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Generation 1 - Children of John and Theodosia

Generation 1 - Children of John and Isabella

Generation 2 - Children of John Bentley Sharp

Arthur Sharp, 1870-1944

Arthur was the fourth child of John Sharp and his first wife Theodosia. He was born in Lee, Kent on 27 June 1870.

Arthur probably came to New Zealand when he was about 10 years old, with his older brothers Ernest and Bertram, as cemetery records show he had been in New Zealand for 66 years when he died. However on which ship, to which port, and with whom he came is unknown without further research of shipping records of the time. Quite often children were just listed as numbers, not individually named. At least four settler ships arrived at Port Chalmers from London during 1878, including the Easterhill, Norval, Waipa and Wanganui.

Occupation

Later on, Arthur lived at Brighton south of Dunedin. He was a clerk and shopkeeper while Albert was a tradesman painter.

Eileen believes that about 1911 Arthur went to Melbourne and stayed at a mens' boarding house run by a Sarah Cartwright who was born in 1875 in England. A romance developed and he and Sarah were eventually married and had one daughter Jean (whose full name was Theodosia Letitia Jean after her grandmother), who was born in Australia in 1915. She was only two years younger than Eileen, and they had quite a close bond over the years. Apparently Arthur returned to Dunedin with Sarah and their toddler Jean about 1920, and ran a boarding house in North George Street for some time.

When Eileen was about 12 years of age, Arthur took over a shop with second hand goods, in King Edward Road, towards St Kilda. It was an average type of shop for the times with a living room and kitchen on the ground floor behind the shop, and sleeping quarters upstairs.

During the school holidays Eileen's sister Joan spent time with their cousin Jean at her parents shop premises. During one of these visits, Joan and Jean both came down with the mumps, and sent word to their mother Margaret, who despatched Eileen a week later to fetch Joan home when she was fit enough to travel. Eileen says she did not see much of her Uncle Arthur; he was a quiet man, and kept in the background, "but Aunty Sarah and Jean visited us often at the Green Island Hotel."

Apparently Arthur had been a patient in Seacliff Hospital on two occasions with deep depression. After treatment he would be discharged from hospital and continue his recovery while running his shop.

Eileen remembers that in the early 1970s, she and Jean got together again through their cousin Nell Creighton after not seeing much of each other for a while.

Eileen only knew that Jean had two children, a boy called James and a daughter. Eileen says she only met the daughter once, that she had married a mechanic and had a son James who was a motorbike enthusiast who ran his own business repairing motorbikes. He became one of New Zealand's first class motorcyclists, and in the 1980s he was actually involved internationally as a New Zealand representative. They were living in Dunedin at the time, and Jean was in Hazelhurst Street, in Caversham near Lookout Point. She was last heard from by Eileen in the early 1990s. (Eileen did get her wires crossed sometimes, and the true story is outlined below.)

However, it has been discovered that Jean actually had four children:

Neville James, 1941-1970
Arthur Charles, 1942-
Gloria Marlene, 1946-2009
James Dennis, 1950-

A search of the Dunedin City Council cemetery records and White Pages online has found the family of Gloria, and contact was made in April 2010. As a result, the family tree for Jean was provided by Gloria's husband, Paul Fairbairn of Dunedin.

Death Notices - Arthur and Sarah

Arthur died on 12 April 1944 aged 73 years, and was buried in Andersons Bay Cemetery (Block 149, Plot 91). His address at the time was 82 Frederick St, Dunedin.

His death notice reads:

Sharp – on April 12, 1944, at his residence, 82 Frederick St, Dunedin, Arthur, beloved husband of Sarah Sharp and loved father of Jean; in his 74th year. His end was peace. The funeral will leave our Chapel, 326 George St, tomorrow (Friday), the 14th inst at 1.30 pm (service at 1.20 pm) for the Andersons Bay Cemetery. R McLean and Son, funeral directors.

