Adelaide

Adelaide (Adie) Archibald
(27 June 1886 - 18 September 1971)

Adelaide Archibald was the fourth child of  James Archibald (1851 - 21 July 1910) and his wife Catherine Reid (17 Feb 1851 - 13 Jun 1935). She was born on 27 June 1886, probably at the family home at 85 South Head Road, Parkhurst, near Helensville. Adelaide's name references her parent's time in South Australia in the late 1870s. She was nicknamed Adie by family members.

The Archibald children were:
  • Betsy Helen (or Ellen) Archibald (29 Aug 1877 - 28 July 1944)
  • Margaret (Maggie) Reid Archibald (3 June 1879 - 26 Aug 1970) 
  • James (Jim) Archibald (31 Aug 1882 - 3 Sep 1958)
  • Adelaide (Adie) Archibald (27 June 1886 - 18 Sep 1971)
  • Alexander Archibald (14 Dec 1889 - 19 Feb 1899) 
  • Chloris (Sissy) Mary Archibald (20 July 1891 - 23 Dec 1986)
Adie's youngest brother, Alexander, was born on 14 December 1889, when she was three years old.

On 20 July 1891, when Adie was five, her youngest sister, Chloris (known as Sissy) was born. Around this time her mother became interested in the Bible teachings taught by the Seventh-day Adventist Church and sometime during 1891, she was baptised and became one of the earliest Seventh-day Adventist Church members in New Zealand.

Around 1894-96, the Archibald family met regularly with a small group of Seventh-day Adventist Church members in Parkhurst where they studied the Bible together. It is possible that some of their meetings were conducted at the Archibald's home.

The following photograph shows the Archibald family outside their home in Parkhurst, Helensville:


The Archibald family at their home in Parkhurst, Helensville c1896
Back from left: Margaret (Maggie), James Snr, Catherine, Betsy
Front from left: Alexander, Sissy & James Jnr
Photographer unknown
(Photo courtesy of K Toepfer)

The Archibald family at their home in Parkhurst, Helensville c1896
From left: Margaret (Maggie), Adelaide, James Snr with Alexander, Catherine, Betsy, Sissy & James Jnr
Photographer unknown
(Photo courtesy of G J Bland)


Glencairn in later years
Date & photographer unknown
(Photo courtesy of K Toepfer)

The picture below was found on one of the beautiful kauri walls of the Archibald's home when the current owners were renovating. They had removed wallpaper and hessian from the walls and discovered this note written by a child, in chalk, "Ade is mad. She kissed Slipper." It, no doubt, refers to Adelaide, but nobody knows exactly who 'Slipper' was. Perhaps a family pet? The message has since been covered up by an internal wall lining.

Writing found on the wall of the Archibald homestead 'Glencairn' in Parkhurst, Helensville.
(Photo courtesy of K & D Bayliss)


On 19 February 1899, when Adie was 12 years old, her brother, Alexander (9), died after suffering from meningitis. He was buried at the Helensville Cemetery, Public Burial Area, Block 1, Row B2, Plot 8, Seq 1.

Adie's cousin, David Mitchell (4 Mar 1882 - 8 Aug 1955), the only child of her father's youngest sister, Mary, immigrated to New Zealand in the early 1900s (date unknown at present). It is likely that he stayed with his Archibald family for a while until he found his own way. David married Elizabeth (Lizzie) Carter (1878 - 1969). David and Lizzie farmed in Bombay, Franklin, South Auckland. David's widowed father later joined them in New Zealand.

At the Helensville Show held in February 1904, Adelaide won first prizes for her plum jam and plum cake. She again won a first prize at the 1905 show for her plum cake, and a second prize for her sponge cake. Adie's dad (or possibly her brother, Jim) won several prizes for his horses at those shows too!



Adelaide (left) and Maggie (right) c1907
Photographer unknown
(Photo courtesy of A Low)

Adie was the first of the Archibald children to marry when she wed Irish-born Robert Liggett (16 Sep 1877 - 5 Jan 1963) on 24 June 1907. Their wedding was probably at the Archibald homestead in Parkhurst, Helensville. Robert had come to Helensville to work on the farm and that's how he met Adelaide. Robert was not a Seventh-day Adventist at first, but he became one through the influence of his future wife.

