Thomas Tindall 1840 - 1885

Thomas was the 6th child and 5th son of John and Mary Eleanor (nee Charters) Tindall. Born sometime during the first months of 1840 he was baptised in the Holy Cross Church in Chatton, Northumberland on 17th April, 1840.


One of what would eventually be 12 children he was raised at Broomhouse  . In the 1851 census he is listed as a scholar so he received an education and in the 1861 census he is working at home on the farm.

In the second quarter of 1865 he married Jane Rutherford  of Chatton . I haven't yet found the ship they travelled on but presumably they emigrated to New Zealand sometime during 1866.

The first sign of them here is the birth announcement of their eldest child, John William, - March 5, 1867 in Dunedin at the Auld Scotland Hotel. Considering what came later I think it's possible that they weren't just lodging there but Thomas was working at the hotel.

They then went to a small rural settlement called Hilton near Geraldine in South Canterbury where Thomas bought a farm of 186 acres. At some point he also became the licensee of the Hilton Hotel.
In the 1870's Hilton was an up and coming township with the prospect of becoming a boom town, with mineral, clay, coal and lime waiting to be railed out - the area attracted not only farmers but prospectors, sawmillers and construction workers. There was a PO and various stores including a barber's shop and a school. The school opened in 1875 and Thomas and Jane's older children were founding pupils. Unfortunately, the proposed railroad link between Hilton and Temuka failed to eventuate and neither did the township.

Thomas and Jane had 6 children..

John William Tindall  - 1867 – 1932
Mary Isabella Tindall  -1869 – 1958
Jane Tindall  -1870 – 1932
Thomas Rutherford Tindall -1877 – 1954
Robert Adam Tindall  -1879 – 1902
Elizabeth Ann Tindall  - 1881 – 1963

In April 1885 an advertisement in the Timaru Herald

I only found this recently and it was a huge surprise and raises the big question of why? It may have had something to do with his health and perhaps he felt Jane and the children would be happier and more secure back in England with family something should happen to him.

Sadly it was all too late - September 12 1885 -Timaru Herald

September 14th 1885 - Timaru Herald

Only 45 years old when he died Thomas is buried in the Geraldine Cemetery. 

Thomas Tindall is Alan's maternal great-grandfather.