Henry was 3 when he stepped ashore at Lyttelton. He was born on the 27 May 1867 at Frome, Somerset, England.
On the 10 May 1893 at Gebbies Valley, Canterbury, New Zealand – probably his parent’s place – Henry married Jane Mary Ridley. According to their son, Jane was born in NZ but I have found no record of that, but there are compelling English records to suggest she was born in the UK.
Together the couple would have 7 children.
| Child | Born | Married | Children | Died | Notes |
| Henry Matthew Major | 22 Nov 1893 | – | – | 6 May 1919 | Died in NZ of wounds – WWI |
| Violet Jane | 8 Mar 1895 | Twice | 4 | 30 Sep 1970 | William Muncey Frank Bennett Harold Stallard |
| Helen Mary | 13 Jul 1897 | Twice | 3 | 28 Oct 1995 | Charles Manson George Munsey John Kennedy |
Charles Melville | 23 Nov 1898 | 1922 | 1 | 10 Apr 1980 | Alberta Gieseler |
| Josephine Agatha | 4 Mar 1902 | 20 Aug 1917 01 Jan 1942 | 4/ 2 | 8 Mar 2001 | William Firmston Gordon Hammond |
| Francis Albert | 28 Nov 1906 | 1934 | 5 | 17 Dec 1983 | Edith Harris |
| Alphonsus William | 23 Nov 1908 | 1943 | 1 | 18 Apr 1980 | Gladys Stigley |
Henry passed away on the 29 Jul 1954 at Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand and was cremated. A plaque to him can be seen at Canterbury Memorial Gardens and Crematorium, off Linwood Avenue, Christchurch.
Notes on Henry’s wives:
Henry’s second wife Isabella passed at the end of 1933 and her final resting place is Prebbleton Cemetery on the outskirts of Christchurch.
