Family of Peter Goldsbury, Devonport, Auckland, NZ

(Goldsborough, Newbury, Goldsberry)

Our NZ Family Origins 

Our Family has lived in New Zealand for a number of generations.   On my father’s mother’s side, we go back to the daughter of pioneering Methodist Missionary John Hobbs who was one of the first European children born in NZ.

My mother Kath’s father was Herbert Gould, a cabinetmaker from Ipswich England, who married Ina Zumbach from Montreue in Switzerland.  They immigrated to NZ where he became a Presbyterian Minister.

My father Selwyn (Jim) ’s great grandfather, Alfred Goldsbury arrived with his family and that of his brother George Fredrick from Ipswich / Woodbridge in England on the ship Ben Novis on Jan 11 1880, landing in Auckland.  Alfred and his family later moved to Wanganui, leaving George Fredrick in Onehunga.

Our UK Family Roots (See separate page listing family researchers)

Yorkshire:

Our name and family origins trace back to Goldsborough-Hall and the small village of the same name, closeby to Knaresborough in Yorkshire.  Records start with Hugh de godelesburc (living 1165-71.  Here we find our founding Knights, Sir Richard Goldisborough, Crusader entombed in the church.  Even before that, one of the earliest recorded english romantic poems recalls the Romance of Havelock the Dane, who after taking our ancestor for queen became King of England, reigned for forty years and was buried at Stonehenge.  (see bottom of this page)  You can read about this at  www.havelokthedane.com and find one version of the Legend of Grim at http://www.nely.co.uk/grimlegend.html.  

Later we find Peter de-Goldesburgh was keeper of the wardrobe of Edward the Black Prince in 1345.  People bearing derivations of the village name were found as Will de-Goldsborough with Robin Hood in Sherwood Forest. http://www.geocities.com/longo44au/robinhoodsgrave5.html    For much more information her visit the Robin Hood Society http://www.robinhood.ltd.uk/index.asp

Around 1556 Margaret Goldsborough married Thomas Durberville an event recorded in the Church stained glass window in Bere Regis, Dorset (home of Thomas Hardy’s  novel “Tess of the D’Urbervilles”)  In 1586 it is recorded that in a bitter family depute over the ownership of the original Goldsborough Manor one of the parties ransacked the place and this largely marked the end of the family name in the village.  The family spread far and wide, with strong branches in London, Shrewton and Ireland.  It was included in Samuel Pepy’s Diary in Oct 15 1665, and can now be found across the globe.   

There is another small hamlet / farmlet called Goldsborough on the cliffs on the coast just north of  Whitby.   (I visited it on an archaeology trip in the 70’s as it was near the site on a Roman Signal station.)   

A branch of the Goldsborough family farmed near Craythorn, Hutton Rugby in North Yorkshire and are related to John Brown the US loyalist. Members of the family still live there.  

Records:

The most complete record of our family origins that we know of is in a book "Memorials of the Goldesborough Family" written by Rev Albert Goldsbrough MA and published by Ed J Borrow & Co Ltd in 1930, commissioned by HRH Princess Mary and The Earl of Harewood when they owned G. Hall.   (You can purchase a copy of this using the link at the bottom of this page.)   Another is "The House of Goldsborough" by Eleonora Goldsborough (Winter) Goldsborough written in 1932.  Her work probably has never been published, but exists as thousands of typwritten pages.  The Mormon Library has it on microfilm, and it starts from 1066 and includes the more recent American generations.

Our Yorkshire ancestors were amongst the first Quakers, one Peter Goldsbrough was with those that were presents at a meeting of Quakers (in early times) in Darlington and summoned for refusing to attend the local church on 28 March 1675. This Quaker persuasion was it seems was somehow picked up by many members of our family in Ipswich and Woodbridge from where many attended the Ackworth Friends School in Yorkshire.   Many early Quakers including some of our family were buried as dissidents in the Bunhill Cemetery in London, and our family were strong members of the Society of Friens Meeting House in Woodbridge, Sussex

Sussex and Quakers

In Ipswich / Woodbridge many of our earliest ancestors were involved with shipping and later immigrated from there to NZ, Australia, US and elsewhere.   It is suspected that this Ipswich branch may well be derived from the Shrewton (Dorset) or London Branches of the Goldsborough family which were also involved in trade and shipping.  A family bible in our possession, plus Quaker and other records allows us to trace back to Samuel Goldsbury b ???, m. 13 Mar 1674 to Lydia Cornelius, d. 18 Oct 1725 in Ipswich / Woodbridge.  (Woodbridge has a great historical museum if you ever visit there.)