"When Uncle Arthur died, he apparently left the Family Bible and details of the family tree to John Bentley Sharp, but apparently this has now been lost," according to Eileen.

Arthur's wife Sarah died on 27 April 1956 aged 81 years. Her address at the time was 119 Harrow St, Dunedin. She had been in New Zealand for 36 years, which means she must have come to New Zealand with Arthur around 1920. She is buried with her husband.

Sarah's death notice reads:

Sharp – On April 27, 1956, at the residence of her son-in-law (J A Landrebe), 119 Harrow Street, Sarah, beloved wife of the late Arthur Sharp, and loved mother of Jean; aged 81 years. Peace perfect peace. No flowers by request. Private interment from our Chapel, 325 Great King Street on Monday the 30th inst, at 1.30 pm. R McLean and Son, Ltd, funeral directors.

Jean

A search of the Dunedin City Council cemetery database has revealed a Theodosia Letitia Jean Landrebe, of 18 Corstophine Road, Dunedin, who died on 21 March 1997, aged 81 years. She had been in New Zealand 77 years and was a native of Australia. She is buried in Block 280, plot 50 at Andersons Bay Cemetery (see headstone photo). Other interments in this plot are of her husband, James Alfred Landrebe, who died on 6 June 1976 aged 67 years, their daughter Gloria Marlene Fairbairn, who died on 13 July 2009, and their grandson Darryl Mark Fairbairn, who died on 17 May 2004.

Death Notices - James and Jean

Jean married Alfred James Landrebe, who was the youngest of three boys, and the son of Sophia Mary Helena and Charles Martin Landrebe. His older brothers were William Arthur, born 1906 and George Martin, born 1907.

Landrebe, James Alfred - on June 6, 1976, (after a long illness), at Dunedin, dearly loved husband of Jean, 47 Douglas St, St Kilda, loved father of Arthur, Gloria (Mrs P Fairbairn), James and the late Neville, loved father-in-law of Barbara, Paul, Christine and Diane, and much loved grandpop of his grandchildren, aged 67 years. &qout;Peacefully sleeping." The funeral service will be held in our Chapel, 407 Hillside Road, on Wednesday June 9 at 10.30 am and then to the Andersons Bay Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donation to Medical Research may be left at the service. Gillions and Sons Ltd, funeral directors.

Landrebe, Jean, of 18 Corstorphine Road. On March 21 1997, peacefully at Dunedin; aged 81 years. Dearly loved wife of the late James Alfred, loved mother and mother-in-law of Arthur and Barbara, Gloria and Paul Fairbairn, Jim, Diane and the late Neville, loved grandma and great-grandma of Rodney and Maree, Lyndon and Katherine, Dennis and Finn. "Previous memories" A private family service will be held on Tuesday, March 25, 1997. Gillions Bereavement Services FDANZ.

Further searches have found Neville James Landrebe, Jean's eldest son, who was born on 15 February 1941. He married Diane Foote, but they had no children. Neville died on 17 October 1970, and is buried in Block 278, Plot 35, Andersons Bay Cemetery.

Jean and James' second child was Arthur Charles, who married Barbara June Laughton on 13 March 1965. They had two children: Rodney Arthur Landrebe, born 8 November 1966, and Maree Barbara Landrebe, born 25 February 1969. Rodney married Pauline Turfus on 4 September 1993 and have three children: Sophie Maree, born 16 August 1997, died March 1999, Joseph Rodney, born 3 May 2000, and Emily born 13 November 2002. Marie and her partner Dean have one child Grayson born 29 May 2002.

Gloria Marlene, born 18 November 1946 married Paul Louis Fairbairn on 6 June 1970. They had three children: Darryl Mark, Lyndon John, and Katherine Jane. Gloria died on 13 July 2009.

James Dennis Landrebe was born on 21 December 1950 and had one son Dennis.

The full family tree can be found on the family tree page.

Photos taken by Margaret Bremner of Dunedin.