Helen Sinton Wight

ID#22, (7 Mar 1848 - 18 Apr 1941)
Helen Sinton Wight|b. 7 Mar 1848\nd. 18 Apr 1941|p22.htm|Walter Wight|b. 17 Sep 1816\nd. 31 Oct 1886||Helen Sinton|b. cir. 1820\nd. 12 Jan 1883||William Wight|b. 29 Nov 1767\nd. 12 Sep 1847||Elizabeth Richardson|b. 11 May 1773\nd. 15 Jun 1831||Peter Sinton|b. cir. 1783\nd. 20 Jan 1866||Jane Wight|b. cir. 1783\nd. 7 Sep 1858||

  • Father: Walter Wight1 b. 17 Sep 1816, d. 31 Oct 1886
  • Mother: Helen Sinton1 b. cir. 1820, d. 12 Jan 1883
  • Relationship: Great-grandmother of Lorna Henderson.
  • Link2FT*: Follow this link for more information on Helen Sinton.
  • Birth*: Helen Sinton Wight was born on 7 Mar 1848 at Maxton, ROX, SCT, Date and place confirmed by a letter of birth dates written by Helen herself2 which reads: "Helen Sinton Wight born at Maxton in Parish of Maxton, 7th Mar 1848", and an entry in a family birthday book2 which reads " 7th Mar: Helen S Henderson".3,4,2
  • Baptism: She was baptized on 9 Apr 1848 at Maxton, ROX, SCT; (need to refind entry).5
  • LetterFull*: Hellen wrote some notes on 28 Nov 1875 at Maxton, ROX, SCT, see attached for a list of the family information recorded by Helen about her siblings and their partners. The date at the top is a fortnight before Helen sailed for New Zealand, yet many of the dates mentioned in the note, with no real discontinuities of ink or handwriting, are after that date. She gives her own dates as born 7 Mar 1848, marrying William Henderson 21 Apr 1876 "at Oamaru by Rev A B Todd (born at Maxton)."6,7
  • Marriage*: Helen Sinton Wight married William Henderson, son of James Henderson and Amelia Millar, on 21 Apr 1876 in Coquet St, Oamaru, OTG, NZ, Married at the house of Mr James Henderson by (Presbyterian8 Minister) Rev A B Todd. The St Paul's Parish index shows Helen as 27 and William as 30. (BDM Folio #1040) cert shows: William Henderson as 30, blacksmith and Helen Wight as 27. Minister: Alexander B Todd Witnesses: John Henderson, blacksmith, Oamaru, Agnes G White (later John's wife), Oamaru, marr. at the house of Mr James Henderson (William's father), Coquet St, Oamaru
    As Helen appears to have emigrated to NZ on her own (there were no familiar names on the passenger list to indicate she travelled with a relation) I had assumed that her marriage to William was a blind date. Given that they were married by the Rev Alexander Todd, who was himself from Maxton, is it possible that their introduction might have been arranged by him? Or, as I subsequently found one of her Richardson 2nd cousins (Andrew) living in the same street in Oamaru, perhaps that's how the "date" was arranged?9,8,10,11,12
  • Death*: Helen Sinton Wight died on 18 Apr 1941 at the Public Hosp., Dunedin, OTG, NZ, at age 93; Diary entries from daughter-in-law Agnes around this time show that she was admitted to hospital the day before (Entries in Nana's typical brief style read:Thurs 17th: Grandma Hosp; Friday 18th: "Gran Hen. died 6pm - wire, Isobel rang 11:30pm Wgtn."
    The cert shows: Helen Sinton Henderson, widow aged 93, died at the Public Hospital Dunedin, from Leith Valley, of cardiac failure with congestion and senility. Father Walter Wight, famer, Mother Helen formerly Sinton. Buried 21 April Northern Cemetery Dn, Presbyterian minister. Born Roxburghshire, Scotland, emigrated 60 years ago. Married at Oamaru aged 28 to William Henderson
    Children still living: 4 males: 63 (James), 61 (Walter Wight), 59 (William Maxton), 57 (Archibald). 3 female: 55 (Nellie), 53 (Millie), 46 (Lydia).13,14
  • Burial*: She was buried on 21 Apr 1941 North End cemetery, Dunedin, OTG, NZ, Block 165 plot 8. Diary entry for the day from Agnes Henderson read: "Gran's funeral 3pm private, Les home late bus 10pm"; Millie Harbour's letter4 states that Helen "was privately interred from her late residence Helensvale, Rev Crawford."15,4,16
  • Last Edited: 19 Jan 2011