Adelaide Archibald and Robert Liggett on their wedding day 1907.
Photographer unknown
(Photo courtesy of S Ringrose)


Robert and Adie settled in Dargaville where their seven children were born:
  • Theodore (Theo) Archibald Liggett (15 Sep 1909 - 24 Jun 1999)
  • Robert James (Jim) Liggett (7 Oct 1911 - 13 Jan 2006)
  • Catherine (Cathy) Amy Liggett (15 Feb 1913 - 19 Nov 2008)
  • Richard Norman (Norm) Liggett (7 June 1914 - 3 Jan 1998)
  • Margaret Adeline Liggett (24 Mar 1916 - 2002)
  • Chloris Freida Liggett (30 Mar 1918 - 3 Feb 2002) 
  • Ivy Nora Liggett (22 Feb 1922 - 27 July 2014) who was known as Nora

Adie's father suffered with cancer of the intestines for nine months before he passed away at Glencairn, his home, on 21 July 1910. He was buried at the Helensville Cemetery in the family plot where Alex was buried previously, Block 1, Row B2, Plot 8, Seq 2. The following acknowledgement from the Archibald family was published in The Auckland Star, Vol XLI, Issue 178, 29 July 1910:

Article image

On 19 April 1915 Adie and her family attended the wedding of her brother, James Archibald III, to Louie Keymer (15 Sep 1881 - 17 Dec 1981) which was held at the bride's family's home in Birkdale, Auckland. Adie is seated second from the left in this picture. She is holding her son Jim on her lap. Robert is standing on the far left of the picture. Their daughter Catherine is the baby that is seated on the ground third from the left, and son Theo is second from the right.

Family portrait taken at the wedding of James Archibald III and Louie Keymer, 19 April 1915.
Photographer unknown but possibly W Short of Wilton Street, Grey Lynn.
(Photo courtesy of G J Bland)


Liggett children c1918
From left: Norm, Jim, Margaret (front) Theo & Cathy
Photographer unknown
(Photo courtesy of K Toepfer)


The Liggett and Archibald girl cousins visit together on the Liggett farm in Tikinui, in the 1930s.
Jean Archibald is identified in the photo at the centre back, marked with the x.
The others in the photo have not been identified as yet.
Photographer unknown.
(Photo courtesy of G J Bland)

The Liggett family
Back row from left: Theo, Jim, Norman and Robert Liggett.
Front row from left: Chloris, Margaret, Adie Liggett (nee Archibald), Cath and Nora
Date and photographer unknown
(Photo courtesy of S Ringrose)


In 1934 the Liggett family became founding members of the Dargaville Seventh-day Adventist Church. 

Robert and Adie Liggett with their children
Back from left: Jim, Margaret, Eva, Chloris, Cath, Nora, Theo and Merle
Front: Robert and Adie Liggett
Date and photographer unknown
(Photo courtesy of L Foster)


When Adie's mother, Catherine, passed away in 1935, she was buried in the family plot at the Helensville Cemetery, alongside her husband and son.

Betsy, Adie's oldest sister, died on 28 July 1944 and was buried at the Papakura Cemetery.

Adie's brother, James III, died on 3 September 1958 and was buried at the Papakura Cemetery.


Adelaide & Robert Liggett
Date & photographer unknown
(Photo courtesy of S Ringrose)

Robert and Adelaide Liggett
Date & photographer unknown
(Photo courtesy of L Foster)


Robert Liggett died on 5 January 1963.

Adie's sister, Maggie, died on 26 August 1970 aged 91. She was buried at the Kamo Cemetery, Ketenikau Road, Whangarei.

