Birth

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Biographical Notes

Albert Leonard Style was born Leonard Albert Giles Styles on 24 May 1890 at Marton, the son of Leonard and Eliza Styles. In July 1891 at the Police Court, Leonard Styles was charged with having insufficient visible means of support at Wanganui. While he was sentenced to three months imprisonment in Wanganui Gaol, his four children - two girls aged 14 and 12 years, one boy aged 10, and a little girl aged 3 years – were committed to the Burnham Industrial School until they should reach the age of fifteen years. In February 1892 at the Marton Police Court, “Leonard Styles was brought up on a charge of failing to maintain his family, and ordered to pay 2s 6d per week each towards the maintenance of his five children, who are in the Burnham Industrial School.” In July 1896 a man named Leonard Styles was arrested in Palmerston “on a charge of failing to provide for the support of his children at present confined in the Burnham Industrial School. “Styles was, on an information charging him with the above offence, sentenced at Marton, by Mr Brabant, S.M., to two months' imprisonment in Wanganui Gaol, but evaded arrest until Saturday.”

It was Eliza Styles’ turn in March 1892 – “Eliza Styles, charged with being an idle and disorderly person, pleaded not guilty. Sergeant Major Anderson applied for a remand for three days in order to have the case heard before the R.M,, when he would apply to have the child of the accused dealt with under the Industrial School Act. The remand was granted.” On 15 March 1892 at the R.M. Court, the “infant son of Eliza Styles, an idle and disorderly woman, was committed to the Burnham Industrial School until he attains the age of 14 years. The commital was made on the application of the police.” “A mite of a child, a year and 10 months old. Named Albert L. Styles, arrived at the polico station to-day, on tho way to Burnham Industrial School, the parents (who reside at Wanganui) being unable to provide for their offspring.” [Evening Post. 19 March 1892.] That infant child was Albert L. Styles, just 1 year 9 months old when he was admitted to the Burnham School on 15 March 1892. There he joined his siblings who had been admitted in 1891. Albert was still at Burnham in 1895, his licence to expire on 31 March 1898.

On 10 January 1911 at the Presbyterian Manse, Papanui, Christchurch, he married Ann Eliza Wheeler – he married under the name Albert Leonard Styles Allnutt. Arthur Reginald Styles was born in 1911 and Amy Constance in 1913, both at Papanui. Albert L. Styles, Kakahu, was one of the South Canterbury recruits for the eleventh reinforcements (Artillery), who left Timaru for Trentham on 15 December 1915. It was 16 October 1916 when he enlisted at Timaru, giving his address as Totara Valley, Pleasant Point, and naming his wife as next-of-kin – Mrs E. Styles, Totara Valley, Pleasant Point. He was a farm hand, married with two children and of Church of England affiliation. He stated that both his parents were deceased.

Private A. L. Styles embarked with the Canterbury Infantry Regiment of the 22nd Reinforcements, departing for Devonport, England, by the “Navua” on 16 February 1917. 38990 A. L. Styles, of Timaru, returned to New Zealand by Draft No. 200 which was expected to arrive in mid December 1918. He was discharged on 17 January 1919. Another son was born to Albert and Ann Eliza in 1920 – Norman Albert Lawrence Styles. Ann Eliza Styles died at Ashburton County Hospital on 14 March 1925. She probably died in childbirth, a two-day old child, Annie Eliza Styles, dying on 16 March, and both buried together at Ashburton.

Albert Leonard Styles had his day in Court on 15 December 1926 at Timaru. He was charged with being £136 15s 3d in arrears of a maintenance order, in respect of his three children. The accused had “aggravated the position by marrying a widow with three children.” He was convicted, and sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, the warrant to be suspended as long as he paid 6s 8d for the two young children and 6s 8d off the arrears, until the second child reached the age of 16, and thereafter 13s 4d off arrears, the first payment to be made on December 22. Albert had married Elizabeth Paneta in 1926. His children attended some South Canterbury schools under the guardianship of others. Albert married Bertha Gladys Crane in 1937. He died on 20 June 1958 at Christchurch, aged 68 years and was buried in the soldiers’ section of Ruru Lawn Cemetery, Christchurch, a services plaque marking his grave. His death notice made no mention of his family but named two step-sons. Bertha died in 1980. Albert’s elder son, Arthur Reginald Styles served with the New Zealand Medical Corps in World War Two.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [01 August 2022]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [06 August 2022]; Industrial School Nominal Rolls [02 August 2022]; Wanganui Herald, 18 July 1891, 12 March 1892, 21 July 1896, Wanganui Chronicle, 25 February 1892, 16 March 1892, Evening Post, 19 March 1892, Timaru Herald, 9 December 1915, 26 March 1925, 16 December 1926, NZ Times, 12 December 1918, Dominion, 12 December 1918, 25 March 1925, Press, 23 June 1958 (Papers Past) [01, 03, 04, 05 & 06 August 2022]; Ruru Lawn Cemetery headstone image (Find A Grave) [02 August 2022]; Ruru Lawn Cemetery records [02 August 2022]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

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Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC Genealogy Society

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