John Twiss of Castleisland, wrongfully convicted of the murder of James Donovan in 1894 and hanged in Cork Gaol the following year, was Posthumously Pardoned on 16 December 2021 by President Michael D Higgins following a campaign by Castleisland District Heritage.
In the wake of the Pardon, Castleisland District Heritage entered into a correspondence with Gerald M Twiss of New Zealand, a researcher of the Twiss family. He had a particular interest in William Twiss, older brother of John, who emigrated to New Zealand in 1874.
Gerald was invited to share his research on the platform of Castleisland District Heritage, and his work is now presented below.
William Twiss (1853-1919) of Canterbury, New Zealand
William Twiss was born in Whitechapel, London in 1853, son of George Twiss and Elizabeth Healy Twiss, and older brother of John Twiss who was hanged in Cork Gaol in 1895.
Little is known about William’s early life. However, on 6 January 1874 he boarded a ship for New Zealand, a voyage that would take almost four months.[1] William arrived at the port of Lyttelton, Canterbury on the ship Rakaia on 26 April 1874.[2] The local press recorded the ship’s arrival:
The ship Mallard has arrived, 126 days out from London. Also, the Rakaia, 86 days from Plymouth, with 504 immigrants, ten saloon, and three second-class passengers.[3]
Both vessels were chartered by the New Zealand Shipping Co which also reported the deaths of six children and the birth of eight babies en route.[4] The Star newspaper reported on the voyage:
The voyage throughout has been a very pleasant one; concerts and entertainments have been given, and Mr M’Quade, who acted as purser, has done much to vary the monotony of the voyage. Dr Townsend is surgeon-superintendent of the ship, and Mrs Davis is matron. Amongst the passengers are Mr and Mrs Ruddenklau, and the Rev L. Lohr, minister for the German church.[5]
The vessel also came under the reporter’s eye:
Ship Rakaia, from London, the first ship built for the New Zealand Shipping Company, and under the command of Captain Rose, formerly commander of the ships Mermaid and Merope, arrived in harbour yesterday, and was anchored off Rhodes Bay at 1 p.m. … Looking at the ship from a distance she has a splendid spring from fore to aft, but the mainmast is placed somewhat too far aft, which reduces her speed. Her length is 200 feet, breadth 34feet, depth of hold 19ft 6in. She was built in Sunderland by John Blumer and Co. and is classed 100A at Lloyd’s. She has an excellent poop, 60ft long. Her saloon is elegantly furnished; the cabins, which are very commodious and capable of holding three persons, are exceedingly well finished, the timber being teak and birds eye maple, with gilt mouldings.[6]
Each cabin was supplied with ‘every requisite for the comfort of the passengers’:
There is also a bathroom and a large pantry, all of which are mahogany fitted. On the main deck there is a house, 36ft by 14ffc, built of teak, for the convenience of petty officers, and cook’s galley and engine house. The ship is fitted with one of Gravely’s patent condensers (which we may state has acted well during the voyage), and there is a double purchase capstan windlass, which occupies a small space. On going below, it was evident that the vessel had been specially built for immigration purposes, all the arrangements being devised with a view to the comfort and convenience of the immigrants. The single girls’ berths, under the charge of Mrs W. Davis, were scrupulously clean, and this may also be said of the whole of the ship. The Commissioners in their tour of inspection expressed their approval of the way in which everything had been carried out, the ventilation and light being good.[7]
In the absence of personal record, William’s life in New Zealand must be pieced together from official sources. The first we hear of him after his arrival in New Zealand is in September 1877, when the North Otago Times reported that he had been summonsed and fined 20s in the Resident Magistrates’ Court for allowing horses to wander at large.[8] In the same year he was awarded various roading contracts by tender from the Otepoti Roads Board and the Waiareka Roads Board.[9]
Unfortunately, there is nothing to be gleaned from New Zealand Census Records as they were destroyed after the census was taken. However, William can be traced through the New Zealand Electoral Rolls to various places around Canterbury, New Zealand. They reveal a man on the move, no doubt in line with making a living.
