Genealogy Chat

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I found this information in my local newspaper and thought it might be of interest to someone......... I quote 'James Imms was baptised in Ringmer, East Sussex on June 13, 1830, one of five children of Joseph and Ann Imms. By 1851 he had left both his family and parish. A brief account of his life after that has been written by a descendant and has been sent from New Zealand to the Ringmer History Study Group. James joined the army, aged 16, against his mother's wishes. He received one shilling to do so. He completed his service as a British soldier under the name of James Smith. He fought in the Crimean war and the Boxer rebellion; his only wound was that one big toe was shot off. He remembered Florence Nightingale well. After Army service he married Lucy Radford Thompson in 1865. With little work in England and three children - Emily the eldest, a boy who died in infancy, and William - James had the choice of the workhouse or assisted passage to New Zealand. They travelled on the 'Rouparell', leaving London on February 24, 1874 and arrived in Auckland on May 30. The ship carried 367 immigrants. They settled on Government land near the gum fields at Ruatangata..........and never returned to Blighty." Hope someone finds something useful in here! Linda (East Sussex)