Her birth

Source: GRO Births
Crompton Emily Hyde     4th Quarter 1855  Bridlington  vol. 9d page 239 

At the age of 15 Emily hyde was living at South Sea Farm, with her step-father, mother, two brothers and two step-sons.

1871 Census   Sun/Mon. 2/3rd April 1871
Source:       FHL Film PRO Ref RG10
              Piece: 4812; Folio: 103; Page: 23;
Dwelling:     South Sea Farm
Place:        Flamborough, York, England

Name                 Rel   Marr Age  Occupation               Birthplace
Richard Huddlestone  Head   M   52   Farmer of 124 acres      Killingwick
                                     employing 3 men
Hannah Huddlestone   Wife   M   44   Farmer's wife            Skirlaugh
James Crompton       Son    S   16   Farmer's son             Flamborough
Emily Crompton       Dau    S   15   Farmer's daughter        Flamborough
John Huddlestone     Son         7   Farmer's son             Flamborough
George Huddlestone   Son         4   Farmer's son             Flamborough
William Hutchinson   Serv   S   64   Farm labourer            Flamborough
George Creaser       Serv   S   15   Farm servant             Boynton
Jane Smith           Serv   S        Domestic servant         Flamborough

Emigrating to New Zealand

Emily hyde Crompton was a single woman passenger on the Westland, which departed London on 21 November 1879. On 12 February 1880, after a voyage of 88 days, the Westland arrived at Christchurch's port of Lyttelton, on South Island. It was the hottest time of the year. 'White Wing' gives the arrival date of Emily‘s ship as 23 February 1880. None of the Shaw Savill and Albion Company‘s fleet of sailing vessels has a better record than the Westland, a full-rigged ship of 1116 tons, which for some years attracted world-wide attraction among ship-masters on the Pacific and Atlantic. Built by Duncan, she was one of the last ships ordered for the Shaw Savill Company. Westland made 25 voyages to New Zealand between 1879 and 1900 visiting all the major ports including Bluff. The ship‘s fastest journey was 73 days to Port Chalmers (Dunedin) and longest, again to Port Chalmers 120 days. Source: Brett Sir Henry, 'White Wings'	Westland Ship: 1116 tons Captain: Wood Surgeon Superintendent: Dr Russell
	Sailed London 2lst November 1879 Arrived Lyttelton 21st February 1880

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SINGLE WOMEN
    Name             Age  County   Occupation
    Crompton Emily   23   York     General Servant

In the 1871 census Emily Crompton had the status of 'farmer's daughter. The passenger list shows she emigrated as as a general servant, aged 23 from York. She was one of a group of 32 or so young women going to New Zealand to work as servants. The girls, mostly from Ireland, were accompanied by a matron, Martha Cole aged 32. The general idea was to create upper class England, especially around Canterbury. For the upper classes to feel truly at home servants were imported via inexpensive assisted passages for immigrants provided by the New Zealand government under the Vogel Immigration Scheme - Sir Julius Vogel was prime minister from April 1873 to July 1875 and for a brief spell in 1876. The scheme made cheap passages available to all.

Most of the servants took one look at the opportunities, married, scratched together the money for land, and went from strength to strength. I hope Emily did the same!

Source of ship and passenger details: New Zealand emigration passenger list

Emily‘s wedding certificate (Folio 1883/562) records that:

• Emily Hyde Crompton, 27 married Paul Roach Glasson, born Lelant, Cornwall, a blacksmith aged 27, at St Saviour‘s Church, Temuka, on February 10, 1883. They both lived in Temuka at the time of their wedding.
• His father was William Glasson, farmer and his mother Emma nee Roach. Her father is recorded as Richardson Crompton, farmer, her mother Hannah Crompton (now Huddleston) of Pickering(?).
• The witnesses at the wedding were TR Crompton, Orari, farmer, and Mary Jane Crompton also of Orari. Orari is on the road from Tumuka to Asburton, and close to Geraldine and Winchester.

