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A Life Most Difficult

Lucy Louisa Elizabeth MILES

Relationship to me: 3rd Great Grandaunt

Lucy was 12 years old when she arrived in Nelson on the “Camperdown” with her parents, Thomas MILES and Ellen HAWKINS, older sister Ann Maria, and younger brother Howard in April 1876. Travelling with the family was the man who would later become Lucy’s first husband, Alfred BENNETT, and Lucy’s cousin, Mary Ann HAWKINS who would be later murdered by her husband, Daniel SWAN, in Invercargill. Lucy’s older siblings, William Henry MILES (my 3rd great-grandfather) and Mary Ann MILES also came to New Zealand but on a different ship. Thomas and Ellen originated from Gloucestershire, England and were married in Monmouthshire.

Just a year after they arrived and settled in Ashburton, Canterbury, Lucy’s mother Ellen died when Lucy was 13 years old. Two years later, at the age of 15, Lucy married Alfred BENNETT who had been on the ship with her family when they came to New Zealand. Two months after they married, Lucy gave birth to her first son, Richard, on November 20th, 1879. By the time Lucy was 23 years old, she had given birth to another four children, Alfred Thomas, William, John, and Henrietta. With five young children under the age of ten, Lucy’s husband Alfred died on January 6th, 1890 in Grasmere after his horses bolted and he fell beneath the wheels of his dray. Alfred was buried in St. John’s cemetery in Invercargill. Lucy gave birth to her sixth child, Henry Alfred, three weeks later.

The estate of Alfred sold his assets in March 1890.

WESTERN STAR, ISSUE 1422, 8 JANUARY 1890, PAGE 2
SOUTHLAND TIMES, ISSUE 1146, 15 MARCH 1890, PAGE 3

Five months after his death, the community held a benefit concert to help Lucy and the children financially.

Lucy looking very grand

Lucy Louisa Elizabeth MILES
b. 1864 in Newlands, Gloucestershire, England
m. 6 Sep, 1879 (Alfred Bennett)
m. 1893 (Isaac Haberfield)
d. 28 Dec, 1946 in Seacliff Asylum, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand

Mother: Ellen Hawkins
Father: Thomas Miles

Siblings:
William Henry Miles
Mary Ann Miles
Ann Maria Miles
Howard Miles

Alfred BENNETT
b. 1854
d. 6 Jan, 1890 in Grasmere, Southland, New Zealand

Isaac Newton HABERFIELD
b. 27 Jun, 1867 in New River, Mokomoko,, Southland, New Zealand
d. 10 Jan, 1939 in Invercargill, SOuthland, New Zealand

Children of Lucy and Alfred
Richard Bennett (1879-1941)
Alfred Thomas Bennett (1881-1960)
William Bennett (1883-1951)
John Bennett (1884-1964)
Henrietta Bennett (1887-1972)
Henry Alfred Bennett (1890-1936)

Children of Lucy and Isaac
Joseph Haberfield (1894-1970)
Lucy Elizabeth Haberfield (1896-)
Isaac Haberfield (1902-1903)
Hector Haberfield (1915-1964)

SOUTHLAND TIMES, ISSUE 11448, 6 MAY 1890, PAGE 2
SOUTHLAND TIMES, ISSUE 11454, 13 MAY 1890, PAGE 3

The concert was declared a success, with £72 2s raised which was used to purchase a property for Lucy and the children for £57 9s 6d and the remainder held by trustees to be given to Lucy in the future when needed.

SOUTHLAND TIMES, ISSUE 11455, 14 MAY 1890, PAGE 3

Three years after Alfred’s death, Lucy married Isaac Newton HABERFIELD.

Sources

Alfred’s death notice: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WSTAR18900108.2.11

Alfred’s Estate: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ST18900315.2.25.6

Benefit concert for Lucy and the children: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ST18900506.2.8

Details of benefit concert: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ST18900513.2.23.2

Performers at benefit concert: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ST18900514.2.22

Money raised at benefit concert: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ST18900707.2.6