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Rydzewski Family (pronounced Rijevskee)

SURNAMES & THEIR ORIGINS

BIELICKI (Pol) biel (noun). Meaning: white, can also mean swamp, root seen in many place names.

RYDZEWSKI (Pol) rydz. Meaning: edible species of agaric (a name of various fungi, including mushrooms and toadstools), or rydzy - reddish-gold colour.

SCHULZ/SZULC (Ger) Schultheiß, Schulze. Meaning: Village headman, mayor.

SLIWINSKI (Pol) sliwa. Meaning: Plum-tree, sloe (small wild plum).

August Valentin Rydzewski (1828-1905), the son of Albert Rydzewski & Helena Bielicka married (1853 Mühlbanz) Rosalia Marianna Sliwinska (1832-1909), the daughter of Andreas Sliwinski & Barbara Talenska. They first settled in the village of Mühlbanz (Milobadz), West Prussia, in the ethnic region of Kociewie, in the district of Danzig (Gdansk), Poland. Here they had their first three children being: Anna Franciszka (1854-1857), Johann Franz (1857-1935) & Marianna Rosalia (1859-1932).

The family moved south to the village of Lunau (Lunowo), in the Parish of Dirschau (Tczew), where they had a further four children being; Clara Mathilda (1862-1862), August Joseph (1863-1864), Franciszka Paulina (1865) & Martha Elizabeth (1867-1868). They then moved west to the village of Gross Malsau (Malzewo) in the Parish of Liebschau (Lubiszewo Tczewskie), where they gave birth to Paulina Anna (1869).

The family left the village of Malsau for Hamburg, via Gdansk, where they set aboard the ship "Palmerston" on the 29th of July 1872 arriving at Port Chalmers, Otago, New Zealand on the 6th of December 1872. The family aboard ship were August 43, Rosalia 40, John 16, Maria 15, Franciszka 7 & Paulina 3.

From the emigration barracks at Dunedin, August & family were sent down to Greytown (Allanton) along with their countrymen, where they accepted work on the Taieri section of the southern trunk railway line. Here they lived in tents during their first summer. Later, August purchased sections 1 & 16 of block 20 in the settlement of Waihola, further south. As the railway headed south towards Waipahi and Gore, so did the Rydzewski family.

In mid 1874, Johann Bucholz (a fellow Pole) was successful in the ballot for a 200acre section of land to the north east of Gore. He drew the third section on the McNab run, from the East Gore boundary, on the highway known as Symes and Pinnacle Road. He was soon joined by a considerable number of his fellow countrymen & looking round in search of a place where they might pitch their tents without trespassing on private property, they came upon the coal reserve along John Bucholz's farm gaining the name "Germantown".

Having heard that there was likely to be a school built up on the Pinnacle, about one and a-half miles away, they decided to camp on that part of the reserve that was not taken up on account of it being non-coal-bearing. Along side from here, August Rydzewski built himself a house for his family, purchasing his piece of land on the 28th of February 1878. His son John also built their family home here.

• Wedding day of Thomas Johnston to Paulina Rydzewska - 07 April 1896 - taken at the Rydzewski home, Gore region:
  

Back Row: John Franz Rydzewski, Paulina Anna Johnston (nee Rydzewska), Thomas Reginald Johnston, August Valentin Rydzewski, Josephine Rydzewski (nee Szczepanska) - with bike.
Front Row: James Paul Schultz, Rosalia Marianna Rydzewski (nee Sliwinska), Alexander Andrew Schultz, Marianna Rosalia Schultz (nee Rydzewska) & Thomas Andrew Schultz.

Photo kindly provided by Joan Schulz.

August (Rejefsky/Regefsky), a labourer, & his wife Mary Rosella were naturalised on the 20th of November 1899 residing in Gore. August died on the 29th of November 1905 & Rosalia died on the 17th of October 1909. Both passed away at Gore and are buried in the Gore Cemetery.

Following addition from Lorraine Chave...and Elizabeth Ellis, great great grand-daughter's of August and Rosalie:

John [Johan Franz] son of August and Rosalie,[applied for naturalisation June 1926] married Josephine Szczepanski...[it is believed Josephine came to New Zealand as a child] .. and had a family of 6 children....James, Joseph, John [who died in infancy - peritonitis - at Invercargill Hospital]; Frances, who is believed to have married and had a family, remaining in the Gore-Invercargill-Mataura region; Agnes,born 29.5.1881 in Mataura, who married twice and had 2 daughters from the first marriage [Dori, who married Leo O'Shea and lived in Dunedin: both Dori and Leo are deceased as are their 2 sons - and they are survived by a daughter - Lynette] and Essie,DOB unknown,[ who married Frank Money, and also lived in Dunedin]; Josephine,also DOB unknown, who married Jack Anderson, no children and remained in Mataura; and Ellen Frances,born August 20 1887, who married Fred Foster,October 17 1923, had 2 sons: John Joseph Kevin [known as Kevin],born June 16 1924,and died November 20 1982, married Helen Sloane,January 15 1949, had 8 children and lived in Dunedin; and James [Jim] Patrick,born November 27 1926, date of death to be confirmed; married June [maiden name unknown], had 3 children and lived in Wingatui. Kevin and James are survived by their wives and children.

We have been unable to trace James and Joseph, brothers of Ellen and her sisters, - it is believed that they may have anglicised their surnames. John Rydzewski [or Regefski, or possibly even, Regdenski] died October 11 1935, and Josephine died November 10 1955. Both are buried at Mataura cemetary.

Kevin [John Joseph Kevin] and Helen Sloane had, as mentioned, 8 children: They are as follows:

Lorraine Bernice..married Neil Chave, formerly of Christchurch; we have 1 daughter, Virginia Frances, and are all resident in Lower Hutt/Wellington.

Gregory John..married Carmen de Villalonga of France and Spain; 1 son, Adam, and resident in Alexandra.

Yvonne Marie..formerly married to Don Gardener of Sydney; 2 children, Phoebe and Lachlan, resident in Sydney.Yvonne married Bill Greenup April 17, 2004....

Elizabeth Ann..married James Ellis; 2 children, Sara and Timothy, and resident in Dunedin.

Angela Clare..married Alan Kennedy;[divorced 2004] 2 sons, Damien and Tristan, and resident in Dunedin.

Michael Kevin..unmarried and living in Lyttleton.

Gerald Anthony..living in Bristol, United Kingdom.

Andrew David..living in Dunedin.

I [Lorraine Chave] would appreciate any further information on my family. There are, as you will have gathered, several spellings of the surname.....if anyone can assist me in the search, I would be most grateful.

Editorials

Rydzewski Family Tree