Paul and Emily had three children: William Richardson, James Thomas and Mary Jane.

Source: GRO Births Marriages Deaths
Glasson Paul Roach   2nd Quarter 1855  Penzance  vol.5c page 332

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Paul's tragic death

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Hilton is a small settlement in South Canterbury about 9 km Southwest of Geraldine, and about 20km north-west of Temuka. It is not know whether Hilton has a cemetery. If Paul Glasson is buried in Temuka, he has no headstone, and his plot may never again be known. It is interesting to note the close proximity of Richardson Crompton's children in New Zealand: Hinton, Geraldine, Orari and Winchester. Right and below: Maps locating Temuka, Geraldine and Hinton

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Emily in later life

Emily took the children back to England. However a shipping entry for the "Rimutaka", in 1890, shows the mother and two children returned to New Zealand. James thomas was left in Lelant, Cornwall with his uncle.

Following pressure from the New Zealand Government, the New Zealand Steamship Company (NZSC) and Shaw Savill Line jointly chartered the Stad Haarlem for an experimental steam ship return trip to London in 1879. She ran with a full complement of 600 passengers in both directions, taking 57 days from London to Lyttelton via Capetown. Despite the operational success, the voyage was not profitable, and no additional subsidies were on offer to run steamships. The Government continued to push for a steam service, which they thought would encourage a more "suitable class" of immigrants, plus it would provide a more reliable service for their frozen meat exports.

Above: NZSC liner Rimutaka circa 1900

Despite not liking steamships, the NZSC chartered the Fenstanton in 1883, to inaugurate the first steamship service from the UK to New Zealand. Fenstanton was followed by three larger ships. When the NZSC signed a charter with the Government to run a regularly monthly service, jointly with Shaw Savill, five new ships were ordered from J.Elder and Co. The ships were named after New Zealand mountains:- Tongariro, Aorangi, Ruapehu, Kaikoura and Rimutaka, all just under 4500 gross tons. All had clipper bows, and were barque-rigged. They travelled out via the Cape of Good Hope, and back via Cape Horn, as the sailing clippers had done, but more than halved the passage times. Whereas the sailing ships frequently sighted no land between the UK and New Zealand, the steamers stopped at Plymouth, Teneriffe, Capetown and Hobart on the outward journey, and at Montevideo, Rio de Janeiro and Teneriffe on the return. These routes were maintained until 1914, when the Panama Canal opened.

Emily subsequently married Tom Lewis and possibly lived in Akaroa.

She was a beneficiary in the will of her eldest brother Stephen clubley Crompton who left "the residue of my estate (approximately UKP 150) to my sister Emily hyde Leurs of East Eyreton." It is possible that the writer of the will heard the dying man pronounce the name of Emily's second husband, Tom Lewis, as Leurs.

Ashburton Cemetery, Area 6, Row C, grave 1458
    Stephen Clubley CROMPTON d. at Chch [Christchurch]
    15 July 1924  a.[aged] 77
    Erected by his only sister and brother-in-law
    T. and E. H. LEWIS

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Thomas Lewis continued to live in East Eyrton until his death on 12 December 1942. He was buried in the same plot as Emily.

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Emily's children

The Richardson name continues through the William richardson Glasson and the Glasson line.

William richardson had six children who are living or lived in or around Ashburton, New Zealand. Although the photograph shows William richardson in uniform he did not go away to the war, possibly for medical reasons.

He died on 23 July 1938 at the age of 53 and is buried, along with his wife, Emily May in the beautiful and very large cemetery in Ashburton, Canterbury, New Zealand.

Their son, William thomas, continued the military tradition. His headstone shows that he was a proud member of J Force, part of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force, but hides the horrors he must have witnessed.

