Biography

ROBINA SPARROW

Burial register ID: 16442
Surname: SPARROW
First name: ROBINA
Middle names:
Gender: Female
Age: 98 Years
Cause of death: Unknown
Burial type:
Date of death: 05-Nov-1943
Date of burial: 06-Nov-1943

Block: 38
Plot: 4
Inscription:

On the front of the monument:-

IN LOVING MEMORY OF

JOSEPH SPARROW

ENGINEER,

DIED 1st JULY 1930

IN HIS 89th YEAR.

ALSO

HIS BELOVED WIFE

ROBINA

DIED 5th NOV. 1943

IN HER 99th YEAR.

AT REST

SPARROW

On the right side of the monument:-

IN LOVING MEMORY OF

WILLIAM FRASER

BELOVED SON OF

J. and R. SPARROW

DIED 18th MAY 1911

AGED 34 YEARS.

ALSO THEIR FOUR CHILDREN

DIED IN INFANCY.

Bio contributor: Jill Allport

Robina Sparrow (1845-1943)

Robina née MacKay married foundryman Joseph Sparrow at Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1864 and on 1st June 1869 they sailed from Glasgow for Port Chalmers on the William Davie.

Robina and Joseph had 17 children, 13 of whom survived to adulthood, while Joseph established and expanded his foundry business.

Robina and Joseph attended the Methodist Church for 50 years.

Robina Sparrow died on 5th November 1943 at the age of 98 years. She had lived on for 13 years after Joseph’s death. They are buried here in the family plot with their sons William MacKay, Robert Spiers, Joseph and William Fraser Sparrow, and their daughters Ada and Ada Smalley Sparrow; many of their descendants still live in New Zealand.

Details from:-

Sparrow, Ellon. ‘Joseph Sparrow (1842-1930)’, Southern People: a Dictionary of Otago Southland, Longacre Press

Papers Past website, Otago Daily Times 23rd April 1900.
Robina Sparrow
Source: Jill Allport


Joseph and Robina Sparrow’s Diamond Wedding Anniversary, November 1924
Source: Jill Allport

There are 8 Interments in this grave:

Surname First names Age Date of death Date of burial
SPARROW ADA 6 Weeks 05-Feb-1885 07-Feb-1885
SPARROW ADA SMALLEY 91 Years 12-Jun-1977 14-Jun-1977
SPARROW JOSEPH 7 Months 01-Feb-1876 06-Apr-1880
SPARROW JOSEPH 88 Years 01-Jul-1930 02-Jul-1930
SPARROW ROBERT SPIERS 3 Months 28-Oct-1874 06-Apr-1880
SPARROW ROBINA 98 Years 05-Nov-1943 06-Nov-1943
SPARROW WILLIAM FRASER 34 Years 18-May-1911 24-May-1911
SPARROW WILLIAM MCKAY 2 Years 23-Sep-1874 06-Apr-1880