Mary Elizabeth Smith
(25 March 1857 - 29 May 1936)
Mary Elizabeth Smith was born in Kentish Town, London, England on 25 March 1857, then christened in the St Pancras Old Church on 26 July. Her parents were John Smith (born pre 1833 - died pre 1877 in England) and his wife Mary Ann Preston (1816 or 1817 - 20 July 1898).
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| Mary, as a young woman. Date & photographer unknown. (Photo courtesy of E Donaldson) |
Mary married William Keymer at the St Lukes Parish Church, Kentish Town, on 6 August 1877. He was 21 years old. She was 20. They had eleven children:
- Eliza (Lilah) Keymer (31 (20th?) May 1878 - 24 Sep 1959)
- William John Keymer (3 Mar 1880 - 28 Nov 1961)
- Louie Keymer (15 Sep 1881 - 12 Dec 1981)
- Ada Keymer (14 Jan 1884 - 27 Oct1974)
- Edith Keymer (22 April 1886 - 22 June 1971)
- Alice Keymer (23 May 1888 - 19 March 1973)
- Laura Keymer (23 April 1890 - 11 Jan 1983)
- Bertha Keymer (12 June 1892 - 1 Nov 1979)
- George Edward Keymer (9 Febr 1894 - 12 Oct 1917)
- Dorothy Keymer (26 April 1898 - 5 Aug 1968)
- Hector McDonald Keymer (13 May 1901 - 27 July 1994)
Prior to coming to New Zealand, the Keymer family lived in London. The Census of 1881 gives their address as 5 Hope Cottages, Kentish Town, London.
The Keymer family along with Mary's mother, Mary Ann Smith, nee Preston left England on board the ship Northumberland, on 10 December 1883, and arrived in Auckland, New Zealand on 18 March 1884, a journey of 93 days. The arrival of the Northumberland was announced in the local papers along with the names of the passengers. Note the special mention of the baby born to Mary while en route to New Zealand.
The school records for Mary's daughter, Alice, show that in 1896, the Keymer family were living at Brown Street, Ponsonby. The New Zealand City and Area Directories of 1887-8 and 1891 indicate that William Keymer's family lived on Summer Street, Ponsonby, on the right hand side from Ponsonby Road. The Keymer family later found a place to live at 25 Ponsonby Road in Auckland, on the right hand side just down a bit from Karangahape Road.
William and Mary were baptised into the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1887 as a result of a tent mission conducted by young American evangelist, Pastor Arthur Grosvenor Daniells (1858 - 1936). They attended the Ponsonby SDA Church on Macalvie Street and were founding members when it opened on 15 October 1887.
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| The Keymer family. 1889. Unknown photographer. (Photo courtesy of Keymer Family Tree) |
On 26 April 1989, Mary gave birth to her daughter Dorothy at home (Ponsonby Road).
In 1893, for about a year, William Snr lived in Sydney, Australia. It is unclear what he was doing there but we do know that it was at this time when he began to lose interest in church due to "business perplexities".
The Keymer family were also involved in the formation of the Epsom SDA Church which began in 1895.
The Electoral Roll of 1896 states that Mary's occupation was 'domestic duties'.
In July 1896 Mary advertised that she was interested to buy a stove that could heat ten irons:
WANTED - a Laundress' Ironing Stove,
for heating 10 irons, state where to be
seen. - Apply Mrs. Keymer, Ponsonby Road,
near Hepburn-street.
On 26 April 1898, Mary gave birth to Dorothy. It was a home birth. Barely five months later, in October, Mary was back at work. She advertised that the is a curtain dresser, charging from 1 shilling per pair of curtains.
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| The Keymer family 1898 Photographer unknown (Photo courtesy of G J Bland) |
Mary's mother passed away in Ponsonby, Auckland on 20 July 1898 as the result of stroke. She was 81 years of age. Mary Smith, nee Preston is buried at Purewa Cemetery, in the Keymer family plot, Block D Row 21 Plot 75.
Mary's father-in-law, widower, John Keymer (8 Sep 1826 - 8 July 1902), immigrated to New Zealand to join his son and his family in 1899. (His wife Eliza Farthing (13 Apr 1832 - Sep 1871) had died many years before.) It is quite remarkable for a 73 year old to make this journey! Sadly, John only spent a short time with his family before passing away on 8 July 1902 at the family home at 25 Ponsonby Road, Auckland. He was buried at Purewa Cemetery, in the Keymer family plot, Block D Row 21 Plot 76.
