| Joseph Tice Gellibrand was born in Tasmania, Australia, in 1826. Records in this collection indicate he travelled to Aotearoa New Zealand in 1874 with his brother, William, who owned a station north of Wellington. During this trip, Tice, as he is referred to in correspondence, visited Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, Napier, Gisborne and Nelson. His letters suggest he was scoping the country with a view to emigrate.
Tice would return to Aotearoa New Zealand in 1876 and settle in Omokoroa with Selina Gellibrand née Evans (1831-1878), his wife, and Elizabeth Gellibrand (1849-1894), their adopted daughter. Elizabeth, known to friends and family as “Dottie”, went on to marry Arthur Algernon Crapp (1843-1928) with whom she had eight children. At marriage, she changed her name to Elizabeth Winspear Crapp – Winspear being her surname at birth.
The collection comprises family papers: correspondence, wills, diaries, financial papers and records of land ownership. It also includes research completed by Jenny Woods – the author of a 1980 book titled “Omokoroa” that recounts the history of the Gellibrand and Crapp families. To aid Wood’s research, descendents of the families gifted her these papers, which she, in turn, donated to Tauranga City Libraries. As a result of the papers changing hands, the 18 series in which they are arranged reflect Wood’s organisation, rather than the family’s:
-Ams 232/1: Letters from Joseph Tice Gellibrand (1826-1887) to Selina Gellibrand née Evans (1831-1878), his wife. [Digital copy available, see below].
-Ams 232/2: Letters written to and from Elizabeth Winspear Crapp née Gellibrand (1849-1894) and Arthur Algernon Crapp (1843-1928). [Digital copy available, see below].
-Ams 232/3-4: Photographs.
-Ams 232/5: Gellibrand/Crapp family history, 1980s.
-Ams 232/6: Gellibrand/Crapp family history: clippings, correspondence, death certificates.
-Ams 232/7-8: Scrapbooks created by Joseph Tice Gellibrand.
-Ams 232/9: Survey plan of Matua and Crapp’s farm Matua-iwi, Otumoetai. 2, both dated 1865.
-Ams 232/10-11: Financial records.
-Ams 232/12-14: Land transactions.
-Ams 232/15: Wills.
-Ams 232/16: Diary of parochial duties, 1853.
-Ams 232/17: Memoranda book, 1877.
-Ams 232/18: Bank Book, 1868-1876.
-Seven books belonging to the Gellibrand/Crapp families.
Please note, only the first two series have been fully catalogued and digitised. |
