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Edward Laney – Nelson's First Baker

Joan Walsh of Whangarei tells of her search for an ancestor

The family historian is familiar with the difficulties associated with collating information about those early European settlers of New Zealand who derived from what, in those days, was known as "the lower orders".

When in mid-1981 I pondered the puzzle of Edward and Mary Laney, my great- great-grandparents who arrived as assisted immigrants aboard the Olympus in 1842, there seemed to be little chance of finding out any details of their day to day lives in the infant settlement. There were no personal diaries, no letters, no photographs and the three remaining relatives who might conceivably have received from their elders a few ancedotes about Edward and Mary were too incapable by age to be able to retrieve specific details from memories stored in their minds.

About this time I was in Dunedin for a week or two and wished to see the great Hocken Library of which I had heard so much. While there I decided I would look over their files of the Nelson Examiner. This way I could at least read something of the background of the Nelson of which Edward and Mary were a part. The Hocken files of the Examiner were very incomplete, but I settled down that first day in that marvellous reading room with its views over Dunedin, and prepared to at least enjoy the "feel" of Nelson as it emanated from those pages of 139 years ago. On day two, irresistably drawn to that fascinating reading room, I presented my request slip at the desk and a library assistant brought from the depths of the holding room another volume of bound copies of the Nelson Examiner. Gently I turned the fragile pages, reading the columns devoted to events in Britain and Europe. Despite many gaps in the collection, these early files unfolded with hypnotic fascination a history that held my close attention.

Presently I came to the issue of 22 May 1847. Gleaming out of the front page as if activated by flashing neon lights, was the following advertisement:

"Notice: All persons who are Indebted to E. Laney, Baker, are requested to settle their Accounts on or before the 15th June to avoid being put to trouble and expense." Nelson, May 20th.

This advertisement was repeated on Saturday, May 29th, 1847.

So, Edward had set up in business and on his own account. Encouraged by this success I returned to the library each week day for the remainder of my Dunedin visit. Patiently, the library staff brought up successive volumes of newspapers. By the end of my visit I had read through all copies of the Examiner held at Hocken, but I no longer dallied over articles of historical interest, the field was sternly narrowed to the theme of my research.

Despite the limitations imposed by the incomplete Examiner files I was able to build up a reasonably complete picture of Edward Laney, the baker. To this portrait I was able to add some facts gleaned from a hectic two-hour visit to the Nelson Provincial Museum at Isel, Stoke, the following year. My time in Nelson was strictly limited, it was the holiday period, and, although I wrote in advance, I was unable to co-ordinate my visit with the presence of the Librarian. However, the Curator, Mr Steve Bagley, made valiant efforts to assist me between answering telephone calls and speaking with personal callers. At that stage my reasearch experience was minimal so that in many ways, I had little idea of what to look for nor of where best to seek it.

But, to return to Edward Laney. From 1843 until his business was put up for sale in January, 1867, Edward worked at his trade at premises at Section 169 Bridge Street. (Upon which he was a squatter at first as were many early settlers). In the 1862 Board of Works his rating assessment was for one pound twelve shillings and threepence, increasing to three pounds one shilling and eightpence by 1867 so it would appear his circumstances were consolidating. He was now either the tenant or the owner of the property — just which I have been unable to establish. He was also an innovator, willing to try something new.

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On Saturday, 12th August 1848 an advertisement, couched in the stilted terms of the day, informed Nelsonians that there was a reduction in the price of bread, and that a new service had commenced for their benefit:

"Reduction in the price of Bread. E. Laney, Bread and Biscuit Baker, Nile Street East and Bridge Street, in returning thanks to the inhabitants of Nelson for the very liberal support he has hither-to received in business, begs to say he has Reduced the Price of the Four Pound Loaf to Sixpence Half-Penny and hopes by strict attention to business to merit continuation of public support.

N.B. A light cart will leave Bridge Street, Nelson every Tuesday morning for Richmond, Waimea Village and Wakefield. Groceries and other goods supplied and produce taken in exchange. Small parcels carefully delivered."

The advertisement was repeated on Saturday, 19 August 1848. From my reasearch I was unable to determine just how long this physically demading service was carried out. I saw no further reference to it.

Edward was involved in another venture about this time, as, in the list of Jurors for 1850 he is described as "Publican of Nile Street", proprietor of the appropriately named Baker's Arms. By the time the 1852 list of Jurors was published, E. Laney was no longer listed as a publican.

An assistant to Edward in his labour was his step-daughter, Ann White, daughter of Mary by a previous marriage, who by 1849 was an active partner in all aspects of the bakery as is shown by the following advertisement in the Examiner of Saturday, 29 December 1849:

"Ann White, Bread and Biscuit Baker, Pastry Cook and Confectioner, Bridge Street, begs to return thanks for the support she has already received since commencing business, and hopes by constant and unremitting attention to merit a continuance of public favours. Wedding and other cakes at short notice. Superior Ginger Beer."

Ann was eight years old when she left England in 1842 so, at fifteen or sixteen years of age, she seems very young to be conducting or helping to conduct such a strenuous enterprise as a nineteenth century bakery business. Ann emerges as a fully fledged business woman. In the census of 1849, Ann is listed as the proprietor of the Bridge Street property, her profession Confectioner. In 1851 she moved to new premises in Bridge Street, still as a baker and confectioner.

Not that the Laneys had undisputed sway in the bakery scene; at least one other firm, Ross & Saunders was also in operation in 1843 and rivalry was keen. By 1848 J. Andrews, Bread and Biscuit Baker had joined the ranks. The pricing of bread was always, in the true spirit of private enterprise, at cut throat level. E. Laney was obliged to insert into the Examiner of Saturday, 26th August 1848, beneath a notice by J. Andrews, Bread and Biscuit Baker, Bridge Street, the brief announcement that his "four pound loaf now sells at Sixpence, the same price as his rival."

The years passed by; Ann married a man named Bartlett and left the business. Mary Laney died at Bridge Street on 1 June 1866 aged fifty-six years. She had borne nine children (at least), six of them being born in New Zealand. At the time of her death her eldest child, Henry White was thirty-four years old, her youngest, Mary Laney was thirteen. Mary, wife of Edward, was laid to rest in the Old Cemetery. Edward continued in business, assisted by his eldest son, William, but by 1867, now aged fifty-nine, Edward put the business on the market. On Tuesday, 22 January 1867, the Examiner carried the notice that Mr E. Laney would supply particulars of the easy terms by which it would be possible to purchase the "Old Established Bakery Business in Bridge Street".

Eight subsequent insertions of this notice followed from 24 January 1867 to Tuesday, March 5, 1867. Pleas for payment of outstanding accounts either to Mr George Harris of Bridge Street or to the trustee of the Estate, Mr Thomas R. Fisher, also made repeated appearances up to Tuesday, 12 March 1867. Careful searching has, to date, failed to establish that any buyer came forward. It would appear that Edward was obliged to shut up shop, with no goodwill to show for twenty-four years of page 33hard physical work. His was the first bakery to be established in Nelson and Edward perservered throughout the early days of the settlement, when Nelson was bedevilled by periods of straitened circumstances.

Where and when did Edward die? It seems likely that he lived out his last days in Marlborough with one or other of his daughters, but this supposition has not been verified. Edward the Baker has been delineated, with luck future research may determine the Man.

Sources: Allan, Ruth, Nelson, A History of Early Settlement. Bartlett, Grev, Whangarei. Bottomly, Laurell, Hamilton. Cole, W. H.: Bird's Eye View. The Early Days of Nelson 1842–48. Nelson Provincial Museum, Stoke. Nelson Examiner Files, Hocken Library.