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Samuel Norster (or Noster as he preferred to be known) was born in 1827.

He does not appear on the 1841 census, as far as I can find, nor any subsequent census in the UK.

He does appear getting married on 12th August 1882 in Dunedin, New Zealand. His first child was born on 20th August 1882, so it seems to have been a bit of a rush job !

There was a census in 1881, but he does not appear. There were residential status rules and he may not have complied – that is, more than 6 months in the area.

I am trying to find when he left this country and when he arrived in New Zealand. The common route, apparently, was to go to Australia, become disillusioned and move on to New Zealand.

At the moment, I don’t have a clue – but I am looking.

I have just found, on the New Zealand web-site “Papers Past”, 21st December 1866, is recorded how he attempted to save another seaman’s life. I’ve copied the extract here :-

“A heavy sea was rolling in from the northeast, with short breakers, and two of the surf-boats had got drifted from their lines, when four men in the employment ‘of Messrs Traill, Roxby and Co. went out in the small surf-boat to fetch in another large boat which was there. Arrived at the boat, three of the men got into it, leaving the deceased, John Hagan, in the small one. One, man we may remark, is usually left in it, so that he may run back on the line with it. In a very short space of time after the three men got out of it, a heavy sea came and filled it, Hagan still keeping his place, and making for shore as best he could. Another sea came and capsized it, throwing him out. The large boat was to leeward, and a line could not be thrown to Hagan, but Samuel Noster, who was in charge of it, threw an oar, which unfortunately fell about six feet short. Hagan by that time was apparently powerless to make any exertion to save himself, having been more under than above water, although a good swimmer. All efforts to save him were unavailing, and he was carried beyond reach of help. The men belonging to the Oamaru Boating Company were in one of their boats to render any assistance possible, but nothing could be done. All the boats were rescued unscathed, save the capsized one, which also was recovered late in the evening. No blame is attachable to any one. His body was not recovered up to a late hour last night.”

Also, on the same website, in the North Otago Times, that Samuel was in Court on 27th November 1866 in Oamaru for smuggling Tobacco. He was fined 8 shillings.

Still looking for his entry to New Zealand.