Here's a photo which Wendy sent me.
The family group shows Wendy's great grandmother Louisa Fitzhenry (nee Coward) and five of her seven children in about 1900.
Standing from left to right:
Louisa Fitzhenry (Wendy's grandmother born 1878),
Edgar Fitzhenry (the youngest child born 1883)
Fanny Fitzhenry ( born 1869, married Frederick William Borrell)
Frederick Fitzhenry (born 1871, married Agnes Henderson)
Ada Fitzhenry.(born 1880)
Not present in the photo are Ernest Edward Fitzhenry, the eldest child born 1867 and Albert Fitzhenry born 1877
And a letter from Edgar Fitzhenry to his family which mentions the Fitz-Henry family which Rodrigo Palacios Fitz-Henry is descended from:
My dear Ada .....I have not written since writing to Fred, as I have been very occupied with the purchase of Senor Figueroa's shares and have had to borrow to make up the amount. Everything is practically settled and I am shipping gold and copper minerals, the first 50 tons goes out this month. This has been hand sorted from the waste piles or dumps thrown away by the ancient miners, the mineral assays 1oz gold per ton, 8ozs silver and 10% copper per ton.Two or three shipments will clear off all the debts and I will then be free to sell or reform the Company without consulting any one. When this is done and we have an honest engineer and manager to look after things Isabel and I have agreed to first visit her family in Peru and then go on to Panama and N.Z.........
I wonder if any of you can remember anything about the youngest of Dad's brothers, Michael, whether Dad ever mentioned where he had settled, because the FitzHenry Family in Valparaiso have a strong resemblance to us. Their father was named Michael and the eldest son who died a few months ago, was also called Michael after the Father. He was manager of the Bank of Chile and the rest of the family are well connected here professionally. When you write to Ern, Albert and Louie please ask them about the above and send them our best wishes for 1934.The year in which, I hope once again, will see us all united if possible.......
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So continuing from the previous post, Wendy writes:
The following information is held in the Australian Archives, of which I have requested the contents of a further file
In February 1946 my grandmother Louisa (Edgar’s sister) wrote to the Australian Prime Minister seeking help in finding her brother in Chile.
Obviously the family here in Australia and New Zealand were worried that something had happened to him, probably because his letters had ceased.
It wasn't until 30th July the following year that she was told the following...
Dear Madam,
Furthur to my letter of the 24th September last, regarding your enquiries concerning the whereabouts of your brother, the following is a copy of a memorandum received from the Australian Legation in Chile, on the subject:
"Mr. Edgar Fitz-Henry died at the British and American Hospital, Valparaiso, on 22nd January, 1945, and was buried on the following day at No. 1 Cemetery,Valparaiso. Mr. Fitz-Henry's postal address was Casilla 48, San Francisco de Limache. His widow was recently, and probably still is, residing at a mining property - Minas de la Campana, Los Granizos, via Olmue, Chile.
We are informed that Mr. Fitz-Henry's estate consisted of mines, the chief of which has been proved to contain a large body of gold ore which, with suitable equipment, would be a very valuable property, but unfortunately, he died owing over 2,000,000 resos to his creditors (£A.20,000). The chief creditor is the "Caja Nacional de Ahorras" (National Savings Bank). It is understood that his widow endeavours to raise money by selling material, etc from the mines, but unless some entity is willing to put up the necessary capital to work the mines, their value will never be realised."
I don't know what transpired in the months following the above letter as the next letter from the Prime Minister is dated 2nd November 1948...
Dear Mrs Charles,
I am in receipt of your letter of the 26th October in which you ask whether it would be possible to secure information concerning the widow of Mr. E. Fitz-Henry of Chile. I will make enquiries into the matter and advise you later.
Then 28th January 1949.....
Dear Mrs. Charles,
Further to my letter to you of the 2nd November, the First Secretary at the Santiago Legation has advised me as follows:- "As far as is known to this Legation Mrs. Isabel Fitz-Henry still lives at Olmue, where she is undoubtedly living very cheaply, as she is almost certain to have a small farm attached to the mine property. I expect to be in the district in February when I will endeavour to obtain further information about Mrs. Fitz-Henry."