J Force or 2NZEF (Japan) was formed in Florence, Italy, on 19th November 1945. The force of Army personnel included men from the 13th, 14th and 15th Reinforcements. Officers were drawn from those who had seen service in the Italian Campaign. Several of the Force were volunteers from earlier Reinforcements. Brig KL Stewart was the first commander of J Force. Occupation duties were conducted largely in the prefecture of Hiroshima. The Force was responsible for the demilitarisation and disposal of Japanese installations and armaments and for keeping order until civilian government could be re-established. J Force was withdrawn from duty in September 1948.

Above: WT Glasson's headstone in Ashburton Cemetery

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James thomas Glasson

When Emily returned to New Zealand in 1890 on the 'Rimutaka' she had only two children with her - six year old William richardson and two year old Mary jane. James thomas remained with his uncle and aunt.

1891 Census   Sun/Mon 5/6th April 1891
Source:       FHL Film  TNA Ref RG12
              Piece 1858 Folio 54 Page 30 Sched 196
Dwelling:     21 Tolver Road
Place:        Penzance, Cornwall, England

Name             Rel   Mar Age  Occ                  Employ    Birthplace
John Glasson     Head   M   44  Tailor               Employer  Cornwall, Lelant
Mary Glasson     Wife   M   38                                 Cornwall, Penzance
James T Glasson  Neph        6                                 New Zealand, British Subject
John Arundell    F-i-L Wid  64  Showmaker            Neither   Cornwall, Gulval
Agnes Thomas     S-i-L  M   26                                 Cornwall, Penzance 

1901 Census   Sun/Mon 31st March/1st April 1901
Source:       FHL Film  TNA Ref RG13
              Piece 2254 Folio 5 Page 4 Sched 11
Dwelling:     11 St James Street
Place:        Penzance, Cornwall, England

Name                  Rel  Mar Age  Occ                      Status       Birthplace
John Glasson	     Head  Wid  53  Tailor                   Own account  Cornwall, Lelant
James thomas Glasson  Son   S   15  Potato Merchants Assit.  Worker       New Zealand,
                                                                          Christchurch

Right: Map locating 11 St James' Street Penzance

It is believed that James thomas joined the Royal Navy in 1902. There is no record of James thomas Glasson in the 1911 census.

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James thomas Glasson enlisted in the army to serve during Wold War One. His record records:

132266 Corporal James Glasson 251^st Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers.

He enlisted 13 April 1915, aged 30 years and 8 months (height 5 foot 5 inches - 165cm) as 20982 Glasson of the Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry, from Hayle, Cornwall

Prior to enlistment he had been a Fitter Labourer at the Cordite Process House, National Explosives Works, Hayle. In 1888 the National Explosive works were established on Upton Towans (giving it the alternative name "Dynamite Towans"). Originally built to supply the local mining industry it soon grew to supply the military, and during the First World War employed over 1500 people. The remote location on the Towans proved a wise move as there were a number of accidents resulting in explosions.

Above: The remains of the National Explosives works at Dynamite Towans Source: Walking West Cornwall

He transferred to Royal Engineers and served in.

When the 251st Tunnelling Company was formed at Rouen, it took over from 170th in the Loos area in October 1915, around Cuinchy-Cambrin-Auchy, where it remained for a considerable time. It blew the last mine fired by the British in the Great War, near Givenchy, on 10th August 1917. Source: The Long, Long Trail - Tunnelling Companies RE Right: A map locating position of 251st Tunnelling Company RE

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On 15 December 1916 James thomas was discharged as 'No longer fit for service'  to Market Street, Copperhouse, Hayle, Cornwall. Soon after, in the first quarter of 1917, he married Evelyn mary Martin.

He died on 06 January 1920, presumably as a result of TB contracted from working in the Cordite Process House and in the tunnels of Picardy, and is buried in Redruth.

