WHO IS Jim Andreassends Father? If my interest in family history and genealogy has a starting point it was to find who my Dad`s birth Father is. Dad didn`t know May was his mother until he was 50 in 1976 . May said at the time that she couldn`t remember the name of his father. Some comments made two years ago that his name was Jim Yuen or Yuan.
Most people have the luxury of knowing who their Parents and Grandparents are, for those that don`t it can leave a huge gap which a simple piece of knowledge can start to fill. TV programs like `Who do you think are` and `Missing pieces` are helping to create an understanding why it is important and relevant to future generations. Some may consider it a pointless exercise that will not succeed, but in many ways it already has. I am collating all the information I have so far relating to Dad`s origins including Chinese in Timaru, Politics, Laws, Time line, Rumours, Facts, comments, emails, Sue Lee Gardens, names of workers, Society at that time, something somewhere just may click with someone and provide the vital clue. Anything no matter how minor may just help. Please Contact Ronald [email protected] or phone +64 9 3601909
Kjersti Sigursdatter Sneie
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John Clark
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Albert Andreassen
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Hannah Bertha Clark
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Kjersti`s Journey
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Journey Postscript
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Pomahaka 1896
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1954 Family Tragedy
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New Zealand is a relatively young country in European terms, it was first settled by the Maori. DNA evidence suggests between 1280 & 1300 AD. The first European to sight New Zealand was Able Tasman in 1642. The first Europeans to land were Captain James Cook & crew on 8 October 1771 on the Endeavour. This was followed by whalers, sealers and Missionaries in the 1800s. The now contentious Treaty of Waitangi between Maori and Europeans was signed in 1840 while New Zealand was administered from New South Wales in Australia. New Zealand became a colony in its own right on 3 May 1841
From the 1840 onwards saw considerable European settlement mainly from England and Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The first New Zealand Parliament was opened in 24 May 1854. By 1859 Europeans were the majority of the popluation. In the following years there were Maori Land wars in the North Island. In the South Island it was largely peaceful. Dunedin became the wealthiest City following the discovery of gold in the Otago area 1861.
New Zealand is virtually on the opposite side of the world to Europe, it was dangerous and long voyage compared to Canada and America. But my ancestors made the journey in hopes for a better life. Never to return to their homeland.
Kjersti came from Amotsdal in Norway 1863 and married John Clark in Dunedin . John Clark died in 1886. Kjersti then married Hans Hansen who was killed by an electric tram while returning to work on his bike in 1905 in Dunedin.
Kjersti and John had several children, the oldest Hannah Bertha Clark married Albert Andreassen who was born in Stamsund Norway. At some point bewtween landing in New Zealand and being naturalised, the spelling of his name changed with the addition of the D on the end making it a unique spelling anywhere in the world.
Their youngest daughter May age 16 in 1926 gave birth to a tiny half chinese boy said to be the weight of a pound of butter, times were different back them, hospitals were rudimentary, illegitimate off spring were often left at orphanages and the secret hidden from family and society. Hannah `adopted` the half Chinese boy and raised him as her son.
That boy is my father Jim Andreassend.
In 1929 Hannahs oldest daughter Hannah Christina died in Timaru after returning from China where her husband Charlie Lum had died a few months earlier, leaving her young family, there were few options other than being raised by Albert and Hannah, without any social welfare as well as facing anti chinese Government policies and social attitudes. It wasn`t easy for the Lum children and I think it was the same for Albert and Hannah. In todays society many grandparents are struggling raising one or two grandchildren even with todays social welfare system. How much harder it must have been back in 1930s with the Great depression, no social welfare, Albert on labourers wages and Chinese were viewed with suspicion including those that associated with them.
New Zealand`s European Social history is still be researched, 'the Great and Good' are well documented but the bulk of the population, the poor and underclass comparatively little known. It deserves to be told it is not noble and painful at times, but its what our forebears had to face day to day.
This is what New Zealand and culture has been built on.
Albert and Hannah lived in Memorial Ave, Timaru most of their lives, they had a large family, were never wealthy , opinions vary as to what their off-spring and descendants think of them, this website is in part to help give an understanding of where they came from, who they were and what their legacy is to their following generations.
For me, the legacy is reflected in my father.
Ronald Andreassend
From the 1840 onwards saw considerable European settlement mainly from England and Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The first New Zealand Parliament was opened in 24 May 1854. By 1859 Europeans were the majority of the popluation. In the following years there were Maori Land wars in the North Island. In the South Island it was largely peaceful. Dunedin became the wealthiest City following the discovery of gold in the Otago area 1861.
New Zealand is virtually on the opposite side of the world to Europe, it was dangerous and long voyage compared to Canada and America. But my ancestors made the journey in hopes for a better life. Never to return to their homeland.
Kjersti came from Amotsdal in Norway 1863 and married John Clark in Dunedin . John Clark died in 1886. Kjersti then married Hans Hansen who was killed by an electric tram while returning to work on his bike in 1905 in Dunedin.
Kjersti and John had several children, the oldest Hannah Bertha Clark married Albert Andreassen who was born in Stamsund Norway. At some point bewtween landing in New Zealand and being naturalised, the spelling of his name changed with the addition of the D on the end making it a unique spelling anywhere in the world.
Their youngest daughter May age 16 in 1926 gave birth to a tiny half chinese boy said to be the weight of a pound of butter, times were different back them, hospitals were rudimentary, illegitimate off spring were often left at orphanages and the secret hidden from family and society. Hannah `adopted` the half Chinese boy and raised him as her son.
That boy is my father Jim Andreassend.
In 1929 Hannahs oldest daughter Hannah Christina died in Timaru after returning from China where her husband Charlie Lum had died a few months earlier, leaving her young family, there were few options other than being raised by Albert and Hannah, without any social welfare as well as facing anti chinese Government policies and social attitudes. It wasn`t easy for the Lum children and I think it was the same for Albert and Hannah. In todays society many grandparents are struggling raising one or two grandchildren even with todays social welfare system. How much harder it must have been back in 1930s with the Great depression, no social welfare, Albert on labourers wages and Chinese were viewed with suspicion including those that associated with them.
New Zealand`s European Social history is still be researched, 'the Great and Good' are well documented but the bulk of the population, the poor and underclass comparatively little known. It deserves to be told it is not noble and painful at times, but its what our forebears had to face day to day.
This is what New Zealand and culture has been built on.
Albert and Hannah lived in Memorial Ave, Timaru most of their lives, they had a large family, were never wealthy , opinions vary as to what their off-spring and descendants think of them, this website is in part to help give an understanding of where they came from, who they were and what their legacy is to their following generations.
For me, the legacy is reflected in my father.
Ronald Andreassend