In October 1902, Mary advertised that her business was now based at a new home on Paget Street. The following month, this advertisement appeared in The New Zealand Herald:
Mary's father-in-law, widower, John Keymer (8 Sep 1826 - 8 July 1902), immigrated to New Zealand to join his son and his family in 1899. (His wife Eliza Farthing (13 Apr 1832 - Sep 1871) had died many years before.) It is quite remarkable for a 73 year old to make this journey! Sadly, John only spent a short time with his family before passing away on 8 July 1902 at the family home at 25 Ponsonby Road, Auckland. He was buried at Purewa Cemetery, in the Keymer family plot, Block D Row 21 Plot 76.
In October 1902, Mary advertised that her business was now based at a new home on Paget Street. The following month, this advertisement appeared in The New Zealand Herald:
WANTED Known- Mrs. Keymer, curtain-
dresser, Removed to Paget-street, 2nd
Two storeyed House from Picton-street.
On 7 February 1903, this notice appeared in The New Zealand Herald:
WANTED Known - That Mrs.Keymer, Cur-
tain dresser (late of Ponsonby Road)
has Removed to Cross-street, off Richmond
Road, first street past Costley Institute.
And in March 1903, this notice was in the paper;
MRS KEYMER, Curtain Dresser, late of
Ponsonby road, has Removed to Cham-
berlain-street, off Richmond-road.
Mary continued to advertised her services as a curtain dresser, working from her address in Chamberlain Street, Grey Lynn, in 1903, and up until at least November 1906.
On 24 January 1904, William and Mary's eldest son William, married Eliza Stow at her uncle's home.
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| The Keymer family, 1904. Seated back from left: Bertha (or could be Edith), Edith (or could be Bertha), Alice Seated middle from left: Eliza, Louie, Laura, William Snr, Mary, Ada, William Jnr Front, from left: George, Hector, Dorothy Unknown photographer. (Photo courtesy of G J Bland) |
On 17 October 1904 a notice appeared in the paper stating that one of the Keymer ladies had lost a fur boa the previous day. Obviously it was a much loved item!
The Keymer family then moved to Chamberlain Street, Auckland, around 1905/06.
From March 1910 - July/Aug 1915, the family lived on Birkdale Road, Birkdale, Auckland, then moved to a three bedroom home at 92 (now 120) Grange Road where they lived for almost two years.
On 16 October 1912, William and Mary hosted the wedding of their daughter Laura, and Walter Percy James, at their family home in Birkdale.
The War Years
William and Mary hosted the wedding of their daughter Louie to James Archibald on 19 April 1915 at their Birkdale home. The newly married couple initially settled in Parkhurst.
William and Mary moved house to a three bedroom homestead at 92 (now number 120, due to re-numbering of the street) Grange Road, Mt Eden, Auckland, in the middle of 1915. There they hosted the wedding of their fifth daughter, Alice, to Frederick Athol Sparks on 25 October 1915. The Keymers lived in Grange Road until mid 1917.
William and Mary hosted the wedding of their daughter Louie to James Archibald on 19 April 1915 at their Birkdale home. The newly married couple initially settled in Parkhurst.
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| The wedding of James (Jim) & Louie. 1915. From left: Mary Keymer, Alice Keymer, William Keymer, David Mitchell (James' cousin), James Keymer, Pastor J Martin Cole, Louie Keymer, The two girls at the front are Mary's grand-daughters, Dorothy and Mavis Keymer. (Photo courtesy of G J Bland) |
William and Mary moved house to a three bedroom homestead at 92 (now number 120, due to re-numbering of the street) Grange Road, Mt Eden, Auckland, in the middle of 1915. There they hosted the wedding of their fifth daughter, Alice, to Frederick Athol Sparks on 25 October 1915. The Keymers lived in Grange Road until mid 1917.
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| Mary Keymer. Date unknown. (Photo courtesy of G J Bland) |
In 1917, William Snr was rebaptised after a renewed interest in spiritual matters. It is likely that the world affairs of the time and the prayers of his family played a part in his spiritual awakening.
In March 1917, William and Mary's son, George, was appointed to the rank of Corporal while at the Featherston Camp. He was engaged to Frances (known as Fanny) May Harkin of Birkenhead. He served on the Western Front and was killed in the battle for Passchendaele on 12 October 1917.
From August 1917 and until 1922, William and Mary resided at Waimamaku in the Hokianga, on a farm of 331 acres. They returned to Ponsonby in 1922 and lived at 69 Wood Street until 1926 where William Snr passed away following a few months of a painful illness.
