In memory of our deceased UNWINs who were laid to rest in Kaiapoi.

At Rest in Kaiapoi, Canterbury, NZ 

Clara UNWIN, died 15 November 1876, aged 4 hours

Thomas Zair UNWIN, died 17 August 1880, aged 3 days

Thomas UNWIN, died 7 July 1881, aged 51 years

Martha Fanny UNWIN, died 19 July 1883, aged 12

Kaiapoi was the first home when the Unwins arrived in New Zealand, so in looking back, we can expect that some of the family would have died and been buried there. 

The first deaths were babies,  a baby girl Clara - who died the same day she was born.   The Cemetery records state her age at death as 4 hours, the NZBDM records this as 1 hour.  Four years later, Thomas and Annie lost a baby boy, Thomas Zair, aged 3 days.  

Thomas Unwin, the Father - was the next to pass away; and sadly Martha passed away two years later. 

The dates above were provided by Jean Turvey [email pasted below], from the Kaiapoi Museum;  She advises there are no headstones, the cemetery became overgrown and the Waimakariri District Council assumed maintenance.  All headstones were moved to one side, the area grassed over, and it is now a passive reserve. 

The above cemetery records have been matched with NZBDM records.  Clara and Fanny are recorded under UNWIN, but Thomas UNWIN and Thomas Zair UNWIN are erroneously recorded under URWIN... geez 😞

So I have emailed the Registrar with regards to this error [date : 25 May 2018]

Copy below of Jean Turvey's Email