- NEW ZEALAND.
James SL
IGHT was born in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England in 1820, having
been christen
ed there on the 24th December, 1820. He was the son and second
child of James and Sarah, (nee GODFREY,) SLIGHT, in a family of 10 children.
Athelia DOWNS is believed to have been born at Likeard, Cornwall, England,
on the 19 December, 1819. She was the daughter of Joseph and Mary DOWNS. The
family, at some stage, moved to Fore Street, East Stonehouse, Plymouth,
Devonshire.
The first census in England on the 7th June, 1841, showed the Downs family
as living in Fore Street, including Athelia's youger brother and
sister, Athelia's age was given as 20, but that could, at that time, be
anything from 20 to 24 years. At the same address was James Downs, probably
Josephs brother. Their occupations given as Tinman, Athelia's occupation was
given as Independant.
James Slight and Athelia Downs are recorded in the East Stonehouse registers
as having been married in the third quarter of 1842, (without Army
permission.) Another source gives the date as 29th August, 1842. There were
military barracks, where James Slight was probably quartered, not far from
the Downs' house.
James Slight joined the British Army at St Albans, Hertfordshire, when
almost nineteen years of age, on the 16 July, 1839. Records show that he was
5ft 5inches tall, with a fresh complexion, hazel eyes, and dark brown hair.
His occupation was given as Labourer, before his enlistment in the 65th
Regiment of Foot, (Yorkshire, North Riding) at the age of 18 years, his
service number was 1422 and he had the rank of Private.
Their first child also James was born on March 29,
1844.
On the 20 December, 1845, presumably accompanied by his wife, Athelia, and baby son, James, Private Slight sailed from Woolwich, near London, with Captain Newenham's Company, as a guard on the convict ship "Joseph
Somes" destined for Australia. It is believed that baby James aged 21
months, died at sea on the day that the ship sailed. Following the Canary
Islands route, the ship took 148 days to reach its destination
at Hobart Town (Tasmania), on the 19th of May 1846. It carried 250 male convicts, seven of whom died en route.
Athelia gave birth to her second child, a daughter, Mary Jane, "(said to be born at sea before the ship berthed at Hobart)" on the
19th May, 1846. Of the 14 British Regiments, the 65th had the
longest service in New Zealand - from 1846-1865. James slight was in the first
dettachment to arrive in New Zealand. The ship carried on to Sydney, arriving there on the 13th June, 1846.
On the 6th July, 1846, Private Slight sailed to Wellington on the "Levant", presumably accompanied by Athelia and baby Mary Jane, arriving there on the 27 July, 1846. The ship carried 120 soldiers, 19 women and 27 children.
Private Slight transferred to "H.M.S. Calliope" and sailed for Porirua on the 30th July, 1846, and disembarked on the 1st August. He was almost certainly stationed at the site of the Paremata
Barracks and the Pauatahanui military post while his regiment was countering Te
Rangiheate, whose tribesmen were harassing settlers from their Upper Hutt bush
sanctuary. on the Porirua Harbour, the remnants of which can be seen to this day.
Later Private Slight was transferred to Wanganui, probably encamped at the Rutland Barracks or the York Stockade. He was given a free discharge from the Army at Wanganui on the 31st December, 1839.
The Slight's were given a land grant near Marton where they are said to have been the first settlers. They lived the rest of their lives at Marton. They had seven more children after their arrival in New Zealand, all of whom married.
Athelia died at Marton on the 14th July, 1892, aged 73, and James died on the 22nd April, 1905, aged 86. Both were buried at Marton, New Zealand.