Ebenezer Norris and Family (Part 2)

In 1890 when Ebenezer suddenly passed from this world following the untimely drowning of his brother William, his family fell on hard times. The 1880s had been a decade of financial struggle for many and the Norris family was no exception. Newspaper records show they offered their home ‘Barbreck’ for sale unsuccessfully for months, stretching into years, in the late 80s whilst Ebenezer was still with them.

Colin Campbell Norris, 1871-1926
Image courtesy of McKenzie family

Following his death sons Colin and Gregory, who were 19 and 15, found work on coastal ships, 17 year-old Amy undoubtedly helped to run the home, and the two youngest Ruby and Connie were but nine and six. 

Suddenly having to adjust to her straitened circumstances, Amelia coped admirably for one who prior to her marriage had not even had to attend to her own hair. Barbreck Store on Wharf Street continued to trade but eventually home and business were lost and they moved back to ‘High Trees’ in Harington Street and took in boarders. They were however a close and happy family.

Barbreck Stores advertisement, Bay of Plenty Times 11 Feb 1891

Frederick, the  adopted nephew married in 1902. Gregory George married in 1909 and he and his wife Edith had two daughters, Rose and Edith. She must have died rather young and some years later GG married Grace, the youngest daughter of family friend Canon Jordan. Amy married Captain Charles Millar, also in 1909.

Soon after this, Colin, Ruby, Connie and Amelia became resident at ‘Dilston,’ — “a large colonial homestead in Elizabeth Street East at an elevation of about 100 feet overlooking the harbour” — and advertised for boarders once more.

Wedding day of CC Norris and Annie Chivers, 1911
Tauranga City Libraries, Pae Korokī Ref. 04-585

In 1911 there were two more marriages in the family. Colin, now a land and estate agent who travelled and promoted Tauranga as a desirable area, met and married English born Edith (Annie) Chivers in Wellington at the Island Bay home of her uncle Richard Keene, the mayor of Melrose. Colin was 40 and his bride around 30. They returned from their wedding trip to set up home at ‘Dilston.’ Colin’s business partner George Bell won Connie as his bride that same year.

Small sailboats on Tauranga foreshore, Norris building behind, after 1911
Tauranga City Libraries, Pae Korokī Ref. 04-589

Around this time Norris and Bell commissioned a commercial building at the bottom of Devonport Rd later known as the Triangle building. At one time their estate agency was not too far along the Strand.

Colin and Annie had their first daughter Nancy in 1912, followed in 1919 by Amy Ada Campbell (called Gipsy all her life) but their aunts Amy and Connie remained childless and Ruby was a spinster. The latter was a talented florist and had her shop in Devonport Rd.

Sewing party in Fencible cottage, Tauranga, 1898
From L: Horne, Davies, Maria Harvey (née Bickers), Connie Norris
Tauranga City Libraries, Pae Korokī Ref. 01-617

Tragically Annie died within a week or two following Gipsy’s birth and shortly thereafter Colin put ‘Dilston’ up for sale and moved with 7 year old Nancy to ‘Rawhiti’ at 206 Devonport Road (opposite Holy Trinity). There they resided with Amelia once more and Connie and George took over the care of baby Gipsy.

Muriel Griffiths (back left) and Ruby Norris (centre front) with friends
Tauranga City Libraries, Pae Korokī Ref. 04-046

Interestingly, in 1923 an old family friend Gilbert Mair passed away aged 80 at ‘Rawhiti’ having spent several years with the Norris family. His body was taken by Te Arawa to Maketu for about 36 hours and then from the Ohau Channel by waka to Ohinemutu where he was later interred in front of St Faiths Anglican Church.

Colin was interested and involved in boating all his life, he established the Auckland Anniversary Tauranga regatta with the trophy known as the Colin Norris Gold Cup.  He died in 1926, aged 55. His mother Amelia reached the age of 88 and passed on nine years later.

Many thanks to Gipsy’s daughter Fiona for all her kind help with this story.

Sources
Papers Past
Pae Koroki
Notes by Gipsy Mckenzie from private family papers
Gilbert Mair, by Ron Crosby 2004
Three Brothers - The Adventures of Ebenezer, Gregory and William Norris in NZ, 1851-1899  by Rick Norris, 2021