THE LETTERS FROM

JOSEPH LIGGINS AND HIS FAMILY

Joseph Liggins and his family emigrated to New Zealand in 1884 when he was 33 years old and his wife Sarah was 34. They had seven children, six of which were born in England whilst the seventh, young Joe, Joseph Huia Palmerston (JHP) was born in New Zealand after the period covered by these letters which is from 1884 to 1892.

Before coming to the letters themselves it is probably best to first explain the reason for them being kept for so long and also to describe the events that had happened to the Liggins family before they emigrated.

The earliest item that was found in the desk drawer was a receipt :-

Birmingham,January 24th, 1848

Recd. of Mr. Luke Liggins the sum of Eight Pounds for half years rent of The White Hart situate in Measham, in the county of Derby, due the Fifth Day of January, 1848

£8 . 0 . 0 William Morrison

Executor of the late Thom. Hazelwood

This was, of course, Joseph’s father and he at some time later bought the freehold of the inn. Luke died in 1876 and left the income from his estate, including the inn, to his wife during her lifetime and on her death the estate was to be divided amongst his six children.

Joseph initially had a general store and off-licence at Coalville but this business was unsuccessful. He subsequently took another off-licence type business , this time at Netherseal, probably with Sarah’s brother, for which he used as security his future share from his father’s estate. The money orders which he sent with his letters were intended to pay the interest on this loan. This venture was also unsuccessful and its failure was undoubtedly a main reason in them deciding to emigrate to New Zealand where it seemed there would be every chance of starting again and making a success of their new life.

The letters consist of some twenty written by Joseph and two by Sarah, with several notes sent by their children. They fall naturally into three groups. The first two letters describe their voyage out to New Zealand and their arrival there. The middle group describes their life at Longburn which is now on a branch line off the main railway line between Palmerston North and Wellington. Joseph was manager of the dairy there. The last two letters are from Tokomaru where he started farming after clearing the bush on a new section of land. Tokomaru is on the Horowhenua Plain, which lies between the sea and the Tararua mountain range, near the

Manawatu River and it is a short distance along the main railway line from Longburn towards Wellington.

During the exchange of letters between us and the Liggins, they asked if there was any reference in these old letters to the school at Tokomaru which would celebrate its 100th anniversary in the Spring next year (1992). This made me go, out of turn, to the last two letters which were written from there. The second of the letters is dated 8th January, 1892 and in it refers to the work being started to prepare the area on which the school was going to be built. Needless to say the Liggins were very pleased to get copies of all these letters and this one in particular.

I had no idea at the start of this transcribing what the letters would reveal. I leave it to the reader to see what effect they have on you. One thing is certain, it is impossible to read them without in some way being affected by them.