One of our Ipswich family Samuel Goldsbury (1678-1752) was the second husband (m about 1715) of Bridget the daughter of Phillip Ford(1631-1702) and Bridget Gosnell (1636-1710, buried Bunhill), It seems Phillip and Bridget married in 1672 and lived in Bow lane, London where she played an active role amongst London Quaker women and he was an agent of William Penn who founded Pennsylvania. Apparently William Penn during hard times signed a deed that passed ownership Pennsylvania across to Phillip Ford, but this was released when their daughter Bridget’s first husband James Ayrey (1661-1712,buried at Bunhill) went bankrupt, so to our dismay that was never claimed. It seems some funny business went on between William Penn and Phillip Ford in Pennsylvania (http://www.quaker.org/wmpenn.html)

It is possible but unproven that a marriage between one Ann Goldsborough (possibly aunt of rich and childless Sir John Goldsborough of London, a captain of The East India Company) and John Newbury in Ipswich, possibly resulted in their oldest son John Goldsborough Newberry coining our current name, seemingly without compromising the sea captain’s will written 17 March 1691-92 and proved 7 Feb 1695) which required him to take the name John Goldsborough only in place of Newbury.  If this is true, this may explain why the top two generations of our proven tree in Ipswich were described legally as Goldsborough alias Goldsberry until Goldsbury eventually set in.  (An example of name hyphenation?)  (Note  Kolkata Tourist site says - On the western side of the Maidan is Fort William planned and built by Sir John Goldsborough, the then Commissioner General and Chief Governor of the Company's Settlement. It overlooks the river Hooghly, alongside which the Strand is a popular promenade.)

The Goldsbury – Bentley branch of our family which imigrated from Ipswich to the USA talk of an embroidered item described in wills as the “Queens cloth”, which belonged to Anne Boelyn before she was executed in 1536.  A “Goldsbury” apparently worked for her in the royal court.

We are interested in making contact with others around the world that share our heritage and may have additional information to share. A family tree for the New Zealand / Australian branch and the family in Ipswich that it started with, has been prepared by Elwyn Goldsbury, Wellington NZ.  (Elwyn@attglobal.net).

Family Links with the United States (See separate page listing family researchers)

In the USA, Judy Bingham (pickleweek@usa.net) is doing research on her family line (see http://www.mytrees.com/) which started there with John Goldsbury who was born on 11th May 1700 and who arrived from England when he was around 10-15. He married Eunice Pond there in 1727 and had children Samuel (the Loyalist), James and John.  We are trying to find evidence (or otherwise) that this John may have been the son by first marriage of Cornelius Goldsbury (1687-1708) mariner of Ipswich.   He married his second wife, Elizabeth Brunning in 1708, but we have no record of his first, so perhaps she may have run off to the US with her son?.      

We do see Samuel Goldsbury, Yeoman of Wrentham, County of Sussex included with others banned from the state of Massachusetts, USA in 1778. If they returned they would “suffer the pain of death without benefit of clergy.”   Compare Wrentham, Mass, US with Wrentham Sussex UK

To any researching the US Goldsboroughs, I suggest you go to the library and look up a copy of Burke’s American families with British Ancestry.  There is an entry for this branch’s family history back to 1200, with one Robert Goldsborough sailing to Maryland in 1677 and later Charles Goldsborough a member of the US House of Representatives from 1805-1817 and Governor of Maryland 1818-1819.  He died in 13 Dec 1876 having issue one son.

Click for a list and interests of international family researchers who have contacted us.

