Born. 12 July 1885
Died. 14 June 1960
Age 74yrs 11 months
Hannah Johnson was the first child of Thomas Johnson and Karen Hansen. She was born in Barker Street, Wellington and the family lived at 50 Roxburgh Street, Mt Victoria. Her younger brother was John Johnson, born 3 December 1886, my father.
Not a lot of accounts of her life have come to light in the family records. Possibly most of the family documents were lost on her death, or were disposed of by John and Dorothy Johnson. These notes are based on the few documents held by Dorothy Johnson or deposited by her in The McMillan Brown Library at Canterbury University. All the documents will be deposited in the McMillan Brown Library.
We know she went to Clyde Quay School from little notes she wrote her father at the time:
“I am goin to school and I am in the first class an now I will show you what I can do of figur that I can do
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
I can do them wll caant I?” (19/3/1892 in TJ´s handwriting)
“Hannah Johnson
Clyde Quay School
and I am top of the class. Mister grundy said I was” (1.3.93)
“Dear father it is your birthday this morning I think we are going to have an examanation next week. I know how to add up farthings, pence, shillings and pounds. This is all I have to say. Your only daughter
Hannah” (undated but see next letter)
“Dear father we have had our examennation and are now in our places well I had 37 marks and I sit by my friend Bertie Walters.
Mr, Thomas, Johnson” (12/05/1894)
According to John Johnson, Hannah did not go to High School:
“My parents could not afford to send my sister to high and she learnt shorthand and typing and went to work, and stayed on all her working life, though I think she would like to have got married. Her chief interests were the church and photography at which she excelled. She eventually bought a small house of her own after my mother died in 1912” (My Story, Manuscript).
There is a small photo album surviving with photos of her parents and then other people of her own age some of whom could be her cousins from the Francis Johnson family. There are no inscriptions in the album.
In 1912, at the age of 27, she appears to have had an affaire or been engaged to a Mr Gordon Eastick of Napier. We have a letter dated 26 January 1913 replying to one of hers. Mr Eastick says:
“I think the best thing I can do is do deal with your request straightaway for an early reply re the subject of our previous conversations. I have considered the matter fully, and from what has transpired, it seems to me the wisest thing for us is, if you are agreeable, to consider it off. We don´t seem to hit things well together, and it is apparent that we are not suited for one another...There is no getting away from the fact that it would be better to break things off, than to form a loveless union”.
Hannah must have replied on the 30th January, as he replied on the 6th February:
“I suppose it was hard for you to return the ring, because after this you would not care to have it”.
Hannah and Karen on porch at 50 Roxburgh Street, Mt Victoria, Wellington 1900s
In 1915, Hannah appears to be in posession of John Johnson´s will and list of personal effects. The list is dated 31 July 1915 as at Trentham Camp. John Johnson sailed with the 6th Reinforcements for Egypt and Gallipoli soon after.
John Johnson says his sister worked for many years for the New Zealand Consolidated Dental Company, and continued her outside life with the Baptist Church and attained a very high standard of photography. After the death of her mother in 1912 the family house in Roxburgh street was sold for 650 pounds. Hannah took enough to give her a furnished flat till later she found a house of her own in Elizabeth Street. This was No 90. Clyde Quay School was in Elizabeth St on Mt Victoria just off Kent Terrace. The house was sold for 1,400 pounds in 1960. (documents at MBL).
I remember her visiting our family when we lived on Clifton Hill, Sumner, in the 1930s as a rather austere grey headed oldish lady somewhat remote from our lives as it was then. She clearly had a life of her own which included overseas travel but which largely must have revolved around her job. We don´t seem to have a record of when she stopped working. She was 74 when she died in 1960.
She was obviously unwell in 1959 and early 1960 and my father and my mother visited her in turn to see what help she needed. She spent Christmas 1959 at their house in Moncks Bay, Christchurch. She died on the 14th of June 1960.
The funeral was held at the Central Baptist Church in Boulcott Street on Friday June 17th 1960.
Letters of condolence were received from:
The following tribute was written by Ruby Stockbridge (possibly for use at the funeral service?)
“My Recollections of Miss H Johnson, Are that she was first and foremost a Christian Woman, & because of that, of Sterling Character, of genial and pleasant personality, who, as well as her Church Friends, made many life long Friends, from the people with whom she was associated within her working-day life. She was also a competent Sunday School Teacher, & one who loved all her Scholars alike, having no favourites. Miss Johnson also had a very real zest for the life that God had given her. She loved nature, travel, & seeing beautiful places. She was independent by nature, & loved her Home. I like to think of her, free from the bodily disabilities that beset her in latter life, enjoying the beautiful Home that God has prepared for all who love Him”.
Hannah was cremated on 17 June 1960 and her ashes were scattered on the rose garden at Karori cemetary on 18 June 1960.
By Robin Johnson 22 November 2004