Eveline Marcroft

Ann Eveline McDermott was born in Auckland, in 1867 to Catherine Fenally and Martin McDermott who were married in 1863. Martin was born in 1840 to an early pioneering family in the Bay of Islands. Although both New Zealanders Ann married Frank Addy Marcroft on the 26th October 1887 at the home of John William Marcroft (her brother-in-law) at Granville, Sydney Australia.

Their first two children Florence Annie (1888-1964) and Kate Eveline (1890-1975) were born in Granville, Sydney but by 1892 the family had returned to New Zealand and settled in Whangarei, near to Frank's parents and some cousins. More children were born although two were lost during infancy: Albert aged 3 days (1892) and Walter aged 6 months (1901).  Isabella (1893-1978), Frank ALLAN (1895-1965) and Charles HOWARD (1898-1970) were all born in Whangarei but their last child Eric Roland (1904-1970) was born in Cambridge, Waikato. As an adult, when Eric became an entertainer with the Kiwi Concert Party he was called Dick.

Husband Frank was a carpenter/builder, focusing largely on building houses. In Whangarei he had a shop and business that was sold in 1903 to Mr Frank Cutforth who had been his foreman of works and a schoolmate in the Port Albert, Albertland district.

After moving south to Hautapu, on the outskirts of Cambridge Frank's building interests continued, with him submitting tenders on a variety of public buildings like the Cambridge police cells, the Presbyterian manse, Alpha St, Cambridge (30 Nov 1905, 31 Mar 1906), kauri seats for the Cambridge Town Hall (14 Sept 1909), improvements to the saleyards (27 May 1907, 25 July 1907), additions to the YMCA rooms (8 August 1910) and the erection of a cemetery shelter (28 January 1911). In 1906 Frank was elected to the local Chamber of Commerce.

Little was considered private in those days as the Waikato Independent (2 Feb 1907) noted Frank spent a few days in Te Aroha hoping the curative powers of the hot water baths would have a positive effect on the rheumatic ailment he suffered. Perhaps Eveline was also hopeful of respite from her prolonged illness too. Sadly the Waikato climate probably aggravated her chest problems as her life ended on 10 November 1909 when she was only 42 years old. She is believed to have suffered from consumption for nine years. Eveline was buried at the Waipa Cemetery at Hautapu, Cambridge.

Frank remarried in 1912. Charlotte (Lottie) nee Mills and Frank both died in 1926 a few weeks apart. 

Biography contributed by Margaret Jenkin