Fifth Generation  

28. Capt. John Spencer Selwyn MEDLEY [10471] (Spencer Mansel RN (Capt.)¹⁶, John D.D. L.L.D. (Rt.Rev. Lord Bishop)⁶, George³, Henry¹) was born on 8 Oct 1867 in Winchester Hampshire England, was baptised in 1868 in Kings Worthy Church Winchester Hampshire England, died on 23 Jul 1937 in New Plymouth Taranaki New Zealand at age 69, and was buried on 24 Jul 1937 in Te Henui Cemetery New Plymouth Taranaki New Zealand.

General Notes: Baptised in 1868 at Kingsworthy Church, Winchester, Hampshire by Rev. R TAYLOR with River Jordan water.
Became an Accountant.
Married Ruth Mabel WEBSTER in 1908 in NZ, and had 3 children. They lived in New Plymouth, Taranaki.
Died in1937 after slipping and breaking his thigh.
He is mentioned in NZ Govt Gazette 1911 pages 2800 & 2258.
Will filed 27 July 1937 at New Plymouth Ct - Accountant
Probate No. 5258 - Wellington Archives.

However, In a Medley Pedigree, received from Marcus Whittaker in September 2011, he included the following:
In 1900 Medley settled permanently at New Plymouth and entered business there as a Land Agent until 1912; then he formed partnership with [the late] C. T. Rundle [d bef1936], under firm name Medley and Rundle; Mr. Rundle retired in 1927 and Mr. Medley took over his interest in the firm.
1902 Medley was appointed Deputy-Official Assignee in Bankruptcy for North Taranaki (until his death) and Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages until 1935.
06 May 1902 Personal Notes. Mr J. S. S. Medley will succeed Mr E. Gerard as Deputy Official Assignee for this district. Taranaki Herald, Vol. L, Issue 11959, Pg 3. Compiler: Copy. NLNZ.
Official Assignee. The North Taranaki Bankruptcy Department is located in the office of Messrs Medley and Rundle, in Devon Street, New Plymouth. Mr. J. S. S. Medley has held the position of Deputy Official Assignee since the year 1902. Page 66.
Mr. John Spencer Selwyn Medley, Deputy Official Assignee in Bankruptcy for North Taranaki, was born in Winchester, England, in 1868 [sic: 1867]. He arrived in Wellington 1889, and was for some years farming in the Wanganui district before settling in New Plymouth in 1900. The Cyclopedia of New Zealand, Taranaki, Hawkes Bay and Wellington Provincial Districts.
1904 New Plymouth City Councillor. Twice Member of New Plymouth Borough Council. 1907 Established his Public Accountant business at Egmont Street, New Plymouth.
1908 After marrying Ruth Mabel (May) Webster, they built their home at 23 Wallace Place. Their son Jack was told it was his house, built for him when he was born.
06 Oct 1908 Personal. Mr J. S. S. Medley has been appointed a Vaccination Inspector for the District of New Plymouth.
Taranaki Herald, Issue 13770, pg 4. Compiler: Copy. NLNZ.
1911 Medley mentioned in NZ Govt. Gazette 1911 pages 2800 and 2258.
1936 Deputy Official Assignee and Public Accountant, est. 1907. Egmont Street, New Plymouth. Who's Who NZ 1936?
1936 Clubs: Taranaki, New Plymouth Bowling, New Plymouth Chess, and Masonic Society. Recreation: Bowls and gardening. Creed: Anglican. Residence: Wallace Street [sic: Place]. NZWW1936?
Mr. Selwyn Medley had a wide range of interests, and business interests.
Medley was closely associated with the development of the petroleum industry before the Great War, and again prior to his death. He was interested in the Ngamotu Seaside Resorts Company, which was responsible for popularizing Ngamotu Beach. Add: Obit.
An all round sportsman, he was an athlete, football player, cricketer, golfer and bowler. In his younger days, in Wellington, he took a prominent part in athletic sports of various kinds. He was a member of the Wellington Athletic Football Club and represented the province at Rugby. He was also a boxer, and an active member of the Star Boating Club.In New Plymouth, he was a keen golfer, as first a member of the old Witiora club, then of the Ngamotu club. Bowls was another sport he followed. He was a member of the New Plymouth Club when it had its green in upper Brougham Street. On the club's removal to the Courtenay Street site he joined the West End Club, but later again he became a member of the New Plymouth Club. He was also a well-known chess player. Add: Obit.
Medley was a member of the Masonic Lodge for many years, and went through all the chairs to become a Past Master in the 1920s. He was a prominent member of the New Plymouth Gentlemen's Club. Add: Obit.
Daughter, Jean Mary Medley Phillips: "Dad trained at Edinburgh College, but he left. He lived in Wellington and trained as a bush man for a time, he was a big, large, strong man and often went out bush on his own. He was an entrepreneur with his fingers in all sorts of pies. He was before his time and the first of his kind in many of his endeavours, being interested in perpetual forests and petroleum and other things. He was a great speculator buying and selling land, and the family had a cottage on Ngamotu Beach. In those days they had flat bottom boats and in summer, Ngamotu Beach was always full of people. He was 15 stone, always wore tweeds, a cap and had a pipe, and this one day he brought a boat. Jack jumped out of the boat and tried to hold it while Dad was left in it sinking in the water with everyone on the beach looking on and laughing. He got out of the boat, pulled his cap over his head, and walked straight back up the beach not looking right or left. There was a write-up in the paper about it.
During WWI he carried cans of petrol and buried them out the back of the garden, but he hurt his back doing this.
He was the Head of Company of the government births, deaths and marriages business that he built up, President of Pukekura Park, the Boys and Girls High School and the Athletic Club. The caricature in his office said "I stand for a progressive corporation."
He had a terrific, odd sense of humour. He used to say "I'll say Grace, for God's sake let's start!" Aunt Adela lived in Upland Road, and as Dad had trained at Cambridge [he was born in Winchester and Adela at Auckland] he used to say to her 'You're just a colonial!'." JMMP Interview 23 Nov 2007.
The family residence they built was at 23 Wallace Place, New Plymouth, which after May's death was sold, and became the New Plymouth Bridge Club.
d 23 Jul 1937 (after breaking his right thigh the Wednesday prior, as a result of slipping when entering his motor-car) New Plymouth Hospital, Taranaki, New Zealand.

