Mary Ann Smith b. 31 May 1845 Hythe, Kent, England d. 26 Jun 1912 Masterton, Masterton District, Wellington, New Zealand

1845 - 1912 (67 years)

Name	Mary Ann Smith
Born	31 May 1845	Hythe, Kent, England
Christened	Church of St Leonard, Hythe, Kent, England
Gender	Female
Spouses death	16 Nov 1877	Wellington City, Wellington, New Zealand
	Sergeant-Major Samuel Chandler of the Wellington Police died as a result of catching Typhoid. Mary was left with 10 children aged 1 - 15.
		Widow of Sergeant-Major Chandler Evening Post 20 Nov 1877
		Subscription List SUBSCRIPTION LIST in aid of the WIDOW and FAMILY of the late - SERGEANT-MAJOR CHANDLER, of the Armed Constabulary, collected by Messrs. S. C. Anderson, T. J. Ladd, and W.Warren Evening Post 19 Jan 1878
		Widow of Sergeant Chandler Evening Post 4 Feb 1878
		Petition for Annuity Evening Post 14 Aug 1878
Died	26 Jun 1912	Masterton, Masterton District, Wellington, New Zealand
Died	Cause of Death Diabetic Gangrene - 6 months Heart Failure - 2 days
Buried	27 Jun 1912	Masterton, Masterton District, Wellington, New Zealand
Notes	Mary Ann Smith was born in Hythe on the south coast of Kent in 1845,the seventh and very much youngest child of William Smith and his wife Elizabeth (nee Philpott). Her father was 56 when she was born. She was baptised in the Large Church of St Leonard in Hythe. Mary Ann was only 15 when she married Samuel Chandler in the church at Cheriton on the 9th January 1861. Samuel was 31 and had already served a full term of engagement in the Army, having been in Corfu, Malta and North America, before being recommended as likely instructor material by his Regiment and sent in 1858 on a course to the School of Musketry in Hythe. A new rapid firing rifle was being introduced into the British Army and a new rank was to be included into the establishment of all Regiments. When Samuel qualified to hold the rank of Sergeant Instructor of Musketry, he was posted to the 18th Royal Irish Regiment, the second battalion of which was being raised in Ireland.He joined the 18th there and during the following year the Regiment came across to Shorncliffe Camp in Hythe. Hythe at the time was very much a military town and the Large Shorncliffe Camp which was built shortly before the Peninsula War, was on high ground behind the coastal town of Hythe which then had an active harbour. When Mary Ann and Samuel married, she gave her age as 17 and he as 29,when in fact she was only 15 and he was 31. After they married, they moved with the 2/18th first to the Channel Islands. Their first child Elizabeth Sarah was born at Portsmouth en route to the Channel Islands. Their second child Albert Edward was born at Parkhurst Barracks on the Isle of Wight, and when Albert was a month old, theysailed with the 18th Regiment for New Zealand, Samuel being selected for duty. The ship, the Norwood, arrived in Auckland on the 5th August 1863. Samuel served in the Maori Wars in the northern Waikato, and was sent down to the Taranaki in 1865, being stationed in Patea. Mary Ann must have been with him as Mary Ellen was born at Patea 5th March 1867. This was the time the Hau Hau guerilla bands were active in thearea and Mary Ellen was stolen by a raiding party and carried off to the chanting of "fine pork" while still a baby. She was recovered by an armed party but Mary Ann was said to sleep with a knife under her pillow from then on. When the 18th Regiment left for Australia in 1870, Samuel took his discharge and joined the Armed Constabulary in Wellington, rising to the rank of Sergeant Major. Samuel and Mary had ten children. While serving in the Armed Constabulary, Samuel died of typhoid fever in November 1877, and was given a full military funeral. He was buried in Bolton Street Cemetary, Wellington. When Samuel died, Mary Ann aged 32, was left with ten children. She moved to Masterton with the children where she met James Check. Mary Ann and James lived together as man and wife, with Mary Ann taking the surname Check although they never married as James was still legally married to his first wife Sarah. James and Mary had four children. Mary Ann died in 1912 aged 68. She is buried in Masterton Cemetary.Her headstone reads "In loving Memory of our Dear Mother" which is a fitting inscription as she raised fourteen children. James Check is buried in the same plot. He died in 1922 aged 82. Obituary "Wairarapa Daily Times" Thursday 27th June 1912 Mrs James Check, who died yesterday, was a very old resident of Masterton. She was twice married and leaves a husband and family of fourteen sons and daughters. The deceased lady, who was 67 years of age, had been ill for some considerable time. The funeral took place this morning and was largely attended. The Rev. H. Williams performed the burial service. Source Caleb's Family tree - and more
Person ID	I21501	Frost Family
Last Modified	3 Nov 2013

