In the beginning

Nancy's life began in 1915 but the story of our family in New Zealand began in 1840 when the Rev. Thomas Buddle and his wife Sarah (nee Dixon) left England on the Mission ship Triton, arriving in Russell in May 1940 and then heading down the coast to Raglan and heading inland to establish a mission post called Te Kopua. Thomas and Sarah had 10 children, Sarah Elizabeth (known as Lizzie) was the 3rd child, born at Waipa Oct 22 1843. They moved to Auckland soon after her birth as all the other children were born in Auckland.

In 1864 Lizzie married Richard Arthur who had arrived in Auckland aboard the Joseph Fletcher in March 1858. Two years later the rest of the Arthur family arrived aboard the Lord Burleigh. Richard's parents Carpenter and Elizabeth Arthur were aged 53 and 50, which was quite old to be beginning a new life in New Zealand. Carpenter established an auctioneering business in Queen St and the family lived in City Rd.

There was another marriage between the two families when Thomas Buddle, 5th in the family, married Richard's sister Emma in 1870.

Richard and Lizzie had 5 children but their 1st child, Sarah Elizabeth, known as Bessie, died at the age of 17 months. She is buried in the Arthur family grave in Grafton Cemetery, along with her parents and grandparents. Richard was born in 1873 and Thomas, Nancy's father, in 1875. Jessie and Aylesbeare, (Aunty Jessie and Aunty Bea) were born in 1879 and 1881.

Richard and Lizzie with (left to right) Richard, Jessie, Bea and Thomas.

Thomas was the only one of his family to marry and, although he was the younger son, he took over the management of the family business, Richard Arthur and Sons, when still in his teens.
He married Ethel Cherry and had two children- Ethelwyn, 1906, and Francis Richard, 1907. Ethel died in childbirth.