Richmond Road School Register information

This afternoon I browsed through the Richmond Road School register which is housed at the Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. It was fascinating to read the details in the registers. This is what I found out:

Louie Keymer - student # 670

• Louie was enrolled at Richmond Road School on 23 September 1889. No guardians were listed.
• Her previous school had been Ponsonby School. 
• She lasted just two weeks at the school. Her last day at Richmond Road School was 8 October. The register said her destination was Ponsonby.

Ada Keymer - student #671

• Ada was enrolled at Richmond Road School on 23 September 1889. No guardians were listed.
• Her previous school had been Ponsonby School.
• When removed from the school (date not given), her destination was Ponsonby.

Edith Keymer - student #1086

• Edith was enrolled at Richmond Road School on 7 August 1899 by her father, W Keymer of Ponsonby Road.
• The previous school that Edith attended was Beresford Street School where she had attained Standard V.
• Her last day at Richmond Road School was 25 October 1899. She left for home.

Alice Keymer - student #1210

• Alice was enrolled at Richmond Road School on 5 February 1894 by her father, W Keymer of Brown Street.
• Her previous school had been Beresford Street School.
• Not sure when Alice left Richmond Road School or where she went.
• Alice was re-enrolled at Richmond Road School on 7 August 1899 by her father, W Keymer of Ponsonby Road. Student #1087
• The previous school that Alice attended was Beresford Street School where she had attained Standard III.
• She passed Standard IV on 8 July 1901, at Richmond Road School
• Alice's last day at Richmond Road School was 18 December 1901. She left for a private school.
• Alice was re-enrolled at Richmond Road School on 25 August 1902 by her father, W Keymer of Ponsonby Road. Student #1940.
• Alice had been attending Newton West School prior to returning to Richmond Road School.where she completed Standard V.
• Alice left Richmond Road School on 19 December 1902. She left for home.

Laura Keymer - student #1088

• Laura was enrolled at Richmond Road School on 7 August 1899 by her father, W Keymer of Ponsonby Road.
• The previous school that Laura attended was Beresford Street School where she had attained Standard II.
• Laura passed Standard III on 16 July 1900, and Standard IV on 8 July 1901.
• Laura's last day at Richmond Road School was 18 December 1901. She left for a private school.
• Laura was re-enrolled at Richmond Road School on 25 August 1902 by her father, W Keymer of Ponsonby Road. Student #1939.
• Laura had been attended Newton West School prior to returning to Richmond Road School. 
• Laura completed Standard V at Richmond Road School in July 1903.
• Her last day at Richmond Road School was 17 December 1903. She left for home.

Bertha Keymer - student #1089

• Bertha was enrolled at Richmond Road School on 7 August 1899 by her father, W Keymer of Ponsonby Road.
• The previous school that Laura attended was Beresford Street School.
• Bertha passed Standard II on 8 July 1901.
• Bertha's last day at Richmond Road School was 18 December 1901. She left for a private school.
• Bertha was re-enrolled at Richmond Road School on 25 August 1902 by her father, W Keymer of Ponsonby Road. Student #1941.
• Bertha had been at Newton West School and completed Standard II prior to returning to Richmond Road School. 
• Bertha's last day at Richmond Road School was 11 May 1906. She had attained at least Standard V or even VI (record was unclear). Bertha left for Helensville.

George Edward Keymer - student #1682

• George was enrolled at Richmond Road School on 28 October 1901 by his father, W Keymer of Ponsonby Road.
• Richmond Road School was George's first school. 
• His last day at Richmond Road School was 18 December 1901. He left for a private school.
• George was re-enrolled at Richmond Road School on 25 August 1902, by his father, W Keymer of Ponsonby Road. Student #1942.
• His previous school was Newton West, where he had attained Standard I. 
• George passed Standard II in July 1903, Standard III in July 1904, Standard IV on 17 July 1905, Standard V on 11 July 1906 and Standard VI in July 1907, all at Richmond Road School.
• He left Richmond Road School on 18 December 1907. He left for Grammar School.