In 1880 and 1881, William was resident at Timaru, his occupation given as labourer. He was at Highfield (North Canterbury) as a station-hand in 1883 – a letter addressed to him at Timaru in 1884 is on record as unclaimed although he appears at Timaru again in 1890.
After this, in 1905, he was working as a gardener in Akaroa and in 1911 and 1914, as a labourer living at 84 Retreat Street, Avonside, Christchurch. In 1914 he was also recorded at 17 Albert Street, Rangiora, the same year in which the following notice appeared in The Press:
Will the firm of solicitors, who some years ago advertised in the local papers endeavouring to ascertain the whereabouts of one William Twiss, kindly communicate with R Vincent, Solicitor, Christchurch.[10]
It is not known who was trying to contact William. It may have been that his family sought to find him in the wake of John’s execution for reasons that are lost to us.
As far as can be established, William never married, and was living in retirement at Rangiora at the time of his death in Christchurch Hospital, from bronchitis, on 14 February 1919. The event was placed on record by the undertaker, G Barrell and registered at Christchurch on 19 February 1919.[11]
William was buried in Plot 32, Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury on 17 February 1919.[12] He did leave a will with the New Zealand Public Trust though tragically, no copy of it can be found. As William had no other close relatives in New Zealand, he may have given the proceeds of his estate to the Roman Catholic Church.[13]
Before, during and after the trials and subsequent conviction and hanging of his brother John Twiss, there was much misinformation circulated about the Twiss family. It was said that William Twiss had been responsible for the murder of Thomas Browne in 1882 for which Sylvester Poff and James Barrett were hanged in 1883. It was also said that William was a priest living in Australia.
However, the detailed research of Gerald M Twiss converts fiction to fact. His research is borne out in a letter written by Rev M T Marnane (1856-1908), pastor of St Mary’s parish, Christchurch, New Zealand, to his brother, Mr Patrick Marnane, Tralee in 1895. Rev Marnane asked that his brother ‘have contradicted’ the statement that William Twiss, brother of the man who was executed, was a Catholic missionary in Christchurch:
William Twiss is a labouring man but a good living fellow … Strange to say, a few hours before I received your paper about the execution, William Twiss called on me and inquired if I had received any recent newspaper from home. I told him I had not, but to call again, as I expected some by the Frisco mail, which was due, so that it devolved on me to break the sad news to the disconsolate brother. The poor fellow has taken the sad blow very well and forgives all those who had anything to do with bringing his unfortunate brother to an untimely grave.[14]
William Twiss was left to bear the family tragedy alone in his adopted land. The frustrations he experienced being so far from home in the face of great injustice are hinted at in Rev Marnane’s letter:
He has been to see me three or four times since he heard of his brother’s execution. He wants to go home and rake up all the information he can gather to establish his late brother’s innocence. He asked my advice, and I have dissuaded him, for I thought nothing would come out of it, and the poor fellow can ill afford to spend money on such a mission.
Another 125 years would pass before his brother’s innocence was finally put on record.
Gerald M Twiss, Kapiti Coast
Gerald M Twiss, author of the above, explains how his interest in William Twiss came about.
I am a retired, full-time firefighter, and live on the Kapiti Coast in New Zealand. My father Patrick (Pat) Twiss started researching our Twiss Irish Line in 1985 when he retired. He did this by typing letters on his trusty Remington typewriter, posting them, followed by waiting three months for a reply from the other side of the world.
In 1994 I got my first computer and, wanting to learn how to use it, began typing up all the research information my father had done. I also entered the information into a genealogy database programme. My father died in 2008, and in his will requested that all his Twiss research be kept together. I took it over and it has become a worldwide Twiss one-name study.
There are three Twiss lines in New Zealand, one Twiss English Branch, and two Twiss Irish branches. My direct Twiss line and the third Twiss line are direct descendants of William and Anne Cornielle Twiss. As well as these three lines, I have found what I term ‘Twiss New Zealand Strays.’ These are Twiss people who I have found information on in New Zealand, but cannot join onto one of the main Twiss lines.
William Twiss fitted into my ‘Twiss Strays’ until the mystery was solved. The breakthrough came when Janet Murphy (Castleisland District Heritage) and I got in contact and with our combined information worked out that William was indeed the brother of John Twiss.