Adie (85) died in Tikinui, Dargaville, on 18 September 1971 after suffering a stroke. She was buried at the new Dargaville Cemetery. The Australasian Record, Vol 75, No. 47, 22 November 1971, pg 14, printed the following obituary notice for Adie:

LIGGETT. As the Sabbath hours ebbed away
on September 18, 1971, Sister Adelaide Liggett
closed her eyes in sleep at the age of eighty-
five years to rest "safe in the arms of Jesus."
In her earlier married life, Sister Liggett lived
in very isolated conditions but, as a true mother
in Israel, she organised her family into a church
company. Then, when the Dargaville Seventh-
day Adventist church, North New Zealand, was
formally begun thirty-eight years ago, Sister
Liggett and her late husband became the first
members to have their names placed on the
church roll. Shortly afterwards, she was
elected church treasurer, a position she held for
thirty years. We laid her to rest in the Darga-
ville lawn cemetery. Though left to mourn her
passing, her seven children, Theo, Jim, Norman,
Catherine, Margaret, Chloris (Mrs. Ringrose)
and Nora (Mrs. Sparks), all rejoice in the
"blessed hope" and the surety of the resurrec-
tion morn. Pastor P. J Colquhoun assisted the
writer at the service in the Dargaville church,
and at the graveside.   Maurice F. Nash.


The grave of Robert and Adelaide Liggett.



The children of Robert & Adelaide Liggett:
  • Theodore (Theo) Archibald Liggett (15 Sep 1909 - 24 Jun 1999)
    • Theo was born in Helensville, probably at Parkhurst.
    • He married Jessie Florence Merle Fair (3 Aug 1908 - 2 Sep 1989) on 13 February 1935, who was known as Merle, in 1935. They settled in Ohaeawai, in Northland, where Theo worked as an insurance agent. Later on they ran a fabric business.
Wedding of Theo Liggett to Merle Fair
From left: unknown woman, Jim Liggett, Theo Liggett, Merle Fair,
unknown man and flower girl, unknown woman
Photographer unknown
(Photo courtesy of S Ringrose)

    • Theo and Merle had a son and a daughter, born in 1936 and 1937 respectively.
Theo and Merle's children, D & W Liggett (centre back)
with some of their Liggett cousins.
Back from left: M, D, W, I
Front from left: Twins K & A, & twins R & Robert (Bob)
Photographer unknown
(Photo courtesy of L Foster)

    • The 1981 New Zealand Census records Theo and Merle as retired, and living at 10 Poseidon Place, Pakuranga, Auckland. 
    • Merle died in 1989 aged 81. Her obituary was printed in the Record, Vol 94, No. 40, October 14, 1989, as follows:
Liggett, Jessie Florence Merle, 81, died September 2 at
the Middlemore Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand, after
prolonged ill health. Merle was a long-time, faithful mem-
ber of the SDA Church. She is survived by her husband,
Theo; son, Wallace; daughter and son-in-law, Dellwyn
and Mostyn Ellis; and six grandchildren (all of Auckland).
                                                                             John Veld
    • Theo remarried on 8 September 1991. His second wife was Australian-born mother of two, Helen Elsie Beckett (13 June 1919 - 8 Aug 2005) whose first husband was church minister, Karl Derrick Lofton-Brook (3 July 1910 - 25 July 1990).
    • Theo died in 1999, aged 89. He was buried with his first wife at the Papatoetoe Cemetery, Puhinui Road, at Bapti-17-255. 
    • Theo's obituary was published in the Record, September 25, 1999, page 14. It read as follows:
Liggett, Theodore Archibald, born 
15.9.09 at Helensville, NZ; died 24.6.99
at Manukau City. He was predeceased
by his first wife, Merle, on 2.9.89. On
8.9.91 he married Helen (nee Lofton-
Brook). He is survived by his wife
(Manukau City); his children, Wallace
(Manurewa), Dellwyn Ellis (Pukekohe);
and his stepsons, Kenneth Lofton-Brook
(New Plymouth) and Oliver Lofton-
Brook (Toronto, Canada). Theo was a
well-respected, appreciated Christian
gentleman and church leader.
                                        Kyrill Bland

    • Theo's second wife, Helen, died on 8 August 2005 and was buried at the Manukau Memorial Gardens, Papatoetoe, Aanon-A-020.
  • Robert James (Jim) Liggett (7 Oct 1911 - 13 Jan 2006)
    • Married Margaret Eva Lauder (7 April 1910 - 1 April 1993) who was known as Eva, on 8 July 1936. 
Jim Liggett's wedding to Eva Lauder, 8 July 1936
From left: Ernie Lauder, Cath Liggett, Jim Liggett, Eva Lauder,
Miriam Lauder and Norman Liggett
Photographer unknown
(Photo courtesy of K Toepfer)
    • Jim and Eva ran a farm in Northland. Jim's brother Norm was also a farmer. Their sister Margaret lived in the area too. 
    • Jim and Eva had six children, including two sets of twins:
      • M Liggett (1939 - )
      • K & A Liggett (twins) (1943 - )
      • Norene Liggett (1948 - ?)
      • L & L Liggett (twins) (1952 - )