Family: William Henderson (15 Oct 1845 - 29 Jul 1931)

  • James Henderson+ (17 Apr 1877 - 21 Sep 1942)
  • Walter Wight Henderson+ (5 Dec 1878 - 10 Sep 1957)
  • William Maxton Henderson (7 Dec 1880 - 4 Jan 1951)
  • Archibald Henderson (9 Jan 1883 - 8 Jan 1952)
  • Elizabeth Helen Sinton Henderson (4 Feb 1885 - 20 Jun 1981)
  • Amelia Jane Henderson (18 Jul 1887 - 15 Dec 1962)
  • Margaret Mabel Henderson (30 Sep 1889 - 1 Dec 1900)
  • Lillias Lydia Henderson (28 Oct 1893 - 1983)

Citations:

  1. Letter, Helen Sinton HENDERSON nee WIGHT (43) to family, 28 Nov 1875, original held by L Henderson.
  2. "Birthday book Emilia HENDERSON."
  3. Letter, Helen Sinton HENDERSON nee WIGHT (43) to family, 28 Nov 1875.
  4. Letter, Amelia J HARBOUR nee HENDERSON to (possibly Earl HENDERSON), 15 Jun 1957.
  5. Unknown author, OPR MAXTON, dist 798?; baptisms, p/copy held by L McIntosh.
  6. WIGHT ancestors and relations memorabilia, handwritten list of Helen's siblings births deaths marriages, original held by L McIntosh.
  7. Ellen WIGHT (22), Wellington Assisted immigrants passenger list, 16 Dec 1875 to 19 Mar 1876, copied Apr 2001.
  8. Letter, Amelia J HARBOUR nee HENDERSON to (possibly Earl HENDERSON), 15 Jun 1957, Marr. 21 Apr 1876 Helen Sinton Wight married William Henderson "at Oamaru by Rev A B Todd (born at Maxton)."
  9. Certificate, William HENDERSON and Helen WIGHT marriage of 21 Apr 1876 BDM #1040 Ref 105Certified copy held, dated and rcvd Sep 1993 (bride indexed as Ellen WRIGHT, although clearly shown on cert as Helen WIGHT).
  10. Presbyterian Archives, NZ online at http://www.archives.presbyterian.org.nz/, Marr. 21 Apr 1876 Helen WIGHT (27) & William HENDERSON (30), 2/236, from St Pauls Parish, Oamaru Marriages 1869 to 1920, extracted Aug 2007.
  11. NZ births deaths marriages index, Marr. 1876 William HENDERSON & Ellen WRIGHT (sic), folio 1040.
  12. "Lorna's Family History Musings", Sep 2003, updated Jun 2007.
  13. Dth 18 Apr 1941 Helen Sinton (WIGHT) HENDERSON, 2103/41 (Inspection p/copy), Inspection p/copy held, rcvd Nov 1993.
  14. "DIARIES: HENDERSON nee DAVIDSON, Agnes 1909-1955", Apr 1941.
  15. Unknown author, HENDERSON photos ex Colin H.
  16. "DIARIES: HENDERSON nee DAVIDSON, Agnes 1909-1955."

E. & O. E. Some/most parish records are rather hard to read and names, places hard to interpret, particularly if you are unfamiliar with an area.
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