Father	William Smith, b. 08 Feb 1785, Elham, Kent, England , d. 31 Jan 1874, St Leonard, Kent, England (Age 88 years)
Mother	Elizabeth Philpott, b. 17 Feb 1805, Burmarsh, Hythe, Kent, England , d. 19 Jan 1864, Hythe, Kent, England (Age 58 years)
Married	03 Apr 1824	England
Family ID	F15541	Group Sheet \| Family Chart

Family 1 Samuel Chandler, b. Abt 1829, Manchester, Lancashire, England , d. 16 Nov 1877, Wellington City, Wellington, New Zealand (Age ~ 48 years)

Married 03 Aug 1863 Auckland, New Zealand

Children

+	1. Elizabeth Sarah Chandler, b. 12 Sep 1861, Clarence Barracks, Portsmouth, England , d. 13 Oct 1932, Masterton, Masterton District, Wellington, New Zealand (Age 71 years)
	2. Albert Edward Chandler, b. 10 Mar 1863, Parkhurst Barracks, Isle Of Wight, Hampshire, England
	3. Samuel William Chandler, b. 03 Aug 1865, Otahuhu, Auckland City, Auckland, New Zealand , d. 12 Aug 1929, Wanganui Base Hospital, Wanganui, Manawatu-Wanganui, New Zealand (Age 64 years)
+	4. Mary Ellen Chandler, b. 05 Mar 1867, Patea, South Taranaki, Taranaki, New Zealand , d. 29 Dec 1944, New Zealand (Age 77 years)
	5. Lavinia Chandler, b. 20 Sep 1868, Albert Barracks, Auckland, New Zealand
	6. Madeline Emma Chandler, b. 27 Apr 1870, Wellington, New Zealand , d. Abt 1946, New Zealand (Age 75 years)
+	7. Rosalind Hannah Chandler, b. 20 Nov 1871, Wellington, New Zealand
	8. Joseph James Chandler, b. 17 Oct 1873, Wellington, New Zealand , d. 02 Jan 1919, Palmerston North, Manawatu-Wanganui, New Zealand (Age 45 years)
+	9. Emma Martha Chandler, b. 11 Jun 1875, Wellington, New Zealand , d. 12 Oct 1947, New Zealand (Age 72 years)
	10. Bertie John Chandler, b. 08 Apr 1877, Wellington, New Zealand , d. 02 Sep 1951, New Zealand (Age 74 years)

Photos

Mary Ann and Samuel Chandler and child
This photo was taken in Petone. Samuel and Mary moved to Wellington in 1870 and Samuel died in 1877. It is likely therefore that the photo was taken during that period.

Group portrait of the Check-Chandler family circa 1900
From left to right, back row: George Check, Cecil Check, Joe Chandler, Bert Chandler and James Check. Front row: Sam Chandler, Albert Chandler, Mary Ann Check and Spencer Check.

Last Modified 21 Jan 2009

Family ID F6676 Group Sheet | Family Chart

Family 2 James Check, b. Abt 1841, Essendon, Hertfordshire, England , d. 07 Sep 1922 (Age ~ 81 years)

Married Type: Common Law

Children

	1. Cecil James Check, b. 09 Aug 1879, Masterton, Masterton District, Wellington, New Zealand , d. 23 Dec 1957 (Age 78 years)
	2. George Henry Check, b. 22 Oct 1881, Masterton, Masterton District, Wellington, New Zealand , d. 03 Jan 1942 (Age 60 years)
	3. Hannah Maud Check, b. 30 Mar 1884, Masterton, Masterton District, Wellington, New Zealand
+	4. James Spencer Check, b. 19 Jul 1886, Masterton, Masterton District, Wellington, New Zealand , d. 22 Nov 1931, New Zealand (Age 45 years)

Photos

Last Modified 20 Jan 2009

Family ID F6783 Group Sheet | Family Chart

Event Map

	Born - 31 May 1845 - Hythe, Kent, England
	Christened - - Church of St Leonard, Hythe, Kent, England
	Married - 03 Aug 1863 - Auckland, New Zealand
	Spouses death - Sergeant-Major Samuel Chandler of the Wellington Police died as a result of catching Typhoid. Mary was left with 10 children aged 1 - 15. - 16 Nov 1877 - Wellington City, Wellington, New Zealand
	Died - 26 Jun 1912 - Masterton, Masterton District, Wellington, New Zealand
	Buried - 27 Jun 1912 - Masterton, Masterton District, Wellington, New Zealand

= Link to Google Earth

Pin Legend : Address : Location : City/Town : County/Shire : State/Province : Country : Not Set

Photos
Mary Ann Chandler

Mary Ann Check
Sources
[S262] Caleb's Family Tree, Theo Perry, (http://theoperry.com/familytree/index.html).

[S157] National Library of New Zealand, (National Library of New Zealand).

Mary Ann Smith[1, 2]

Mary Ann Smith^{[1, 2]}