{"id":32,"date":"2021-10-20T07:13:51","date_gmt":"2021-10-20T07:13:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.stark.gen.nz\/wordpress\/?page_id=32"},"modified":"2022-06-12T09:58:44","modified_gmt":"2022-06-11T21:58:44","slug":"stark","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.stark.gen.nz\/wordpress\/stark\/","title":{"rendered":"STARK"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

James and Rosina – From Hamilton, Scotland to Gore, New Zealand<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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This old map shows Leechlee and Lamb Streets in Hamilton, Scotland as they were prior to the demolition in the 1960s. These two streets were home to all the Stark’s that traveled to New Zealand including James and Rosina, as well as Thomas (James’ brother) who traveled 3 years later.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Leechlee Street in the 1950s. This street is such a time capsule in that it really hasn’t changed since the 1850s. A true Miner’s Cottage Tenement Row. This is the real first photographic support for the Stark Family in NZ as both James and brother Thomas were born on this street. Margaret Mitchel, their mother, passed away in 1897 also on this street. The housing is gone now and there is a mall on the right built in the 1970s. The street was relabeled Leechlee Road. Acknowledgement to Historic Hamilton for the photo.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Another view of Leechlee Street in 1961. Photo from “Old Hamilton” website.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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This photo from 1965 is of Lamb Street looking towards Leechlee Street in the distance. The two storied building and lower building directly in front of the car driving away from us, are still standing in 2022. The houses on the right side of the photo are all gone, replaced by a shopping mall, but the houses on the left remain today. Photo from Old Hamilton website.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

James Stark married Rosina Steel on the 16 Jul 1869 at his mother’s house, 23 Leechlee Street. From there the newly married couple settled at 10 Lamb Street and had at least 3 children, and potentially a fourth. The 1871 Scottish Census has James, Rosina and baby James (jnr) at that address.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Time to do something different<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The coalmining industry in Scotland suffered many casualties and that includes from mines around Hamilton, of which there were many. At some point James and Rosina must have either heard about or read that skilled labourers were a sought after commodity in the colonies. Along with one of his friends and fellow coalminers, Thomas McNair, James and Rosina decided that it was time for a change and in mid 1875 left Hamilton, Scotland for new pastures and never returned. The McNairs accompanied the Starks on their voyage to the other side of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

James STARK, his wife Rosina nee STEEL and their 3 Scottish born children James, Robert and John, arrived in Bluff, Southland, New Zealand in October 1875 aboard the “Christian McAusland”. They left Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland to arrive at Greenock on the Clyde and started their new life by charting a course in a new country, away from everything they had every known; to start something different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n