Does anyone know if there was ever records kept of immigrant's that came as remittance (people) to NZ?? I assume they sent Women as well as Men only assume :)

I meant one once may still be alive, not trying to trace him, but he was a very interesting person.

Just some random people popping up in my (and my helpers) family tree search on Ancestry.. When balance of said family stayed put in the Wider UK. One I saw had father Scholar and then son alone shows here in NZ Not wanting to know about any actual person I will leave that to the lovely person/people helping me in my search. But was/am interested in as I say The Remittance people cheers

anne1955 - 2019-10-01 09:50:00

Google 'remittance men' and you will see a list. It surprised me as it was an
in-family arrangement that you would expect to be kept private, although Papers Past provides thousands of hits. Never heard of women as such, as they were probably thought to be 'disgraced' and disowned by the family. Probably then went into domestic service as their only means of livelihood.
Have several fast babies in my genealogy and mean to do some research as they did not live long in several cases.

amasser - 2019-10-01 11:15:00

https://genealogyjourno.wordpress.com/remittance-men-in-new-
zealand/

I don't see why young people who struck out for a new life in NZ would be assumed to be remittance men and women, many were just adventurous and taking advantage of the opportunities a new country held that they couldn't see coming their way where they were.

Edited by morticia at 12:49 pm, Tue 1 Oct

morticia - 2019-10-01 12:48:00

I have always understood that the specific term meant they were supported by their family on the condition that they did return .They were sent a regular payment hence their "remittance'.

genpat - 2019-10-01 15:17:00

morticia wrote:

https://genealogyjourno.wordpress.com/remitt
ance-men-in-new-zealand/

I don't see why young people who struck out for a new life in NZ would be assumed to be remittance men and women, many were just adventurous and taking advantage of the opportunities a new country held that they couldn't see coming their way where they were.

There was a bit more to it than that. Remittance men and women were usually the "black sheep" of an upper or middle-class family and were sent to the colonies because they had disgraced themselves in some way at home. Regular sums of money were paid (remitted, or sent, in other words) into an account for their upkeep so they would stay away. A firm of lawyers may be arranged to administer the money and keep an eye on the remittance man or woman.
They could have had drug, alcohol, or gambling problems, health issues, or
had married outside their station or race. Or, until 1925 in the case of landed gentry, it could have been the law of primogeniture which meant that the eldest son inherited the estate, leaving the others to find their own fortunes.

My own forebear was a married man who left his wife and went home to live with his upper class parents. The servant girl became pregnant so he was disgraced in two ways - he had left his wife, and got someone beneath their station in life pregnant lol. They were sent to NZ and when he died it was without fanfare or fuss. His only sibling, on the other hand, did all the right things - married, then had children and did very well for himself in his career. When he died there was a very long article describing his funeral including an obituary and a list of the upper class mourners.

h28skipper - 2019-10-01 15:38:00

h28skipper wrote:

There was a bit more to it than that. Remittance men and women were usually the "black sheep" of an upper or middle-class family and were sent to the colonies because they had disgraced themselves in some way at home. Regular sums of money were paid (remitted, or sent, in other words) into an account for their upkeep so they would stay away. A firm of lawyers may be arranged to administer the money and keep an eye on the remittance man or woman.
They could have had drug, alcohol, or gambling problems, health issues, or
had married outside their station or race. Or, until 1925 in the case of landed gentry, it could have been the law of primogeniture which meant that the eldest son inherited the estate, leaving the others to find their own fortunes.

My own forebear was a married man who left his wife and went home to live with his upper class parents. The servant girl became pregnant so he was disgraced in two ways - he had left his wife, and got someone beneath their station in life pregnant lol. They were sent to NZ and when he died it was without fanfare or fuss. His only sibling, on the other hand, did all the right things - married, then had children and did very well for himself in his career. When he died there was a very long article describing his funeral including an obituary and a list of the upper class mourners.

I know what they were, I even had an elderly cousin ask me if I thought her Grandfather was one, having come to NZ in the late 1800s and perhaps cut ties with his family.

What I don't believe is correct is make unfounded assumptions just because they came alone, or to place the term on ordinary men, often the younger males in the family who had enough balls and sense of adventure to leave the motherland and seek fame and fortune in a new country.

The vast majority of these men were very likely not remittance men, just ordinary blokes looking for a new place to carve their own lives who took full advantage of the settlement schemes and steerage berths on offer at the time the colony was still actively seeking new blood.

Edited by morticia at 4:10 pm, Tue 1 Oct

morticia - 2019-10-01 16:09:00

Agree.I think on the list of people in question there are the initials RM placed next to a small number of the men, thats what the reference was about. I think they were differentiated from the rest of the settlers because they had a private income.

genpat - 2019-10-01 17:14:00

Thanks people I'm just a curious person and as I said have met one many years back And just came across the odd person that came to NZ in those times Never for a moment did I assume he was one Just got me thinking again, about them.. Thanks to the people with links I'll have a look at them. Cheers Skipper... for your input.. As I also write :) it might well help me with another twist to a book I have had on back burner for awhile. I am so looking forward to turning 65 and being able to write more.. Again thanks Anne

anne1955 - 2019-10-01 17:15:00