John married Ruth Mabel WEBSTER [10533] [MRIN: 4787], daughter of Frederick Lewis WEBSTER [10534] and Mary Elizabeth McKELLAR [10535], on 22 Jan 1908 in St Mary's New Plymouth Taranaki New Zealand. Ruth was born on 5 Dec 1877 in New Plymouth Taranaki New Zealand, was baptised in Jan 1878 in St Mary's New Plymouth Taranaki New Zealand, died on 30 Jun 1962 in New Plymouth Taranaki New Zealand at age 84, and was buried on 4 Jul 1962 in Te Henui Cemetery New Plymouth Taranaki New Zealand. Another name for Ruth was May.

General Notes: In a Medley Pedigree, received from Marcus Whittaker in September 2011, he included the following:
After her husband died in 1937 May lived at their Wallace Place home until her health declined in the last years of her life. She stayed for a time with her son Jack, at 250 Courtenay Street, and went into a residence in the last year of her life.Residence: 23 Wallace Place, New Plymouth (after her death, the New Plymouth Bridge Club).

Children from this marriage were:

+ 31 M    i. John Selwyn MEDLEY [10536] was born on 7 Dec 1908 in New Plymouth Taranaki New Zealand, was baptised on 20 Jan 1909 in St Mary's New Plymouth Taranaki New Zealand, died on 27 Jul 1988 in New Plymouth Taranaki New Zealand at age 79, and was buried on 29 Jul 1988 in New Plymouth Crematorium Taranaki New Zealand.

   32 F    ii. Linda Maude MEDLEY [10537] was born on 30 Aug 1911 in New Plymouth Taranaki New Zealand, was baptised on 4 Oct 1911 in St Mary's New Plymouth Taranaki New Zealand, died on 28 Aug 1992 in Rotarua Bay of Plenty New Zealand at age 80, and was buried on 31 Aug 1992 in Rotarua Bay of Plenty New Zealand.

Noted events in her life were:

• Death: at Glenbrae House, 28 Aug 1992, Rotarua Bay of Plenty New Zealand.

Linda married Jack CLIFF [10539] [MRIN: 4789] on 9 Apr 1936 in New Plymouth Taranaki New Zealand. Jack was born on 4 Aug 1898 in New Zealand, died on 8 Jun 1964 in Palmerston North Manawatu New Zealand at age 65, and was buried on 10 Jun 1964 in Kelvin Grove Crematorium Palmerston North Manawatu New Zealand.

Noted events in their marriage were:

• Marriage: at the Home of the Bride, 23 Wallace Place, 9 Apr 1936, New Plymouth Taranaki New Zealand.

Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: the Manager of the Ford Garage, Palmerston North Manawatu New Zealand.

+ 33 F    iii. Jean Mary MEDLEY [10538] was born on 16 Nov 1914 in New Plymouth Taranaki New Zealand, was baptised on 20 Jan 1915 in St Mary's New Plymouth Taranaki New Zealand, died on 28 May 2011 in Rotarua Bay of Plenty New Zealand at age 96, and was buried on 1 Jun 2011 in Rotarua Bay of Plenty New Zealand.

30. Christiana Margaret LANCASTER [45489] (Christiana Elizabeth MEDLEY¹⁸, John D.D. L.L.D. (Rt.Rev. Lord Bishop)⁶, George³, Henry¹) was born on 7 Mar 1865 in Ealing Middlesex England, was baptised in 1865 in Ealing Middlesex England, and died circa 1911 in England at age 46.

Christiana married Thomas GOODSON [45490] [MRIN: 16298] on 10 Oct 1888 in Portsea Hampshire England. Thomas was born on 6 Jun 1862 in Paddington Middlesex England and died 1 Qtr 1902 in Epsom Surrey England at age 39.

Children from this marriage were:

   34 F    i. Amy [Mary] GOODSON [45491] was born on 23 Jan 1889 in Carshalton Surrey England and died before 1901 in England.

   35 F    ii. Hilda GOODSON [45492] was born on 23 Feb 1890 in Carshalton Surrey England and died before 1901 in England.

   36 F    iii. Mabel GOODSON [45493] was born on 31 Mar 1891 in Carshalton Surrey England and died before 1901 in England.

   37 F    iv. Nina Violet GOODSON [45494] was born on 23 Nov 1897 in Carshalton Surrey England and died before 1911 in England.