Individual Details
William Deacon Squire
(30 Jan 1847 - 1935)
Florrie, the third of the nine children of the William Deacon Squire and Elizabeth (nee Jackson) , was born
24 November, 1874, and the last to be born at Islington, London, before the arrival of her family in
Wellington, New Zealand on December 3, 1875. She celebrated her first birthday aboard the SS Avalanche
on the trip out.
In January 1876, within three weeks of their arrival, the Squire family moved north to the Manawatu
district, to Palmerston North. William gained an allotment of land at Stoney Creek, but was employed in
Venn's steam woodware furniture factory in the Palmerston North township run by Frederick Venn, and
shortly after went into partnership with him.
Florrie was educated at the old Campbell Street School in Palmerston North, then Whakaronga and
Woodville schools. She was very talented in oil painting, sewing and fancy work, and the piano, as well as
later proving an outstanding housekeeper and cook, taking a number of prizes in A&P shows, especially for
creampuffs and preserves.
The Squire family moved round quite a bit over their first 50 years in New Zealand, and lived in Palmerston
North, Woodville, Ohakune, Whakaronga (two homes) and Bunnythorpe (three homes). It was while at
their first home at Bunnythorpe, "The Willows", that Florence was married on 9 October 1901, at the age of
26 years.
In 1888, at the age of 14, Florrie's husband, George Moses Ranson (1873-1952), came to the farm at
Bunnythorpe named Harringer Grange (on Ashhurst Road) when it was standing bush with no road access,
but which remained in possession of the family for over four generations and 87 years.
George Ranson was, at the time, one of the youngest ever to be made a JP. The Ranson family took an active part in the life of the district, the two eldest daughters being active in tennis and hockey, and became district representatives in hockey for a number of years, Winnie being captain of the team for a time. The eldest, Myrtle, was trained as a nurse in the Palmerston North Hospital, whilst the youngest, Gladys, became a school teacher. The son, Willie, was secretary of the School Committee, Tennis Club, and Domain Board for a number of years, and also became prominent in Masonic affairs, being for a time head of one of the district organisations. He was lay-reader for some 15-16 years, Sunday School teacher and Superintendent, and held almost every Church office open to a Layman. The family were staunch members of the Anglican Church and many Sunday School picnics and prize-givings were held at their farm.
On their son taking over the farm, the parents retired in 1929, building in Featherston Street, Palmerston North, where Gladys later lived, still being there in 1979. They lived in retirement some 23 years, and had a large circle of friends both in Bunnythorpe and Palmerston North, and 12 grandchildren.
Outstanding in their lives were the Christmas gatherings at the farm - always held on Boxing Day - when some 30 - 50 relatives attended: the send-off in the Bunnythorpe public hall on their retirement when a presentation of canteen cutlery was made to them: their trip to England and the Continent just before the outbreak of the second world war, and lastly, but by no means least, their Golden Wedding Anniversary in
1951.
24 November, 1874, and the last to be born at Islington, London, before the arrival of her family in
Wellington, New Zealand on December 3, 1875. She celebrated her first birthday aboard the SS Avalanche
on the trip out.
In January 1876, within three weeks of their arrival, the Squire family moved north to the Manawatu
district, to Palmerston North. William gained an allotment of land at Stoney Creek, but was employed in
Venn's steam woodware furniture factory in the Palmerston North township run by Frederick Venn, and
shortly after went into partnership with him.
Florrie was educated at the old Campbell Street School in Palmerston North, then Whakaronga and
Woodville schools. She was very talented in oil painting, sewing and fancy work, and the piano, as well as
later proving an outstanding housekeeper and cook, taking a number of prizes in A&P shows, especially for
creampuffs and preserves.
The Squire family moved round quite a bit over their first 50 years in New Zealand, and lived in Palmerston
North, Woodville, Ohakune, Whakaronga (two homes) and Bunnythorpe (three homes). It was while at
their first home at Bunnythorpe, "The Willows", that Florence was married on 9 October 1901, at the age of
26 years.
In 1888, at the age of 14, Florrie's husband, George Moses Ranson (1873-1952), came to the farm at
Bunnythorpe named Harringer Grange (on Ashhurst Road) when it was standing bush with no road access,
but which remained in possession of the family for over four generations and 87 years.
George Ranson was, at the time, one of the youngest ever to be made a JP. The Ranson family took an active part in the life of the district, the two eldest daughters being active in tennis and hockey, and became district representatives in hockey for a number of years, Winnie being captain of the team for a time. The eldest, Myrtle, was trained as a nurse in the Palmerston North Hospital, whilst the youngest, Gladys, became a school teacher. The son, Willie, was secretary of the School Committee, Tennis Club, and Domain Board for a number of years, and also became prominent in Masonic affairs, being for a time head of one of the district organisations. He was lay-reader for some 15-16 years, Sunday School teacher and Superintendent, and held almost every Church office open to a Layman. The family were staunch members of the Anglican Church and many Sunday School picnics and prize-givings were held at their farm.
On their son taking over the farm, the parents retired in 1929, building in Featherston Street, Palmerston North, where Gladys later lived, still being there in 1979. They lived in retirement some 23 years, and had a large circle of friends both in Bunnythorpe and Palmerston North, and 12 grandchildren.
Outstanding in their lives were the Christmas gatherings at the farm - always held on Boxing Day - when some 30 - 50 relatives attended: the send-off in the Bunnythorpe public hall on their retirement when a presentation of canteen cutlery was made to them: their trip to England and the Continent just before the outbreak of the second world war, and lastly, but by no means least, their Golden Wedding Anniversary in
1951.
Events
| Birth | 30 Jan 1847 | ||||
| Marriage | 5 Apr 1871 | Liverpool Rd Wesleyan Chapel, Islington, England - Elizabeth Jackson | |||
| Death | 1935 | Bunnythorpe, New Zealand |
Families
| Spouse | Elizabeth Jackson (1849 - 1938) |
| Child | Elizabeth Mary Squire (1872 - 1967) |
| Child | Emily Eleanor Squire (1873 - 1961) |
| Child | Florence Lilian "Florrie" Squire (1874 - 1952) |
| Child | Agnes Fredricka SQUIRE (1878 - 1978) |
| Child | Marian Louisa Squire (1879 - 1969) |
| Child | William Henry Jackson Squire (1882 - 1974) |
| Child | Grace Margaret Deacon Squire (1884 - 1937) |
| Child | Annie Venn Squire (1887 - 1935) |
| Child | Rhoda May Emma Squire (1891 - 1974) |
| Father | Richard Squire (1818 - 1881) |
| Mother | Elizabeth Deacon (1819 - 1876) |
| Sibling | Eleanor Ann Squire (1843 - 1845) |
| Sibling | Rhoda Ellen Squire (1845 - 1858) |
| Sibling | Elizabeth Ann Squire (1849 - 1921) |
| Sibling | John Henry Squire (1853 - 1854) |
| Sibling | Mary Eleanor Squire (1855 - ) |
| Sibling | Emily Squire (1858 - ) |