The 1919 Electoral Roll gives William and Mary's whereabouts as Waimamaku, where he was working as a farmer. Eliza was also there with them.
William Snr died on 31 October 1926 in the Auckland Hospital. He was 69 years. William's funeral was held at the Ponsonby SDA Church and he was buried at the Purewa Cemetery, in the family plot, Block D Row 21 Plot 75. The Deceased Person's Estate document shows that William's occupation was 'retired farmer'.
The Australasian Record printed the following obituary for William Snr on 13 December 1926, p7:
KEYMER - After a painful illness lasting over several months, Brother William Keymer passed away in the Auckland hospital October 31, aged sixty-nine years. Brother Keymer accepted this message under Pastor A. G. Daniells in 1886-87, but after continuing faithful for six years - part of which time he held the office of elder of the Ponsonby church - business perplexities caused spiritual declension and for twenty years he ceased to grow in grace. In 1917 he was rebaptised, and the Lord used him in helping others to see the light of truth. Though he leaves behind a sorrowing widow, two sons and eight daughters, it is encouraging to know that through the Christian, God-like lives of loving parents, of the ten children living seven are with their mother in this glorious truth, and they look forward with a sure and certain hope that the one who has been snatched from them in death will come forth on that glad resurrection morning. Services were conducted in the Ponsonby church, and the Purewa cemetery, by Pastor Scraff. P. G. FOSTER
The following acknowledgement was published in the papers following William's death:
MRS KEYMER AND FAMILY of Wood
Street, Ponsonby, wish to thank all kind
friends who sympathised with them in the
sad loss of their dear husband and father;
also for the telegrams, letters, cards, and
beautiful floral emblems.
Following William Snr's death, Mary and her daughter Lilah were on the move again. This time they lived on Barrack Road, Mt Wellington. In 1935 they moved to Opaheke Road, Papakura where they lived in a cottage next door to Louie Archibald (nee Keymer).
When daughter Louie Archibald's mother in law, Catherine, died in 1935, the cottage on the property became the home for her mother Mary, and her sister Lilah.
In March 1917, William and Mary's son, George, was appointed to the rank of Corporal while at the Featherston Camp. He was engaged to Frances (known as Fanny) May Harkin of Birkenhead. He served on the Western Front and was killed in the battle for Passchendaele on 12 October 1917.
From August 1917 and until 1922, William and Mary resided at Waimamaku in the Hokianga, on a farm of 331 acres. They returned to Ponsonby in 1922 and lived at 69 Wood Street until 1926 where William Snr passed away following a few months of a painful illness.
The 1919 Electoral Roll gives William and Mary's whereabouts as Waimamaku, where he was working as a farmer. Eliza was also there with them.
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| The Keymer family, back row from left: William Jnr's son, Hector, Dorothy, William Jnr's son Front frow from left, Lilah, Mary, William Snr Photographer and date unknown but likely to be around/before 1924. (Photo courtesy of E Donaldson) |
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| Mary and William Photographer unknown, but around 1926. (Photo courtesy of E Donaldson) |
William Snr died on 31 October 1926 in the Auckland Hospital. He was 69 years. William's funeral was held at the Ponsonby SDA Church and he was buried at the Purewa Cemetery, in the family plot, Block D Row 21 Plot 75. The Deceased Person's Estate document shows that William's occupation was 'retired farmer'.
The Australasian Record printed the following obituary for William Snr on 13 December 1926, p7:
KEYMER - After a painful illness lasting over several months, Brother William Keymer passed away in the Auckland hospital October 31, aged sixty-nine years. Brother Keymer accepted this message under Pastor A. G. Daniells in 1886-87, but after continuing faithful for six years - part of which time he held the office of elder of the Ponsonby church - business perplexities caused spiritual declension and for twenty years he ceased to grow in grace. In 1917 he was rebaptised, and the Lord used him in helping others to see the light of truth. Though he leaves behind a sorrowing widow, two sons and eight daughters, it is encouraging to know that through the Christian, God-like lives of loving parents, of the ten children living seven are with their mother in this glorious truth, and they look forward with a sure and certain hope that the one who has been snatched from them in death will come forth on that glad resurrection morning. Services were conducted in the Ponsonby church, and the Purewa cemetery, by Pastor Scraff. P. G. FOSTER
The following acknowledgement was published in the papers following William's death:
MRS KEYMER AND FAMILY of Wood
Street, Ponsonby, wish to thank all kind
friends who sympathised with them in the
sad loss of their dear husband and father;
also for the telegrams, letters, cards, and
beautiful floral emblems.
