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Benjamin Martin Athol PEARCE
1891 - 1960

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• Nickname	Jack
  Birth	13AUG1891	Onehunga. NZ   [1]
  Gender	Male
  Died	26MAY1960	Sydney. NSW   [2, 3]
  Person ID	I226	Jean Mailer Forsyth
  Last Modified	4 Mar 2012

  
  

  Family	Jean Mailer FORSYTH,   b. 19FEB1889, 95 Lower Bridge St, Stirling. Scotland ,   d. 29DEC1968, Parramatta, Sydney. NSW
  Married	02MAY1919	5 Phillips St, Paisley. Scotland   [4]
  Children	1. Helene Whyte PEARCE,   b. 20APR1921, 4 Adelaide St, Petone. NZ ,   d. 03APR1985, Ryde Hospital, Eastwood. NSW   2. Jean Muriel PEARCE,   b. 30 Apr 1925, Petone. NZ   3. Dorothy Anne PEARCE,   b. 14 Dec 1926, Sydney. NSW
  Photos		Benjamin Pearce & family 1923 per Corinthic.jpg
  		Benjamin Jean & Helen Pearce to UK 1922.jpg
  		Benjamin & Jean Pearce 1930 Electoral Roll.jpg
  		Benjamin & Jean Pearce 1936 Electoral Roll.jpg
  		Pea1919bjmForsyth.jpg
  Family ID	F76	Group Sheet

  
  

• Photos		Pea1891bb.jpg
  		BMAPearceArmy.jpg
  		BMAPassport.jpg
  		BMANan.jpg
  		Corinthic Dance Card 1.jpg

  
  

