User Home Pages: Ian and Liz Gardiner's Homepage - New Zealand

Ian and Liz Gardiner's Homepage - New Zealand

Updated March 26, 2011
Ian Donald Gardiner

36 Gladson Avenue

Upper Riccarton

Christchuch,Canterbury 8042

64 3 942 9847

[email protected]

Welcome to our Homepage and greetings from New Zealand for 2011. We all hope this will be another great year. Our grandson Ben is now 7 years old and is enjoying school. Amelia Nicholl his sister is now over 4 years old.
On 19 October 2007 our daughter Penny married Tim Curran in Far North Queensland, Australia. On 15 October 2010 Grace Rose Curran was born and Liz and visited them in Queensland at Christmas 2010. The good news is that they are to return to Christchurch in June 2011.
Susan and her partner Chris Goodall had a baby girl, Caitlin on 16 October 2009. She is growing up fast and we have had them all to stay over the New Year.
My mother Edna died 21 August 2010 at the grand age of 97. Considering that when she was born in 1913 there was no TV, no electricity at the house, and virtually no carsshe witnessed huge changes in her lifetime.
My father, John Gardiner (d.15 May 2000), began researching our family about 1985. He published a number of private family histories featuring 'Gardiner - Thomson - Keast - Warnock' families. These included: My mother Edna was 92 in January 2005. My Uncle Herbert, John's only brother died aged 84 (April 2002). John's works are:
"Gardiner - Warnock - Thomson Begats"published 1993
"Some Keast Begats" published c 1994
"Gardiner Keast Coalition" published 1999. The latter was a hand bound limited edition for the family and a credit to his ingenuity and resourcefulness.
In 1999 he published the "Thomsons of Winton" and I intend updating this document but I can tell it will be an ongoing project. The "Thomson's of Winton" - New Zealand was researched by my father Rev John Thomson Gardiner for several years till his death on 15 May 2000 in Auckland New Zealand. Descendants of John Thomson b.1813 Fifeshire and Janet Honeyman b.1818 Collessie, Scotland and who emigrated to New Zealand about 1874.
Tovey Family - Elizabeth Tovey, my wife's family. Ref:
Lt John Tovey b.1753 married Hamilton Dunbar in Stirling Scotland 12 March 1778. Ian authored "The Tovey Pedigree" which was published 1997. This was a private Family History of the Tovey (pronounced Tuvey) family and included references to the connection to the Dunbars, Scotland through the marriage of John Tovey to Hamilton Dunbar in 1778. Always keen to gain more information on the Tovey family and associated families.
Other significant family link is Lord John (Jack) Cronyn Tovey, Admiral of the Fleet during WWII and Commander of HMS King George V during the Bismarck action. (see notes on Admiral Tovey's life).
Gardiner family - Descendants of John Gardiner b Stirling Scotland c 1850. Not much is known about their lives in Scotland but Thomson and Warnock families are linked.
Keast family - St Neot and St Ive, Cornwall England. My mother's family.
Any help on any of above families will be appreciated. Please write or email me.