Where my local roots are:

I am the oldest son of Jim and Kath Goldsbury, and have brothers and sister Ross, Ruth, Neil and Kevin. We lived in Te Whaiti a small predominantly Maori community in the Urewera, where my parents were principal and matron of the Te Whaiti Nui-a-Toi Maori Agricultural school.  It was a very special childhood living as a minority culture, sharing other's richness’s under the mountain Tuuwatawata. The valley is carved by the Whirinaki river which originates in the internationally renowned Whirinaki Native Forest.  This is the place where I learnt my most valuable early lessons in life and is the centre of my spiritual world.  Some very special things are still going on in this Maori community that has had to recover from enforced unemployment with the end of native forest milling.  It’s school - Te Whaiti Kura, http://www.tewhaiti.school.nz  is making special efforts to help its students retain their language and culture while at the same preparing themselves for  the information age. It has received an exceptional Education Review Office Report on it's performance which it proudly publishes on it’s website.  The Whirinaki river (see http://www.whirinaki.org.nz) still today carries the wisdom of this place to share with the world. see The Tipu Ake Lifecycle – A Leadership Model for Innovative Organisations  www.tipuake.org.nz. They have also initiated a school project called kaitiakitanga to guard the Whirinaki Forest and their culture for future generations http://www/kaitiakitanga.net

 

I left Te Whaiti in 1959 to attend New Plymouth Boy's High School where I was a border, then studied engineering at Auckland University.

My immediate family and friends

My son Richard has completed a mechanical engineering degree at Auckland University in 1999. He is a keen mountainbike rider and recently toured the USA on his MTB bike, meeting and making many of his friends in the MTB sport.  Richard is affectionately known to his many friends as “Richie" . Richard is also into snowboarding, kayaking and mountainbike so is now vey hapy to be working for Scope Industries in Christchurch.

My daughter Suzanne completed a conjoint Commerce and Arts degree at Canterbury University in (psychology and marketing) in 1999, and now works for Atlantis Marketing in Auckland.  Suzanne wasinto competition rowing and her crew has won many gold medals rowing for Takapuna Grammar School, West End Rowing Club and Canterbury University (where she was the 1999 rowing club captain).

Both now have mostly left home and live with friends in their own flat, 58 Sackville Street, Grey Lynn, Auck (Phone 378 9262) but like my three stepchildren Anna Kelly (Melbourne, Denham Kelly (Milford) and Lukas Kelly Grey Lynn) they return home from time to time to see me and/or to check out the swimming pool, frig and pantry! Lukas has just returned from the UK and has established Phi Creative an graphic design and website development company in Devonport http://www.phisite.com

My Work

I graduated as an Electrical Engineer at Auckland University in1968 and still maintain a connection with things technical. I now work more with people, through my own company, Strategic Expertise Ltd, as a organisational development and learning facilitator.  I have developed a programme of short courses “Leading Projects and Innovation in your Organisation” which I deliver regularly as public workshops in Auckland and Wellinton or as In-house corporate training anywhere in New Zealand or the world. I operate my business electronically from a downstairs office at home. see project management workshops

My interests

My interests are wide and varied including: home renovation, gardening, writing poetry, trying to master the banjo, skiing, tramping, running, canoeing, swimming, beaches, movies, self development, cooking wine and enjoying my many good friends.

 

I like this Millennium Mantra from the Dalai Lama that someone sent me recently.

Our Home

Our family home is in Devonport, a small, quiet, and very historical marine suburb just a ten minute Ferry ride from Downtown.  It is now much larger than we need, so we welcome interesting international visitors, families or groups to be our guests at Aniwaniwa Cottage Homestay

To contact us:

Peter Goldsbury, 20 Hastings Parade, Devonport, Auckland, New Zealand. Phone 64 (9) 445,  Mob: (021) 465372,  Email: pgoldsbury@stratex.co.nz

BACK to our index page

copyright 1999 Peter Goldsbury.