Following William Snr's death, Mary and her daughter Lilah were on the move again. This time they lived on Barrack Road, Mt Wellington. In 1935 they moved to Opaheke Road, Papakura where they lived in a cottage next door to Louie Archibald (nee Keymer).
When daughter Louie Archibald's mother in law, Catherine, died in 1935, the cottage on the property became the home for her mother Mary, and her sister Lilah.
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| Mary Keymer, unknown man & her daughter. (Photo courtesy of G J Bland) |
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| Lilah Keymer with her mother, Mary. Date unknown. (Photo courtesy of G J Bland) |
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| Mary Keymer with her grandson, Barry Keymer, 1934. Photographer unknown. (Photo courtesy of G J Bland) |
On Saturday afternoon 13 April, 1935, Mary and her daughters, Eliza and Louie, attended a reunion at the Ponsonby SDA Church where the pioneer and charter members reminisced about the beginnings of the church in 1887. All three women had been in attendance when the church was opened 48 years earlier.
Mary (79) passed away on Friday 29 May 1936 in her Opaheke Road home in Papakura, Auckland after suffering from appendicitis and pneumonia. She was buried next to her husband William at the Purewa Cemetery. Mary's death notice was printed in the Auckland Star, 30 May 1936, as follows:
Mary (79) passed away on Friday 29 May 1936 in her Opaheke Road home in Papakura, Auckland after suffering from appendicitis and pneumonia. She was buried next to her husband William at the Purewa Cemetery. Mary's death notice was printed in the Auckland Star, 30 May 1936, as follows:
The following death notice appeared in the Auckland Star on 4 June 1936:
Mrs. Mary E. Keymer
The death occurred of Mrs. Mary E.
Keymer, at the age of 70, at her resi-
dence, Opaheke Road, Papakura. Mrs.
Keymer and her late husband came out
to New Zealand from London about 50
years ago in the ship Northumberland
and had spent most of her life in Auck-
land. She had been a member of the
Seventh Day Adventists since the com-
mencement of the church in Auckland in
1886. Her husband, Mr. W. Keymer,
died nine years ago. Mrs. Keymer is
survived by eight daughters, Mrs. J.
Archibald (Papakura), Mrs. A. Johnson
(New Lynn), Mrs. J. Oldham (Morning-
side), Mrs. A. Sparks and Mrs. E. C.
Jarrett (Mount Albert), Mrs. W. P.
James and Mrs. R. Parlane (Sandring-
ham) and Miss E. Keymer (Papakura),
and two sons, Mr. W. J. Keymer (Birk-
dale) and Mr. H. Keymer (Taheke).
Another son, Mr. G. E. Keymer, was
killed at the war.
Mary's funeral was held at the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Mackelvie Street, Ponsonby on the following Sunday afternoon. She was then buried at the Purewa Cemetery in Meadowbank, Auckland. Click here to see a picture of the Keymer family plot.
The following obituary for Mary Keymer was published in the Australasian Record, on Monday 29 June 1936:
The Keymer family plot at Purewa Cemetery, Block D Row 21, Plot 75/76, William and Mary Keymer are buried there, along with William's father, William Keymer Snr, and Mary's mother, Mary Ann Smith.
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| The Keymer grave, Purewa Cemetery, Auckland (Photo by K Bland 2016) |
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| 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) |
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| The Keymer grave marker. (Photo by K Bland 2016) |
Bibliography
Anonymous. (1936, May 30). Deaths. Auckland Star. 1. Retrieved from https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19360530.2.7 Accessed 2 April 2021.
Piper, H. E. (1936, June 29). Keymer. Australasian Record. 7. Retrieved from
https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/AAR/AAR19360629-V40-26.pdf Accessed 2 April 2021).
McArthur, B. (n.d.). Daniells, Arthur Grosvenor (1858-1936). Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. Retrieved from https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=8972&highlight=a|g|daniells Accessed 2 April 2021.
Sources
- Papers Past
- Births, Deaths and Marriages
- The Keymer Family
- The Australasian Record - Online archives
- Family records complied by Jessie McLean
- Purewa Cemetery & Crematorium
- Richmond Road School. Records, 1885-1987. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS-2002-116. Accessed 27 May 2016.
- Photographs - E Donaldson, G J Bland
Last updated 3 April 2021
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