I have continued to add to what I have and have several lines (worldwide) that I cannot yet join to the main tree. My children call it the ‘Twiss Family Forest’ because they say it is too big to be a tree!
If you can add further to research of the life of William Twiss, or the Twiss name in general, please contact Gerald at gerot@xtra.co.nz.[15]
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[1] Shipping Records for New Zealand: New Zealand Inward Shipping Records state William left England on the 6th January 1874 and that he was from Kent, England. However, he may have travelled to Plymouth from Ireland and boarded the ship there. [2] Immigration Records: Name - William Twiss/Age - 21 years/Estimated Birth Year – 1853/Gender – Male/Marital Status - Not given/Origin – Kent/Occupation – Labourer/Shipping Company – NZSCo./Ship's Name - Rakaia /Departure Port - Not given/Departure Date - 06 Jan 1874/Arrival Port – Canterbury/Arrival Date; 26 Apr 1874/Ship's Arrival Port – Lyttelton, Canterbury/(Migration, New Zealand, Archives New Zealand, Passenger Lists, 1839-1973). [3] Otago Witness, Issue 1170, 2 May 1874, Page 18. [4] ‘Shortly after 2 p.m. the Health Officer and Commissioners went down to the ship in the S.S. Mullogh, and found all well on board. During the passage there had been no disease of a virulent character, the deaths which had occurred were those of children of tender age’ (The Star, Issue 1917, 27 April 1874, Page 2). [5] The Star, Issue 1917, 27 April 1874, Page 2. [6] Ibid. [7] Ibid. [8] Court appearance. Resident Magistrates' Court, Monday, 24th September 1877 (Before T. W. Parker, Esq., R.M.) Horses and Cattle at Large. For allowing horses and cattle to wander at large in the town, the following persons were fined in the amounts set opposite their name: William Twiss, 4 horses, 20 s (shillings). (North Otago Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 1695, 25 September 1877, Page 2). [9] 5 Oct 1877 Roading Tenders. William did not win the two tenders he put in for as others had cheaper prices for the work. The following tenders were opened. Contract 56; William Twiss £111 - 18s - 6d ($ is pounds) Contract 56A; William Twiss &65 - 1s - 6d (North Otago Times, 5 Oct 1877, page 2). 29 November 1877. Waiareka Roads Board. Tenders were opened as follows, for roads in Corriedale (inland from Oamaru) Contract 61; William Twiss, £54 7s Accepted (54 pounds, 7 shillings) (North Otago Times, Volume 1751, Issue XXVI, 29 November 1877, Page 2). [10] The Press, 17 January 1914. [11] Perhaps George Barrell (1854-1921) cabinet maker and funeral director who had business interests in the district. [12] https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/171966819/william-twiss Surname – Twiss/First name(s) – William/Date of death - Friday, 14 February 1919/Cemetery - Sydenham Cemetery/Date of burial - Monday, 17 February 1919 Block number - 2B/Plot number – 2/Age - 65 years/Address – Rangiora/Occupation – Labourer/Place of birth - Rangiora, NZ/Years in New Zealand = Life/(Christchurch City Council Cemeteries Database). [13] Name: William Twiss/Occupation: Old aged pensioner/Date of death: 14th February 1919/Will Reference: Testate 1919/2582/(Public Trust Deceased Estates 1901 -1958, Canterbury, New Zealand). [14] John Twiss: Judicial Murder in Castleisland (2021) by Castleisland District Heritage, p55. [15] Gerald M Twiss wishes to acknowledge his sources in New Zealand and Ireland in the production of William Twiss (1853-1919) of Canterbury, New Zealand. In New Zealand: The research of Gerald M Twiss (and previously his father Patrick J Twiss)/NZ Births, Deaths and Marriage website (https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/search)/Papers Past (Old New Zealand newspapers)(https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/)/NZ Electoral Rolls (available on Ancestry.com). In Ireland: Articles from Castleisland District Heritage (http://www.odonohoearchive.com/)/The research of Janet Murphy, Castleisland District Heritage/Paul Dillon/Claire McCormack.