Family Photos

  • Alexander Tovey b. 1789d. 1865 (35 KB)
    Alexander was the sixth son of John Tovey and Hamilton Dunbar. In 1818 he married Ann Bolton who was tragically poisoned on board a ship from St Helena to India. He remarried Mary Hamilton Irvine and had nine children, the eighth being Hamilton Tovey. He served in the 20th and 24th Regiments.
  • Ian, Penny & Liz - April 2000 (33 KB)
    This photo was taken on the occasion of Penny's graduation from Lincoln University, Christchurch NZ. She graduated with a Post Graduate Diploma in Commerce after completing a Degree in Parks and Recreation in 1999. She now lives in Australia.
  • Family of Donald and Janet Gardiner - née Thomson (26 KB)
    This is a rare photograph taken of Donald Gardiner, my grandfather's family c. 1929. Left to right: Herbert, Janet (née Thomson), Donald and John
  • Kenneth (KD) Dunbar Tovey - Liz's Dad (15 KB)
    Ken Tovey b. 1908 d. 1978 came to New Zealand in 1924 and farmed in South Canterbury. This portrait shot was taken for Ken's passport about 1973.
  • Lt John Tovey b. 1753 d. 1841 (78 KB)
    This is a portrait of Lt.John Tovey b. 1753 in Warwickshire England. In 1778 he married Hamilton Dunbar daughter of Sir James Dunbar 3rd Baronet of Mochrum. John served in the 70th Regiment of the British Army as an Adjutant in Canada during the American War of Independance c 1781. Was stationed in Nova Scotia until 1784 and then settled in Stirling, Scotland and they had 13 children.
  • Benjamin William Nicholl- Age 1 year- April 04 (60 KB)
    Photo taken by Dave Gardiner on occasion of Ben's birthday celebration in Christchurch April 2004
  • Robyn and Geoff Nicholl - 6 January 2001 (54 KB)
    This photo was taken of Robyn and Geoff at their wedding at the Ilam Homestead, Christchurch, NZ 6 January 2001.
  • Harold Dunbar Toveyb. 1871 d. 1943 (13 KB)
    This is a portrait of Harold Dunbar Tovey, Liz's grandfather who was an engineer. He worked in Greece Spain and Mexico on projects including building railways.
  • Lt Hamilton Tovey RE & Maria Goodhue - 1864 (28 KB)
    Col Hamilton Tovey RE b.1841 d. 1889 served in the British Army Engineers as a Civil Engineer and was responsible for designing and building fortifications in Southern England during 1870's. He later specialised in Military law and wrote a number of treatises on Military Law and Military Strategies for the time. In 1861 he married Maria Eliza Goodhue daughter of Hon George Jervis Goodhue of London Canada. They had ten children, the youngest being Admiral John Cronyn Tovey.
  • Amelia Nicholl - Age 1 (75 KB)
    A delightful photo taken near her 1st birthday
  • March 1945 - John - Ian - Edna (50 KB)
    This photo was taken in March 1945 when I was age 1 yr 10mths. Shows Rev John Gardiner in army uniform as a Chaplain in NZ forces (WWII).
  • Harold Dunbar Tovey - Mary Louisa Drysdale (64 KB)
    This is the wedding photo taken 25 July 1907 at St Mary's church Shortland, Kent, England on the occasion of the marriage between Harold and May Drysdale. They had three children Ken (KD), Marjorie and Alexander (Tim).
  • The Gardiner Family - 6 January 2001 (53 KB)
    This photograph was taken just prior to the wedding of Robyn to Geoff Nicholl. Left to right:Ian, Liz, Robyn, Susan and Penny
  • Penny and Tim on Chapel Steps (19 KB)
    Tim and Penny were married in Queensland October 2007
  • Alexander Tovey - Group (12 KB)
    This picture shows Mary (nee Irvine), Alexander, Mary (Molly) and Hamilton (Dora).
  • John and Edna Gardiner (38 KB)
    This photo of John and Edna was taken at a conference some years ago about 1974
  • Ben and Amelia, Christmas Day, 2008 (295 KB)
    Ben trying out his MP3 player and Amelia with a new doll.
  • Donald, Ian and Janet Gardiner, Feb 1944 (28 KB)
    This photo shows my Grandparents Donald and Janet with me at the age of 10 months. They lived at Ohai, a small coalmining town in Southland NZ. Donald worked for much of his life as a blacksmith and engineer in the mines. Their garden was immaculate and I can still remember the good times had at my Grandparents place in Ohai.
  • Rev John Thomson Gardiner (11 KB)
    This photo of my father was taken in 1961 at Balclutha where he was the minister of St Andrews Presbyterian Church in Balclutha, New Zealand.
  • Ian, Robyn and Tim - Gardens Dec 2008 (433 KB)
    Taken in the Christchurch Botanical Gardens.
  • Ian Liz and Cousins - January 2002 (88 KB)
    Taken in our garden: Left to Right; Norris and Patricia Watson, Rosemary Ahern, Liz and Ian
  • Admiral Jack Tovey (89 KB)
    This picture of 'Uncle Jack' (Admiral John Cronyn Tovey) was signed and given to Nancy Tovey, his niece during WWII. It shows him on the deck of HMS King George V.
  • Grace Rose Curran - December 2010 (221 KB)
    Here is Grace in her little green dress. Age 2 months.
  • Ian Liz and Cousins - January 2002 (88 KB)
    Taken in our garden: Left to Right; Norris and Patricia Watson, Rosemary Ahern, Liz and Ian
  • Family Group Photo - 6 January 2001 - Christchurch (77 KB)
    This family group photograph was taken in the grounds of the Ilam Homestead, Christchurch NZ during the wedding celebration of Robyn Gardiner to Geoff Nicholl.Left to right: Frank & Margaret Glen, Dave- Phillippa-Bridgit-Andrew-Amy Gardiner, Geoff & Robyn Nicholl, Liz & Ian Gardiner, Susan Gardiner, Penny Gardiner, Rosemary Ahern (née Tovey, Trevor-Jane-Jonathan-Hamish-Diannah Tovey.
  • Admiral John Cronyn Tovey (27 KB)
    A smaller photo clip of the Admiral taken on board the battleship HMS King George V.
  • Caitlin Sophia Goodall - January 2011 (102 KB)
    This is a recent photo of Caitlin taken here in Christchurch while she was staying.
  • Spanning Four Generations of Gardiners (167 KB)
    Andrew Gardiner and baby Ella (3mths) with her Great Grandmother and Nana,Edna Gardiner (age 89) in Auckland June 2002. Andrew is my nephew and is now living in Christchurch where he plays for the Canterbury Rams basketball team.
  • Hamilton Dunbar b. c 1764d. 1823 (22 KB)
    This is a portrait of Hamilton Dunbar who married Lt John Tovey. She was the daughter of Sir James Dunbar of Woodside, Stirling Scotland.
  • Benjamin William Nicholl b. 21-04-03 (55 KB)
    Liz and Ian, proud grandparents with Benjamin Nicholl b. 21 April 2003. Ben is the son of Geoff and Robyn Nicholl.
  • Liz's Illustrated Ancestors Chart (49 KB)
    This ancestors chart shows six generations of the Tovey family. Photographs are included where available.
  • Benjamin William Nicholl b. 21-04-03 (76 KB)
    Ben on his little car, aged 7 1/2 months - Nov 2003
 