  • Catherine (Cathy) Amy Liggett (15 Feb 1913 - 19 Nov 2008)
    • Cathy never married. She was a talented baker, often baking and decorating wedding cakes for family members.
    • She lived in Auckland and Wellington and New Plymouth. For a time she worked for a time as the manager of one the Sanitarium Cafes on Queen Street, Auckland.
    • Cathy died in 2008 aged 95, and was buried at the Waikumete Cemetery, Protestant Berm A Row 20, Plot 11.
Cathy Liggett with her brother, Norm.
Date & photographer unknown.
(Photo courtesy of S Ringrose)



Cathy Liggett (front, left) with her cousins and sister Nora (front, right).
Date & photographer unknown
(Photo courtesy of G J Bland)


Cathy Liggett with her niece Raewyn Sparks at a wedding c1965
Date & photographer unknown
(Photo courtesy of K Toepfer)

Richard Norman (Norm) Liggett 
(7 June 1914 - 3 Jan 1998) 
    • Norm married Muriel Yvonne Stone (25 Jan 1922 - 31 Dec 2004) on 11 July 1945. 

The wedding of Norm Liggett to Muriel Stone, 11 July 1945
From left: Bill Stone, Cath Liggett, Norm Liggett, Muriel Stone,
Keith Dickens, Thelma Sparks (nee Stone).
Front: Margaret Adams and Ivy Ringrose
Photographer unknown
(Photo courtesy of K Toepfer)

    • They had five children, including a set of twins (a boy and girl). 
Norm & Muriel Liggett with three of their children c1950.
Photographer unknown
(photo courtesy of S Ringrose)

 
    • Norm and Muriel's eldest daughter, Marion predeceased them: 
      • Marion Joy Liggett (22 July 1947 - 22 Feb 1992). Married Rex R Walsh (dates unknown) on 12 February 1978 and they had a daughter and a son. Marion succumbed to cancer in 1992. Her obituary follows and was published in the Record April 11, 1992, page 13: 
                                    Walsh, Marion Joy (nee Liggett), died February 21 at 
                                    her home in Adelaide, SA, after a brave struggle 
                                    against cancer. Her strong faith and calm assurance 
                                    were a blessing to all who ministered to her. She is
                                    survived by her husband, Rex; children Lisette and 
                                    Andrew; and family and friends in Australia and New 
                                    Zealand. Dennis Edwards assisted in the service. 
                                                                                         Andrew Kingston. 
    • Norm worked as a farmer in Northland. His sister Margaret lived nearby. Their brother Jim and his wife farmed there as well.
    • Norm died in 1998. His obituary was published in the Record June 6, 1998, page 14:
Liggett, Richard Norman, born 7.6.14; 
died 3.1.98 in Waihi Hospital, NNZ. He 
was predeceased by his daughter, Mar-
ion Walsh. He is survived by his wife, 
Muriel (Waihi); his sons and daughters-
in-law, David and Veronica, Terry and 
Narelle (all of Auckland, NNZ), Bruce 
and Sandra (Waihi); his daughter and 
son-in-law, Helen and Colin Amos
(Hamilton); and his 10 grandchildren. 
Norm was loved for his selfless service 
to his church as an elder and deacon for 
many years. The Waihi church bears 
witness to his wood-turning skills by 
way of the fine furnishings to be seen 
there.                                     Ken Curtis 
    • Muriel died in Waihi, on 31 December 2004. Her obituary was printed in the Record, May 14 2004, page 30
Liggett, Muriel Yvonne (nee Stone), born 
25.1.1922 in Wellington, NZ; died 31.12.04 at 
Waihi. On 11.7.45 she married Norman, 
who predeceased her on 3.1.98. She was also 
predeceased by her daughter, Marion Walsh, 
on 22.2.92. She is survived by her children 
and their spouses, David and Veronica, 
Terry and Narelle (all of Papatoetoe), Bruce 
and Sandra (Waihi), Helen and Colin Amos 
(Hamilton) and Rex Walsh (Cooranbong, 
NSW); her 10 grandchildren; and her two
great-grandchildren. Muriel worked in the 
Wellington Sanitarium cafe. She attended 
Longburn College in 1938 and 1939. In 
Auckland, Muriel ran the first Papatoetoe 
Pathfinders and VBS programs. 
Les Worsley
  • Margaret Adeline Liggett (24 Mar 1916 - 2002)
    • Margaret never married. 
    • She lived in Northland. Her brothers Jim and Norm were farmers there.
  • Chloris Freida Liggett (30 Mar 1918 - 3 Feb 2002) 
    • Chloris married William (Bill) George Ringrose (4 March 1916 - 27 Sep 1966) on 27 November 1939. Theirs was one of the first weddings in the Dargaville Seventh-day Adventist Church. (Chloris was a founding member of this church.)

