers and wreaths as tokens of respect and affection from members of the congregation of S. Stephen's.
Mr Edmonds was visited in the hospital by the Vicar of Wanganui and the Ven Archdeacon Towgood and if the information reaches him in time, it is hoped that the Archdeacon will be present at the funeral as well as the Vicar of Wanganui.

. NOTES .
Death of Maria
Rangitikei Advocate, 9 Oct 1907
EDMONDS - At Wanganui Hospital, on October 8th, Maria, the beloved wife of John Edmonds, of Marton, aged 61 years, after a long and painful illness.

H.M.S. Terrible saw active service during the Crimean War. On 6 Nov 1853, commanded by Captain James Johnstone McCleverty, she left England carrying Rear-Admiral Sir Edmund Lyons, who had been appointed second-in-command of the Mediterranean Fleet. Terrible then joined Admiral James Dundas's fleet in the Black Sea, where she served during the Crimean War. On 7 Oct 1854 she landed some of her 68-pounder guns at Balaclava to be used in the siege of Sevastopol. At the naval bombardment of Sevastopol on 17 Oct, Terrible was the northernmost ship of the Allied line and successfully bombarded Fort Constantine, the northern fortress protecting Sevastopol harbour.
On 14 Jan 1865, Terrible ran aground at Sheerness, Kent. In 1866, commanded by Captain John Commerell, she helped the SS Great Eastern to lay the fifth (and first successful) Atlantic cable. In 1869 she was one of three ships employed to move the specially built 'Bermuda' Dry Dock across the Atlantic from Madeira to Ireland Island, Bermuda. The dock was towed by HMS Warrior and HMS Black Prince with Terrible lashed astern to act as a rudder, the voyage lasting 39 days.She was broken up in 1879.

St Stephen's Church, Marton
written in 1897 . was founded in 1871 when the foundation stone was laid by Bishop Hadfield, though ten years elapsed before the church was finally completed. The church was designed by George F. Allen of Wanganui in the perpendicular Gothic style. It was named St. Stephen's in memoriam of Major Willis first wife, who died on St. Stephen's Day. The very beautiful altar cloth was executed by handwork by the Holywell sisterhood in Oxford, and is the gift of Miss Willis. Major Willis contributed largely to the funds of the building. A good deal of the interior of the church, including the sanctuary and chancel, was groined and ribbed by the Ven. Archdeacon Towgood, also the baptistry, which is in memory of Dr Taylor, as is signified by the handsome brass plate. The stone font was given by Mr Stewart. The church is about 100 feet in length, and 50 feet to the ridge-pole, while the height to the top of the bell-turret is 79 feet. The vestry is under the sanctuary, being part of the old redoubt on which the church was built. The ordinary sitting-accommodation provides for about 240, but 300 have been crammed into the church on a special occasion. There are about ninety church families in Marton, representing some 450 adherents.

Venerable Archdeacon Towgood (written 1897) who is in charge of St. Stephen's, Marton, was educated at Sherborne and St. John's College, Oxford and after a year at Cuddesdon, under the present Bishops of Lincoln and Grahamstown, who were at this time respectively Principal and Vice-Principal of the College, was ordained in June, 1865 at Exeter by the great Bishop Philpotts, whose voice, in spite of his great age of eighty-seven, easily filled the cathedral. Mr Towgood's health breaking down shortly after, he left for New Zealand in the "Donna Aruta," and landed at Nelson in February, 1866. Returning to Nelson a few months later from the North Island, he took duty in the neighbourhood for some eighteen months. It was during this time that the celebrated Manugatapu murders took place, an event which was as remarkable for the pertinacity with which the young men of Nelson searched the mountains for the missing men, as for the audacity of the criminals. After a couple of years spent in retirement, Mr. Towgood commenced work in the Rangitikei in November, 1868. He was the first English clergyman to settle in the district, and has been there ever since. His work at the time comprised Bulls and Sandon, and subsequently Turakina and Hunterville; but it has of late years been reduced to its original dimensions of St. Stephen's, Marton, and St. John's, Tutu Totara. Mr Towgood was made Archdeacon of Wanganui, by the late bishop, Primate Hadfield, on his retirement from office.

John & Maria are buried in Heads Road Cemetery, Wanganui

SKETCH H.M.S. Steam Frigate Terrible, the largest steam-powered wooden paddle wheel frigate built for the Royal Navy, on which John Edmonds served in the Crimean War