Related Files

  • 3 Generations from Lt John Tovey & Hamilton Dunbar (13 KB)
    Descendants chart showing three generations from John Tovey and Hamilton Dunbar.
  • Tribute to Rev John Thomson Gardiner (4 KB)
    This tribute was read at my father's funeral, 18 May 2000. It says at all, yet only a fraction of the things we would like you to know.
  • Text of "The Thomsons of Winton" (81 KB)
    This is the main text of "The Thomsons of Winton" by my father John Thomson Gardiner. The descendants charts are being revised.
  • Notes on 'Origin of Tovey Name' (8 KB)
    An extract from Chapter one of 'The Tovey Pedigree' 1997 with a brief decription of the origin of the Tovey name.
  • 3 Generations from Stephen Keast b. c 1850 St Neot (2 KB)
    This is a descendants chart from Stephen Keast, my GGGF and who was born about 1850 at St Neot (or St Ive),Cornwall England. I have not his spouse's name or any accurate details. My father John Gardiner seemed to have the family of Robert(my GGF) fairly well tabled but little or scarce details earlier. It has been suggested by another researcher that Stephen could have been the Stephen Keast born 27 Setember 1795 at St Neot, son of Robert Keast and Priscilla Henwood. I would be interested in any further details that may more positively connect (or disconnect) from our Keast branch.
  • Tribute to Admiral John Cronyn Tovey (26 KB)
    This is a tribute to Admiral Tovey written by RWP in 1971 just after Tovey's death. This is published from the family collection so that others can share some of the life of the great Admiral. The work of the unknown author RWP is acknowledged.