Robert Stokes

People Buried Here

Epitaph

Description

Robert & John were brothers, both born in Jamaica to Robert Stokes (1775-1819) who was then chief clerk in the Post Office in Jamaica and Martha Frances Barker (1788-1865).

Their father died in 1819 and bequeathed to Martha the proceeds of the sale of one half of the lease of Abbey Court Pen in St Andrew, Jamaica, along with 33 enslaved people, to be invested in stocks to provide her with an annuity.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/238493806/robert-stokes

Robert & John moved with their widowed mother to Britain and lived in Chelsea.

Robert married Margaret Pughe (1792-1852) in 1832 in Liverpool. On 10 April 1839 he approached the NZ Company for a position and was attached to Mein Smith's survey staff. He sailed from London 2 Aug 1839 on the 'Cuba', arriving at Port Nicholson on 3 Jan 1840. His wife Margaret arrived 3 weeks later, on the 'Aurora', accompanied by his brother John, on 22 Jan 1840.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/238491348/robert-stokes

Robert & John returned to England for health reasons in 1878. Robert remarried that year to Jane Rutherford (1840-1912). She next married in June 1890 to Captain Ralph Slazenger 1844-1910), Sheriff of the City of London and co-founder of the famous Slazenger sporting goods firm

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/238495018/jane-slazenger

Dr John Milbourne Stokes married Susannah George (1826-1871) 2nd daughter of Robert George, a tailor of Brighton, Sussex, at St Marylebone, London, on 26 April 1862 and arrived in NZ as a surgeon on the Aurora in 1840

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/238491433/john-milbourne-stokes

Their wives, although they never met, are buried together at Bolton Street cemetery, Wellington, New Zealand

Read their stories at the above links