Joseph Upritchard 1863 : Short Biography

Joseph was baptised in Donaghcloney on 16-April-1833, (PRONI ref CRI/103/5/1) son of John and Rebecca, who lived in the Corcreeny townland of County Down Northern Ireland. In the Griffiths Valuation of Ireland, John is probably registered as John Bridget on Corcreeny farm 28b, a tenant of his probable father, Thomas, lessee of farms 28 and 28a. Joseph died aged 72 on 21-July-1905 at Fairton, near Ashburton, NZ. He married Mary Uprichard at Knockmamuckly on 19-Sept-1856, the anecdotal story from his grandchildren being that they were cousins, Mary living close by on Bleary farm 43, daughter of John Uprichard. The surname spelling was changed from Uprichard to Upritchard, probably as a result of the Griffiths Valuation, where the Upritchard spelling was used in Corcreeny townland and Magheralin Parish, but seems to have subsequently reverted to Uprichard. Bridget may be another spelling of the surname used in Griffiths, but DNA evidence may be needed to confirm the link.

They emigrated to New Zealand on the 'Zealandia' in 1862 with their 3 oldest children and had a further 9 children, one of whom died at birth. They first lived at 'Head of the Bay' near Akaroa in Canterbury NZ, moving about 65 km north to a farm at Loburn 3 years later. Late in life they lived with their 5th child, Mary Jane Anderson, at Fairton, near Ashburton, Canterbury NZ.

see also Mary Upritchard.

reference : Corcreeny to Canterbury - The Upritchard Family in New Zealand, 1962-2012