• Notes

  Benjamin Martin Pearce attended Arthur St School in Dunedin from 24May1903 to 22Jun1903. THe family lived at Michie St, Roslyn at the time. The school was established in 1848. Benjamin - always known as Jack - had been apprenticed as a plumber to R.W. Jenkins. He lived at 53 Richmond St, Petone, Wellington. At the time of joining the Army, he was described as 5'6" tall weighing 9st 10oz with ruddy complexion, blue eyes and auburn hair. A photo of Jack and another soldier in full uniform appeared in the N.Z. Freelance on 23Mar1917. Benjamin Martin Athol Pearce - known as Jack -joined the New Zealand Army at Wellington on 23Oct1917 as a Private in 4th Batt/3rd N.Z. Rifle Brigade. His Military Number was 74762. He marched into Trentham camp on 7Mar1918 and embarked from N.Z. on H.M. Troop Ship "105 SS Remuera" on 18Jun1918. He disembarked at Liverool on 31Jul1918 marching into Brocton - being Posted to Rifle Brigade as Rifleman on 31Jul1918. He left for France on 25Sep1918 marching into Etaples 27th Sep1918. He joined Battalion being posted to D Company on 30Sep1918. Jack was wounded in action 5Oct1918 - a gunshot wound to right buttock. He was admitted via 2nd N.Z. Field Ambulance to 11 Staty Hospital in Rouen on 7Oct1918. Later he travelled by hospital ship to 1st N.Z General Hospital at Brockenhurst on 11Oct1918 being discharged on 17Dec1918. He marched in Larkhill on 3Jan1919 and Torquay on 1Jul1919. He embarked for N.Z on H.M.N.Z Troop Ship "288 SS Ionic" at Plymouth on 8Sep arriving Wellington on 25Oct1919. Jack was discharged from Army on 22Nov1919 receiving the British War Medal and Victory Medal. While recuperating in England, he met Jean Mailer Forsyth b 19Feb1889 in Stirling, Scotland. According to cousin Molly - they met in London towards the end of the war. After a short courtship of five months they were married 2May1919 at 5 Phillips St, Paisley, Scotland. A relative Molly Smith had a photo of the place where Jack and Jean spent their honeymoon - she later presented them with a framed copy as a memento. (I do not know where this photo is now). There are postcards of places the newlyweds visited - including the Wallace Memorial at Stirling where they climbed to the top. Jean came back as a War Bride to N.Z. on the same ship that Jack returned from WW1 - the 'Ionic' - Jean travelled 3rd class! Recently found details of this journey with details in Jean's own handwriting. Jean and Jack lived at Huia St, Petone in Wellington. Benjamin prospered and they owned their home at 4 Adelaide St, Petone (photo) where their daughter Helen Whyte was born on 20Apr1921. Jean was homesick for Scotland so the family returned there for a year where Helene was Christened. (hence the two surnames as is the Scottish tradition. A passport was issued to Jack, Jean and daughter Helene on 10Oct1922 by N.Z authorities. His physical description is - 5' 7" tall with ordinary forehead and nose, blue eyes, straight nose, auburn hair, fair complexion and oval face, aged 31. He is described as Natural born British Subject. Jean is aged 32, 5' 6 1/2" tall with high forehead, blue eyes, ordinary nose, medium mouth and chin, dark hair and complexion and oval face. Both Jack and Jean signed their names in full. The passport states they were travelling to England. I have a copy of the Passenger List for Benjamin, Jean and daughter Helen sailing for Southampton per 'Corinthic' arriving 24Nov1922. Their address while in Scotland was 14 Cochrane St, Paisley. Benjamin is aged 31 and a Plumber, Jean is 32 and Helen is aged 18 months. The family returned to NZ the following year - again sailing per 'Corinthic' from Southampton to NZ arriving 28Dec1923. They had been staying at 19 Argyle St in Paisley. I have a small silver ashtray with the emblem of 'Corinthic' on it - a family heirloom! Jobs were becoming scarce when the familiy returned to N.Z. - another daughter Jean was born 30Apr1925 at Petone, N.Z. The family sailed to Australia in Oct1925 - Annie Newey (Jack's mother) had painted a very rosy picture - a land of milk and honey! A third daughter Dorothy Ann was born 14Dec1926 after the family arrived in Australia. Benjamin was without a job, but grew vegetables for the family to eat. He tried to sell some by taking a huge basket full every day down to Manly Wharf - walking all the way. He often returned with a full basket - selling none. Life in Sydney during the Depression was very difficult. According to the Electoral Rolls BMA Pearce and Jean lived at Consul Rd, Brookvale in 1930 and 1933. In 1936, 37, 43 and 49 they lived at 12 Francis St, Fairlight before moving to 4 Francis St for the 1954 Election. The family never regained the life they had in N.Z. where Jack had his own plumbing business and they owned their own home. He worked hard as a plumber, but when nearly at retirement age his employer went bankrupt and left Jack and Jean in a very ordinary financial position. Jack's health was deteroriating and he died 26May1960 aged 68 at Neringah Nursing Home, Wahroonga, after a long illness. He was privately cremated on 28May1960. Details as per Sydney Morning Herald 30May1960. Details of Benjamin Martin Athol Pearce obtained from Ministry of Defence - 9Dec1983 The following information about your relative is compiled from his personal records. 74762 Rifleman Benjamin Martin Athol Pearce Personal Details Date and Place of Birth: 12Aug1892 - Auckland Religion: Roman Catholic Marital Status: Single Occupation: Plumber Address: 53 Richmond St Petone Employer: R W Jenkins Description: Height: 5 feet 6 inches Weight:" 9 stone 10 pounds Complexion: Ruddy Eyes: Blue Hair: Auburn Next of Kin: Mother: Mrs A Newey Address: Brookvale via Manly Sydney Place of birth: Taranaki Sister: Mrs E W Hosie Address: John St Petone (later 4a Adelaide St, Petone) Wife: Mrs Jean Mailer PEARCE nee Forsyth Married on: 2 May1919 at Paisley, Renfrew by W L Campbell Address: 5 Phillips St Paisley SERVICE RECORD War Time Service Attested at: Wellington on 23Oct1917 Marched into: Trentham Camp on 7Mar1918 Rank: Private Unit: 4th Battalion 3rd NZ Rifle Brigade Embarked from NZ on His Majesty's New Zealand Troop Ship Number: 105 SS REMUERA From: Wellington on 18Jun1918 Disembarked at: Liverpool on 31Jul1918 Marched in Brocton and posted to Rifle Brigade as Rifleman 31Jul1918 Left for France 25Sep1918 Marched in Etaples 27Sep1918 Joined Battalion, posted D Company 30Sep1918 Wounded action 5Oct1918 Gunshot Wound Right Buttock Admitted: 2 New Zealand Field Ambulance 5Oct1918 11 Staty Hospital, Rouen 7Oct1918 Hospital Ship 11Oct1918 1 New Zealand General Hospital, Brockenhurst 11Oct1918 Discharged Hospital to leave 17Dec1918 Marched in Larkhill 3Jan1919 Marched in Torquay 1Jul1919 Embarked for New Zealand on His Majesty's New Zealand Troop Ship Number: 288 SS IONIC From: Plymouth on 8Sep1919 Disembarked at: Wellington on 25Oct1919 Discharged on: 22Nov1919 Medals Awarded: British War Medal Victory Medal The following War History was written about his unit and may be available from your library: Title: The Official History of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade Author: Lieutenant Colonel W S Austin DSO Publisher: Lieutenant Watkins Ltd Wellington 1924




• Sources

  [S1050] Certificate obtained, NZ Ref 8845 in 1891. [S451] Death Details from Newspaper. [S1056] Certificate Number known but not purchased, NSW BMD 13172. [S1050] Certificate obtained, Scottish Certificate No 228 in 1919.