Family reunion

In the latest issue of “This England”, several writers have said how they originally received your excellent magazine. Here is my story.

Many years ago, a lady from England contacted me here in Massey, Auckland, New Zealand, about her family story. It was of how some of her ancestors bought a sailing ship and immigrated to New Zealand on board the ship. This story was handed down to her by her maternal grandmother, a Miss Strickett. The lady had contacted me as to whether I knew any more information regarding this.

I replied that the Stricketts of Islington left London via Southampton and arrived in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1886, as paying passengers aboard the P&O sailing ship the Souka. All the Stricketts in New Zealand are descendants of five of the six brothers who came with their parents (their two sisters went back to England for reasons unknown).

This lady then sent me a yearly subscription to your magazine from that time on, so many years ago, to thank me.

We regularly write to each other at Christmas. One time, her daughter wrote to me saying she and her brother, recently graduated from university, were coming to New Zealand on a backpacking holiday, and would arrive in Auckland on a certain date – was there any chance of meeting up with us?

That was arranged. We picked them up, brought them to our home in West Auckland and had a wonderful day with them. So that is how, after more than 100 years, contact was re-established with the English and New Zealand Stricketts, and we continue to receive your magazine, “This England”.