22 September 1884 - 15 July 1916
John was my great grandmother's brother in law,
the husband of her sister Rachel.
the husband of her sister Rachel.
I have researched the following information about John
from his military records and other related texts.
I have endeavored to record the story of
his involvement in the war as accurately as possible.
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| Jack's memorial photo in the Auckland Weekly News Photo courtesy of the Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-19160817-40-11 |
John (Jack) Leigh White was born in Auckland on 22 September 1884. He was the fifth child of John Ebenezer White (1 Aug 1834 - 17 Aug 1892) who was known as Ebenezer, and his second wife, Charlotte Benge (1854 - 8 Oct 1929).
White family history
Jack came from a well-known family. His paternal grandfather was Englishman, William White (11 Feb 1794 - 25 Nov 1875), an ordained Wesleyan missionary who was sent to New Zealand in 1822 to help Reverend Samuel Leigh establish the first Wesleyan mission in the colony. He brought out his English-born wife, Eliza Leigh (11 July 1809 - 27 Feb 1883), to New Zealand, in 1830 and they settled in the Hokianga, which at the time, was the centre of the bustling Kauri timber trade. White was known for his strong and uncompromising personality. While he was esteemed by many Maori for his concern for their interests, he enraged many of the European settlers when he tried to prevent the importing of liquor, and would try to stall their purchase of Maori owned land. White's actions, coupled with his choleric personality, enraged many settlers who eventually brought accusations of improper conduct against him. This caused the Wesleyan leadership to repatriate White. On 28 July 1836 he left New Zealand and returned to England where he was eventually dismissed from his role as clergyman in 1838. White returned to New Zealand in December 1838 and set up a trading company next to the mission station he once worked at. Later he moved the family to Auckland where he continued to trade. (More information about William and Eliza White and their work can be found at the website here, and in the publication 'The Methodist Mission in New Zealand. First Years at Hokianga 1827 - 1836' which can be found via the link here. Another article entitled 'The 'Bickerings' of the 'Mangungu Brethren': Talk , Tales and Rumour in Early New Zealand' is also valuable when researching the life of William White. It can be found here.)
While William and Eliza White had several children, only two sons survived into adulthood:
- John Ebenezer White (1 Aug 1834 - 17 Aug 1892) who was known as Ebenezer.
- Thomas Leigh White (c1836 - 19 Mar 1892)
John Ebenezer White (known as Ebenezer) who was also an interesting character. He was born in Mangungu, Hokianga. Little is known about Ebenezer's early years, except that he lived in England for almost two years when he was a toddler. The family returned to New Zealand when he was four years old. His early years were spent in Hokianga, where he likely learnt to speak Te Reo Maori. The family then moved to Auckland.
The defining moment of Ebenezer's life occurred in August 1867, when the 33 year old and three other companions discovered gold at the Shotover Mine in Thames, Coromandel. The four men were given miner's rights. According to the website, 'The True Story of the Discovery of the Shotover Mine at Thames in 1867' by David H Clarkson, each of the four men received at least 40 000 pounds from their discoveries.
Ebenezer married Alice Mary Josephine Sullivan (1835 - ?) on 14 June 1869 at the Church of St John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, Parnell, Auckland. The marriage didn't last. After discovering that his wife had been unfaithful, Ebenezer went back to England. It is unclear how long he lived there.
In December 1871 Ebenezer's well-known villa was sent to auction. The property was described in the Auckland Star, 15 December 1871, as a "comfortable villa residence and grounds, situate on Shelly Beach Road, near the Ponsonby Road, being too well known to require further comment."
Ebenenzer's father, William White (83), died in Auckland on 25 November 1875. He was buried in the Symonds Street Cemetery, the first official cemetery in Auckland city being opened in 1842. His grave can be found in the Wesleyan Section, Plot A4.
While in England, Ebenezer met English-born Charlotte Benge (1855 - 8 Oct 1929) and although he was upset at his wife having an affair, he began one himself. Ebenenzer and Charlotte had seven children. The first four were born in England, and the younger three were born in New Zealand:
- William Benge White (1876 - 25 Nov 1952)
- Eliza White (1879 - unknown)
- Edward J White (1881 - unknown)
- Thomas White (1882 - unknown)
- John Leigh White (22 September 1884 - 15 July 1915)
- Charlotte Emily White (1887 - 25 Oct 1945)
- Annie May White (1889 - 12 January 1905) who was known as May.
In April 1877, after the birth of his first child, Ebenezer appears to have returned to New Zealand and began divorce proceedings against his wife and a Mr George Bennett (also a miner), accusing them of having an affair.
Following the court case it seems that Ebenezer returned to England and married Charlotte. Ebenezer (46) is recorded on the 1881 UK Census (taken on 3 April) as being a retired gold miner, and was living in Battersea, London, with his wife Charlotte (26) and their three older children, William (5), Eliza (2) and newborn baby Edward.
In 1882, Ebenezer and Charlotte welcomed another son, Thomas, into their family.
Ebenezer's mother, Eliza Leigh died in Auckland on 27 February 1883 and was buried with her husband in the Symonds Street Cemetery. This loss may have been the catalyst for bringing his young family to New Zealand and settling down in Auckland.
Jack's birth & childhood
On 22 September 1884, following the White family's arrival in New Zealand, baby John (Jack) Leigh White was born. (Ebenezer was 50 years old at the time.) Jack's middle name, 'Leigh', was his paternal grandmother's maiden name.