Dorothy Keymer - student #2425

• Dorothy was enrolled at Richmond Road School 8 February 1904, by her father, W Keymer of Chamberlain Street, Ponsonby.
• Richmond Road was Dorothy's first school
• She passed Standard I in July 1907, Standard II in December 1908, and Standard III in December 1909, all at Richmond Road School.
• Dorothy left Richmond Road School on 22 February 1910. She left for Birkdale. 

Hector Macdonald Keymer - student #3179

• Hector was enrolled at Richmond Road School on 14 May 1906 by his father, W Keymer of Chamberlain Street, Ponsonby.
• Richmond Road School was Hector's first school
• He stayed at the school barely one month. His last day at the school was 13 June 1906. The reason for his withdrawal was 'left for home, ill health'.
• I was unable to find a re-enrollment for Hector at Richmond Road School.

Richmond Road School Roll of Honour

Richmond Road School, in Ponsonby, Auckland, has a wonderfully large Roll of Honour made of polished oak. It contains the names of men who attended the school who died during World War 1. It was very moving to see Uncle George Keymer's name high up on the board. Just as I spotted it, three little junior girls walked by and stopped in front of the memorial. They were talking about the names and supposing they were there because they had died in the war. The girls didn't know which war it was so explained what the memorial is for and the reason why I came to see it. The girls were very intrigued and started to read the names on the board. I hope more students from Richmond Road School will take the time to learn the stories behind the names.

Richmond Road School's Roll of Honour is made of polished oak
and hangs proudly in a busy corridor.
(Photo by K Bland)

George Keymer's name is listed on the Roll of Honour.
(Photo by K Bland)

Richmond Road School's Roll of Honour lists more
than 200 former students who died in World War 1.
(Photo by K Bland)

Keymer grave

Seeing the grave of my Keymer ancestors was very special. If it wasn't for them I would not be here!

In this grave lies my great great grandparents, William and Mary Keymer. This grave also contains my great great great grandfather, William Keymer Snr and my great great great grandmother, Mary Ann Smith.

It was sad to see the grave looking so broken up, and it isn't very well labeled, but at least it is recognizable to those who know what to look for. Perhaps oneday, the descendants of William & Mary Keymer will band together to tidy the grave up a bit, and put up a new gravestone with names and dates. 

The Keymer grave, Purewa Cemetery, Auckland
(Photo by K Bland 2016)

The grave of William and Mary Keymer and William's father, 

William Keymer Snr, and Mary's mother, Mary Ann Smith.

(Photo by K Bland 2016)

The Keymer grave marker.
(Photo by K Bland 2016)

Keymer-Archibald connection

James (Jim) Archibald married Louie Keymer at her family home in Birkdale on 19 April 1915.

The wedding of James (Jim) & Louie.

Wedding of Louie Keymer to James Archibald, 19 April 1915.
Most of the people in this photograph are family members.

James (Jim) & Louie on their wedding day,
shortly before heading off on their honeymoon.

Louie and Jim on their honeymoon in the Blue Mountains, Australia.

James and Louie settled at the Archibald farm in Parkhurst, Helensville where they lived until around 1921. 

Jim and Louie Archibald are at the foot of the steps of their Parkhurst home, while her brother, George Keymer, is at the top of the steps with his fiancee Frances (known as Fanny) Harkin. This picture was taken in either 1915 or 1916. Photographer unknown. 

William and Mary Keymer

William and Mary Keymer and their oldest four children settled in Auckland, New Zealand in 1884. They arrived as assisted immigrants, along with Mary's mother, Mary Ann Smith. The youngest child, Ada, was born during the voyage to New Zealand.

The Keymer family, 1889.
Photographer unknown
(Photo courtesy of The Keymer Family)

The Keymer family, 1898.

The Keymer family, 1904.

The Keymer family 1915
Photographer unknown
(Photo courtesy of E Donaldson)

The Keymer family, 1915.
Photographer unknown
(Photo courtesy of The Keymer Family)

Source

Keymer Family Tree
E Donaldson