The wedding of Chloris Liggett to William (Bill) Ringrose 1939.
Photographer unknown
(Photo courtesy of S Ringrose)

    • Bill and Chloris had a dairy farm in the Ruatangata West area of Whangarei which they broke in. 
    • According to daughter Ivy's recollections, during the war years, Bills was called up to enlist several times but was sent back home each time being classified as an 'essential worker'. 
    • Bill and Cloris had three daughters and five sons who were born between 1941 and 1960. 
Bill & Chloris Ringrose c1958
Photographer unknown
(Photo courtesy of S Ringrose)

    • Bill and Chloris's eldest sons were twins. Amazingly, Chloris gave birth to the first of the twins on 16 December 1943, and the second was born two days later. She had no idea that she had been carrying twins! The following undated newspaper clipping has been saved by the Ringrose family:

Newspaper story about the birth of the Ringrose twins
Unknown source.
(Courtesy of S Ringrose)

    • In 1951 the Ringrose family relocated to a nearby dairy farm.

Seven of the Ringrose siblings c1962.
From left: Twins Bob & R, Owen, C (front), B (back), T (front) & L.
(Photo courtesy of S Ringrose)



The Ringrose family.
Photo by The Art Studios, Wanganui, c1965
Back row from left: Owen, Bob, R, L
Front row from left: Ivy, Chloris, C, Bill, T, and B.
(Photo courtesy of I Vincent)
    • Bill died in 1966 aged 50 and Chloris died in 2002.
    • Three of William and Chloris's children have also died. They are:
      • Ivy Adelaide Ringrose (13 June 1941 - 25 March 2021)
      • Robert (Bob) George Ringrose (16 Dec 1943 - 26 Dec 1983)
      • Owen Sydney Ringrose (29 May 1949 - 4 Mar 2017)
  • Ivy Nora Liggett (22 Feb 1922 - 27 July 2014) 
    • Ivy was commonly known as Nora.
    • Nora married Raymond (Ray) Athol Sparks (18 July 1919 - 23 Aug 1974) on 2 June 1943 in the Dargaville Seventh-day Adventist Church. (Nora was a founding member of this church.)
Wedding of Ray Sparks and Nora Liggett, 2 June 1943
From left: Margaret Liggett, Allan Sparks, Ray Sparks, Nora Liggett,
Cath Liggett, Norman Liggett
Photographer unknown
(Photo courtesy of S Ringrose)


Ray Sparks and Nora Liggett on their wedding day, 2 June 1943.
Photographer unknown
(Photo courtesy of S Ringrose)

