History of Robert Magson
from
Rae Magson(New Zealand)

Robert Magson was born at Welburn, Yorkshire, England on 12 June 1842, the fourth son of Nathan Foster Magson (born Amotherby, 28 February 1805) and Sarah Catherine Kitchen. It is believed Nathan’s other brothers and sisters were Thomas (1797), John (1799), William (1801), Ann (1807), Mary (1809), Dorothy (1811), Joseph (born 1816, died at 10weeks), Ann (1825) and William (1827). It is a puzzle why there are two Williams and two Anns. Their father was John Magson, a labourer from Appleton. He was born in 1764, married Mary Welburne in 1796. Margaret was the daughter of Thomas Welburne, married in 1774 to Margaret Foster.

For reasons not known, Robert came to New Zealand in the ship "Eastern Empire" in 1864. After arriving he worked in turn on the construction of the West Coast and Lochinvar Roads, and the West Coast goldfields. There is a family story that Robert when working on the goldfields, instead of making money, lost one hundred pounds, a lot of money in those days. Firstly he purchased land at Dunsandel, then land at Rakaia (518 acres) in 1873. This land was all in its native state, but the land was cropped with good results, threshing as much as fifty-five bushels to the acre. After growing grain for six years he stocked his land with sheep, and then farmed on the rotation system, with about one-third of the farm in white and green crops. Cattle and horses were kept only for the use of the farm. Robert was married in Christchurch to Catherine McPhail and they produced six children. Catherine died at the age of 31 years of appendicitis. The youngest child Catherine Anne (Tot) was brought up by her grandparents, Alexander and Jane McPhail, after her mother died.

It is believed that Robert took Jeannie (first daughter) for two trips to England before her marriage in 1908.

Robert’s brother, John Magson (1835) and sister, Ann (1837) also came out to New Zealand, eventually retired into the township of Rakaia, and are both interred at the Rakaia Cemetery.

In 1892 Robert gave two acres of land to open the Rokeby School, and for 73 years a Magson attended this school. Twenty-six Magsons, belonging to three generations, had attended the school in succession. Sadly a few years ago this small country school was closed down, but a plaque still remains, commemorating the achievement of Alan Magson, runner up at a world ploughing championship in 1961.

Robert’s oldest son was Alexander John (called Jack) Magson (1871) who married Margaret Hurst and had three children, Eileen Catherine (1897), Robert Hurst (1900) and Foster Burrowes (1912). Jack was very interested in local body affairs but died at a relatively early age of 53 years, of diabetes.

Jack’s sisters and brothers were –

Sarah Jane (Jeannie) Magson maried to James Callaghan, had one son.

Francis Barclay Magson (known as Frank) married to Matilda McClure. Matilda also died of appendicitis at the early age of 44 years, leaving a family of seven, three sons and four daughters.

Robert Southerby (known as Bob) Magson was an engineer. He was last heard of in 1914, writing from South Africa, after that he seems to have disappeared.

Walker Foster (known as Dick) Magson, married Elizabeth Crothers, no family. Dick kept racehorses, one of his horses won six races, the proceeds built a wool shed on his farm, in approximately 1930.

Catherine Ann Magson married Charles Christmas, no family.

Robert and Eileen Magson, son and daughter of Jack Magson did not marry, but Foster married Madge Cameron, having two daughters Patricia Janet (1937) and Rae Margaret (1941).

Time moves on, Pat married Rex Tarbotton, had three sons, they now have nine living grandchildren. The writer, Rae married and had two daughters and one son, and now has four granddaughters, divorced along the way, remarried to John Atkinson, but prefers to use the maiden name of Magson.

Rae Magson