A few more letters are exchanged, one states that photographs of the mine were sent to Mrs Charles (grandma). But the following one from grandma was most interesting and I wonder if she was sincere in her thoughts for Edgar's widow or that the $ cost in persuing a claim on the estate changed her mind .....
May (5 or 6th) 1949.
Dear Sir,
I am very much obliged for your letter received yesterday with copy of a memorandum received from the Australian Legation in Chile regarding the estate of my late brother in Chile. I am also indebted to the Australian Charge d'Affairs for considering my interests in the matter.
In the limited time before the Legation closes, ie 16th May 1949, I am unable to consult the sole remaining member of our family besides myself, in New Zealand, re protecting our interests in the estate. However I feel that it would be robbing his widow were I to put a claim (though in his letters he always wanted us to share) and asked for the names of all his nephews and nieces so as to include them in his will). She has shared with him all the trials and tribulations, financial worry and frustrations through all the years. I may have a legal right but have I a moral one? I would like to hear what eventuates, but there seems to be no way now except by communicating with the lawyer - Mr. Juan Eduardo Barrie M.
Thanking you,
Yours sincerely,
(Mrs) L. Fitz-Henry Charles.
So, that is the story thus far. Most importantly I now have Edgar's death date and where he is buried - a closure, to his life.
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Wendy Rutter's Fitz-Henry family came to Australia from Oulartwick in Wexford Ireland. Some of them went further East and settled in New Zealand.
We have featured them before on the blog as Wendy has done a lot of research about them.
Now she has found out more about the enigmatic Edgar Fitzhenry who left his homeland and became a mining engineer in South America.
Previously Wendy hadn't found out what befell him there, or whether there was any relationship with the Fitz-Henry family of Rodrigo Palacios Fitz-Henry of Valpariaso, another of our correspondents. This new information (in 2 parts - concluding part tomorrow) starts to fill the gaps
Wendy writes:
One of the interesting points is in his name... He calls himself Edgar Egbert, yet his birth certificate states one name only.
New Zealand Archives
Edgar Egbert Fitz-Henry enlisted in England on 13th May 1918 (his birth certificate does not mention the second name of Egbert) joining the NZ Engineers No. 1 Field Coy and was discharged England 10th April 1919. He nominated his father William Fitz-Henry of 404 Gloucester Street, Christchurch, New Zealand as his next of kin.
Medical History – aged 33 years, 5ft 5in tall, 10st 1 lb weight, fair complexion, blue eyes, fair hair, physical development –good, 3 vaccination marks on left arm, scar from Butura Fever – Peru.
The papers mention Headquarters London, New Zealand Expeditionary Force, NZ Engineers and Christchurch. Hampshire England (not to be confused with his home of Christchurch New Zealand).
There is also another address mentioned - Minerals Separation Ltd, 62 London Wall EC.
He spent 333 days as a WW1 soldier and received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
Edgar was a mining engineer living in La Pas, Bolivia, South America when he travelled to London and enlisted and after his discharge he wrote to the authorities seeking compensation for the cost of his travels in getting to London (it was declined).
He said he had graduated from the Butte School of Mines, Montana, USA. However, he of course did not mention that he was in a Kansas Penitentiary during the 1910 US Census.... His papers also mention that he had suffered with "Butura Fever" in Peru. Which is very interesting, as I have one of his letters to his family in NZ saying
I am feeling much better now, this Pacific Ocean breeze is taking all the yellow colour out of my face and purifying my blood so that in a few months I will be entirely well again.
From the UK Incoming Passenger Lists
Edgar Egbert Fitzhenry, miner, aged 36 left Coronel, Chile and arrived 11 Sep 1920 Liverpool, England on “Orcoma”
Ports of Voyage = Valparaiso, Iquique, Antofagasta, Arica, Callao, Crista Bal, La Pallice
We know that Edgar married a woman named Isabella in Chile when he returned there, but what happened to him next?
Part 2 is tomorrow.
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