Early Goldsborough family Roots

 

As far as the origins of the Goldsbury , Goldesborough  , Goldsberry, Goldbough  Gouldsbury
and many other derivations of the name ,  a book worth reading is  

Memorials of the Goldesborough Family., Goldesborough, Albert., (1930)

447

Book
$49.17

 

 

 it can be found  at
http://www.quintinpublications.com/familygenealogies_gled.html

and it is well worthwhile buying as it gives a very good perspective of the origin of the name  and traces the various family groups on England back  to where records become hard to find. The original was published about 1934    

 

The Grim and Havelock  Legend  Website greeting (see http://www.havelokthedane.com/)

Greetings to all Goldburys, Goldsboroughs, Goldberrys, and all golden distant cousins, and thankyou for the reference link to our new website. I am delighted to know that there are many people with an open mind out there and a sincere desire to wonder whether there may be any family genealogical links to the famous English Princess Goldborough of ancient British legend, that married Havelok the Dane, later allegedly between them going on to regain their usurped kingdoms and crowns.

It is very difficult to ascertain the full facts concerning our collective cultural ancient folk heroes and heroines today and identify them with real historical characters with any degree of certainty; this is true of Robin Hood and Maid Marion, King Arthur and Guinevere, and also true with regard to Prince Havelok the Dane and the fair Princess Goldborough and Grim himself, yet that has never prevented them from becoming immortalised and cherished in the hearts and imaginations by way of reported records of their deeds and adventures, whether historians forever find reason to argue and disagree about them in the background or not. There is good reason for us to regard and refer to Robin Hood today as ‘ The Hooded Man’ since new evidence suggests that neither his Christian nor his Surname has in fact survived. Yet to explain and try to tell the world that means nothing for in essence he has a charming story and immortal lesson for us all come what may. The same is true with all the others too. It may interest you to know that according to some commentators, Tolkein’s Goldberry was derived from the ancient legend concerning the Princess Goldborough. According to the legend, she was from Anglo-Danish family background and certainly no shrinking violet. Some have said that she was really styled after one of the Valkyries and is purely fictional and symbolic but then again people have said many things and have been quick to attempt to unlock the great secrets of the past unrecorded enigmas of history; too quick if you ask me. Yet by all accounts, the Princess Goldborough was no shrinking violet by any means and she comes across as a very clever and brave heroine without doubt. Researching into the ancient legend concerning Grim, Havelok, and Goldborough has rather been like embarking on a quest and there have been some amazing discoveries and new evidence which we will be releasing in time upon our site.

It is difficult to ascertain genealogical links to that period we refer to as The Dark Ages indeed, and as one of our articles shows, there have been contesting claims made even to the present day with families to Hereward the Wake and indeed to Havelok. Whilst I cannot comment and verify any of these claims, I am delighted that they are there and made; it shows an admirable form of family pride in a sense. My own family can claim to have genealogical connections to the ancient Scottish Gracie family famous now for American links with New York’s Gracie Mansion and the production of The Simpsons – but there you go. I am proud of that all links even though some would be shocked in horror, or ashamed at what they might find somewhere in their family tree and lineage. Your distant relative from Southern California states that the late rector of Goldsborough considered the meaning to be "the fortification of Godwin," and in research one will find that there is also Anglo-Danish blood ties here too historically. Earl Godwin became almost the most powerful man in the land at one time marrying the sister of the Danish Jarl [ Earl ] Ulf. Their daughter married King Edward the Confessor. Godwin's father was from Wessex, but his mother was a Danish Princess. He accepted Canute's rule so it is said.

He also states that the legendary story we are discussing can be read in M. I. Ebbutt’s ‘ The British, Myths and Legends published in 1986. That work was first published in 1910 and later also reprinted in 1995 under a different title. The ‘ story ’ can also be read in a many, many other works too such as Richard Barber’s ‘ Myths and Legends of the British Isles, ’ [ 1999. ] However, the version as given by your relative and many others is often based solely upon the later piecemeal English manuscript version which was written nearly 200 years after the Norman French extant lay we have. I would really refer your readers to read the articles on our site and suggest that a delight is in store for them to read the story in its original epic novel written form that appeared in 1900 by Charles Whistler. This was based on all known sources at that time and is available upon our website. Bless you all. Regards.

Kevin Gracie [ Founder & Chairman of the Grim & Havelock Association – Grimsby, England. ]