Evelyn and the three boys left their home at 1 Barnoose Place, Illogen near Redruth. On 29 June 1922 they boarded the Shaw Savill & Albion steamship 'Athenic' at Southampton, bound for Wellington, via Panama. The family move to Eyerton, near Oxford, New Zealand, probably to stay with Emily, the boys grandmother. In 1922 Evelyn married Mr Gebbie. Right: A contemporary postcard of S.S. & A.Co 'Athenic' of 7592 tons, carrying 489 passengers on direct sailing to Wellington

Above: The names of Evelyn Glasson and her family as they appear on the embarkation register. Source: The Nation Archives, Kew, London

Copperhouse, Hayle

Looking at the industrial history of Hayle it is understandable why the National Explosives Works was based there and why James thomas was a fitter.

During the Cornish mining boom, Hayle had two of the three largest mine engine foundries in the world. Harvey’s Foundry, Hayle (1779-1903) was indisputably the greatest of the Cornish foundries, producing the largest steam engines ever built. It became the foremost engine foundry in the world, with an international market served through their own port at Foundry town, Hayle. The Copperhouse Foundry (1820-1869) was so named as it was the site of the copper smelters for the mines in the area.

Above: Copperhouse, Hayle 1890

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Before the Cornish Copper Company was established in 1758 Cornish ore was shipped to South Wales. A copper smelter was set up at at Ventonleague (Copperhouse Creek) and a canal was dug to bring vessels right up to the works. Copperhouse Pool was later modified to serve as a tidal reservoir to allow ships to travel up as far as the dock, and to flush or sluice the channel to keep it clear of sand and silt. A complex set of social and industrial relationships was established in Hayle through the rivalry between the foundries. This directly steered development within the port of Hayle towards two geographically distinct and rival urban areas; Harvey & Co at Foundry beside the railway line and its rival beside the estuary at Copperhouse. The smelting process generated large amounts of waste.
		Above: Fore Street, Copperhouse, 1900

The copper slag was cast into large heavy dark bricks called locally 'Scoria Blocks' which were used as a building material in the town and can be seen today in many buildings. The blocks were sold at 9d (about 3p) for 20 and given free to employees of the CCCo to build their own houses. Despite the demolition of much of Copperhouse Foundry and key elements of Harvey's, as an historic industrial town and port, Hayle is still largely intact. Much of its harbour infrastructure survives, together with key industrial and public buildings, and a good range of workers' housing, villas and early shop fronts.
	Above: Copperhouse Square, 1905

Hayle is a settlement of unique character and great historical significance, contained within a landscape of equal merit.

Sources:
Copperhouse Foundry, Hayle, Cornwall
Cornish Mining World Heritage - Harvey's and Copperhouse
Cornish Mining World Heritage - Hayle
Genuki - Hayle, St Elwyn
Pictures of Hayle - vintage photographs

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Postscript

The Glasson name is well known in New Zealand, not least because of a chain of dress shops. The obituary of Charles Vingue Glassons, ChCh Press 1953 in the New Zealand Biography file reads:

Mr Charles Vingue Glasson who died at his home Park Terrace on Thursday was well known in the draper business throughout New Zealand. He was born 69(?) years ago. For the last 30 years he had been a director of Glassons Ltd, a Christchurch and Nelson warehouse firm.

Mr Glasson was born in Timaru. He started work with Strange & Co... In the early 1900s he went to London and spent three years working with D & H Evans. After World War 1 he joined his brother Mr J H Glasson in the firm of Glassons Ltd. Survived by his wife, a son Jack Glasson and a daughter Mrs C.E. Taylor of Lower Hutt.

The obituary records more information about his Masonic Lodge connections which were extensive.

The company still has its head office in Christchurch and is headed by Tim Glasson.

Mary Jane's grand-daughter, Bev McConnell lives in Waikanae, New Zealand.

With thanks to Allen Glasson, whose great grandfather's brother was Paul Roach Glasson, Emily hyde Crompton's husband; to Aaron Clarke, of Rangiora, North Canterbury, whose great-great grandfather's brother was Paul Roach Glasson, and to Judy Bradwell in Wellington for the certificates.

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This page was created by Richard Crompton and maintained by Chris Glass	Version C.9 Update 19 July 2009