When Jack was around three years old, his sister Charlotte Emily White was born. Two years later, his youngest sibling, Annie May White (known as May) was born.
On 17 August 1892, when Jack was one month shy of his eighth birthday, his father, who was a resident of the Avondale Asylum, died, aged 58. The following obituary was printed in the Taranaki Herald, 19 August 1892:
Ebenezer White was buried at the Symonds Street Cemetery.
It is unknown how Jack's mother was able to raise her family after the death of her husband but it must have been very difficult.
Education
Nothing is presently know about Jack's education.
Another setback in Jack's young life was the death of his 15 year old sister May, who died on 12 January 1905 as a result of being thrown from a horse. Here is a brief newspaper report on her death, published in the Colonist, 13 January 1905:
A more detailed report into May's accidental death was published in The New Zealand Herald, 13 January 1905:
May was buried at Purewa Cemetery, Block E, Row 51, Plot 9.
Marriage & family
John Leigh White (23) married 30 year old Rachel (Ray) Barnett (25 October 1877 - 1939) at the Parsonage, Ponsonby, on Tuesday 19 May 1908, just 12 days after her father, Walter (known as Harry), passed away.
John and Ray settled in Masterton where two children were born to them:
John and Ray settled in Masterton where two children were born to them:
- Elizabeth May White (5 or 6 July 1910 - 1999) who was known as May, probably named after her father's youngest sister, Annie May White, who died as a teenager.
- John (Jack) Angus White (31 Oct 1912 - 7 Feb 1984)
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| John's wife, Rachel White (nee Barnett). Date & photographer unknown. (Photo courtesy of L Prole) |
John embarked on the ship Mokoia from Wellington on 5 February 1916. Two other troopships left at the same time. They all arrived at the Suez on 15 March 1916. The following month, John and his battalion embarked on the ship Alaunia, for France from Alexandria (7 April 1916).
John was killed in action in Somme, Northern France, on 15 July 1916 as a result of shell-fire. He was 31 years old. John was buried at the Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentieres, France, I D 21.
Jack's death notice was printed in the Wairarapa Daily Times on 29 July 1916:
On the anniversary of Jack's death, Ray and her children put the following heartfelt tribute to him in the Wairarapa Age, 16 July 1917:
Jack's death notice was printed in the Wairarapa Daily Times on 29 July 1916:
On the anniversary of Jack's death, Ray and her children put the following heartfelt tribute to him in the Wairarapa Age, 16 July 1917:
- Two days later, this memorial was printed in the paper:
- And this very touching tribute was placed in the Wairarapa Age by Rachel and the two children following John's death:
Rachel White with her children May and John.
This photo was taken nine days after John left for the war.
14 February 1916, Masterton
(Photo courtesy of L Prole)- John's name is engraved on the Wairarapa Soldiers' Memorial which was unveiled in Queen Elizabeth Park, Masterton, on 16 September 1923.
- John received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. His medals, plague and scroll were sent to his wife Rachel in 1921 and 1922, who, it appears, was still living at the Pownall Street home in Masterton.
Rachel White (left) & Isabella Williams (right),
with their mother Elizabeth Barnett (seated).
Unknown date and photographer.
(Photo courtesy of L Prole)- Sources of InformationOnline Cenotaph Records - Auckland War Memorial MuseumArchives NZ - Archway Record R22018560Wiki Tree - Family Tree for Rachel (Barnett) White and John Leigh White
- Papers Past
- L Prole
- Purewa Cemetery - Burial & Cremation Details (Annie May White) http://www.purewa.co.nz/view/?id=42489
- Anonymous. (n.d.) William White. Find a Grave. Retrieved from https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/194144287/william-white
- Anonymous. (1871, December 15). Auckland Sales. Auckland Star. 3. Retrieved from http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS18711215.2.24.6
- Anonymous. (1892, August 19). Obituary. Death of Mr Ebenezer White. Taranaki Herald. 2. Retrieved from https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TH18920819.2.17
- Anonymous. (1905, January 13). Young Woman Killed. Colonist. 4. Retrieved from https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TC19050113.2.17.1
- Anonymous. (1905, January 13). Distressing Accident at Remuera. A Girl Killed. Dragged by a Bolting Horse. The New Zealand Herald. 5. Retrieved https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19050113.2.24
- Anonymous. (1916, July 29). Death. Wairarapa Daily Times. 4. Retrieved from https;//paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WDT19160729.2.9
- Anonymous. (1916, August 17). New Zealand's Roll of Honour: Non Commissioned Officers and Men who have Suffered in the Great War. The Auckland Weekly News. 40. Retrieved from http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpub.dll?BU=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aucklandcity.govt.nz%2Fdbtw-wpd%2FHeritageImages%2Findex.htm&AC=QBE_QUERY&TN=heritageimages&QF0=ID&NP=2&MR=5&RF=HIORecordSearch&QI0=%3D%22AWNS-19160817-40-11%22
- Anonymous. (1917, July 16). Roll of Honour. In Memorandum. Wairarapa Age. 4. Retrieved from https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WAG19170716.2.12
- Clarkson, David H. (2008). The True Story of the Discovery of the Shotover Mine at Thames in 1867. Retrieved from https://thetreasury.org.nz/Shotover/Shotover.htm
- Last updated 12 October 2019
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