    • In the 1960s Ray worked as an apiarist and the family lived in New Lynn, Auckland. They later moved to a farm in Henderson Valley, Auckland. Ray and Nora had three daughters, born in 1945, 1950 and 1955. Their youngest daughter was killed with her fiancé, in a plane crash in Australia:
      • Raewyn Adelaide Sparks (6 Jan 1955 - 15 May 1977) 
    • Ray died aged 55 after being ill for almost one year. Nora had been patiently nursing him at the family home for at least eight months before his death. His funeral was held at the Avondale Seventh-day Adventist Church (122 Blockhouse Bay Road, Avondale). The church was packed for the service. Ray was buried at the Waikumete Cemetery, Protestant Berm A Row 16, Plot 110. The following death notice was printed in the Australasian Record, 4 November 1974, p15:
SPARKS. It was on Friday, August 23, 1974, that Raymond Athol Sparks closed his eyes in the sleep of death at the age of fifty-five. Our brother had been in critical health for the past eight months, during which time he was nursed and cared for untiringly by his loving wife, Nora, in their lovely home at Henderson Valley, Auckland. A message of hope and comfort was spoken to the sorrowing ones in the packed Avondale Seventh-day Adventist church, New Zealand, and later at the Waikumete Cemetery, where "the blessed and holy" will rise to meet their Lord in peace on the great reunion morning. Our sympathies are extended to his wife and his three daughters, Beverly (Mrs Barnett, Palmerston North), Joy (Mrs McCutcheon, Melbourne) and Raewyn. We offer condolences also to his only brother, Alan (S.H.F., Auckland) "Because I live, ye shall live also."     Stanley R Rex

    • Less than three years after the death of her husband, Nora faced another tragedy. Her youngest daughter, Raewyn Adelaide Sparks, and her fiance Eddie Oaklands died in a plane crash on 15 May 1977 while attending a church camp in South Australia. According to cemetery records, Raewyn was a lab assistant. The bodies of both Raewyn and Eddie were cremated in Australia and their ashes were brought to New Zealand where they were buried in the family plot at Waikumete Cemetery. The story of the accident that claimed their lives was printed in the Australasian Record, Vol 82, No. 30, July 25 1977. A joint death notice was also printed in the Australasian Record, Vol 82, No 32, 8 August 1977, pages 14-15. It reads as follows:
OAKLANDS and SPARKS. The Seventh-day Adventist community in New Zealand were shocked and saddened when they heard of the tragic accident on May 15, 1977, when the aircraft in which Eddie Oaklands and Raewyn Sparks were travelling, crashed on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. These two young people had just announced their engagement. Eddie was born in Adelaide on Christmas Day, 1945, and was the son of the late Brother and Sister F. E. Oaklands formerly of Adelaide. He also leaves a sister, Mrs. M. Manners, of Warragul, Victoria, and the Oaklands family in New Zealand, cousins of his, to mourn his passing. He attended the Seventh-day Adventist school in Prospect, South Australia, and later became a commercial artist. Raewyn Sparks was born on January 6, 1955, in Auckland, New Zealand, and was the youngest daughter of Nora and the late Raymond Sparks. She loved her parents, and was a great help to her widowed mother, being most dependable and thoughtful. She trained as a laboratory assistant. She received all her education in our church schools here in New Zealand. Raewyn has two sisters, Mrs. Beverly Barnett of Palmerston North and Mrs. Joy McCutcheon of Victoria, who will miss this cheerful soul. For these two dear young people a memorial service was held on May 23 at the Avondale Church, New Zealand, which was packed for the occasion. At the memorial service we were once again directed to the blessed hope of those who die in the Lord. As the remains of these two dear folk arrived, they were placed in the grave where Brother Sparks sleeps in the Waikumete Cemetery, awaiting the resurrection morning. K. D. L. Brook

    • Nora loved animals and operated a horse riding school from her farm.
    • She married Ben Griffin (dates unknown) towards the end of her life.
    • Nora (91) died peacefully at her home on 27 July 2014. She was also buried in the Sparks family plot in Waikumete Cemetery (Protestant Berm A Row 16, Plot 110).
    • After Nora died Ben moved to Australia.


Sources of Information
  • Family tree notes from I Vincent
  • Family records from A Low
  • Family records courtesy of G J Bland
  • Photographs from K Toepfer, A Low, S Ringrose, L Foster, and G J Bland
  • Australasian Record Archives, accessed online 30 December 2017
  • Auckland Council Burial Records
  • Papers Past
  • Ancestry.com
  • Notes about 'Glencairn' from K & D Bayliss
  • Funeral Service for Ivy Vincent Cocurullo Ringrose

Last updated 24 August 2022



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