Fund for Thomas Heath (1840c - 1886) headstone

This page's sole purpose is to raise funds to pay for a headstone for Thomas Heath, buried in the Duntroon Cemetery, North Otago, and associated unveiling ceremony costs.

What is being proposed?

Thomas' grave currently sits without any headstone some 40km up the Waitaki river, on its southern banks in the small settlement of Duntroon. See the picture of the current plot, below in the Gallery.

It is proposed a simple headstone be erected on his grave, similar to the draft visual accompanying this page. It is estimated this headstone will cost around $2,200 and all funds will go towards it's erection, plus the unveiling ceremony costs.

When will it be unveiled?

Heath descendants are invited to attend an unveiling ceremony at the Duntroon Cemetery on Sunday, 31 January 2021 at 11am, followed by some complimentary kai at the Duntroon Hotel at 11:30am. This will be 135th anniversary of Thomas' death, an important day for descendants. All welcome!

Can I get more information on Thomas Heath?

All donations over $50 will have the following official records made available to them, as thanks:

- Thomas Heath Death Printout (worth $25);

- Thomas Heath Burial registry copy (worth $25);

- Thomas Heath and Ema Saunders-Loder Marriage Printout (worth $25);

- Other records for your ancestor (one of his five children), where held (ie Birth Printout, worth $25); and

- Excerpt from Oamaru Mail in 1886, announcing his death.

Who was he?

The name sake for a large group of descendants from the Waimate/Morven area in South Canterbury, Thomas Heath was the first husband to Emma Saunders-Loder (Kati Huirapa, Ngai Tahu) and was a father to five children: Amy Pemberton, Janet Stokes, Margaret Sarah Spriggs, Alice Heath and Joseph Thomas Heath.

His descendants are known as the "Heath whanau" and whakapapa to Waihao, Moeraki and Puketeraki along the South Canterbury/North Otago coast through his wife, Emma. Although he sadly passed away before many of them were born, he was a grandfather to some 39 grandchildren, one of whom is still alive today and who has given the blessing to have this headstone erected.

Born: 1840c, Staffordshire, England

Immigration to NZ: 1866c

Marriage: 22 December 1871, Waimate – Emma Saunders-Loder (later Emma Paiki, then Emma Turner)

Died: 31 January 1886, Duntroon

Buried in Duntroon Cemetery, 2 February 1886; Block 5, Section 18

Who am I?

I am the great, great, great grandchild of Thomas Heath, coming from his daughter Janet Stokes' line.