Patrick Lyng was born in Dublin Ireland in 1837, and possibly emigrated to Australia before eventually arriving in New Zealand.  On the 26th February 1865 Patrick married Agnes Ann Maguire, who had emigrated from Cork, Ireland, and they are my great great grandparents.

They had three children while in Lawrence – Margaret Ann (1867), Edward (1868) and Charles (1870).  During the peak of the gold rush Patrick Lyng established a butcher shop in the main street of Lawrence beside the town’s Town Hall.  The first photo below was taken in 1870 and the second photo shows what the site looks like in 2018, and is located opposite the entrance to Gabriels Gully.

In May 1868 Patrick appeared in the Resident Magistrate’s Court in Lawrence charged with assault on a customer who owed him a debt, and was fined £5.  He also sued another customer in April 1869, however, his book-keeping skills (or honesty) was brought into question during the proceedings resulting in a reduced financial outcome. In September 1869 he was again charged in the Resident Magistrate’s Court, this time allowing his horse to travel on the footpath within the boundary of the town, and was fined 2s 6d.

Despite these indiscretions Patrick was well respected in the Lawrence community.  He sat on the committee of the Tuapeka Goldfields Hospital and was also asked by a number of people to stand for the local council, however, he declined this opportunity.

With the decline of the gold rush in Central Otago, and the growth of Dunedin’s population, Patrick closed his business in 1873 and the family moved to Dunedin.  In April 1874 Patrick Lyng was granted a publican’s license in Dunedin and this allowed him to live at, and run the Edinburgh Castle Hotel, on the corner of South Rd and Catherine St (previously named Station St) in Caversham.  A year later his license was renewed until it was transferred to James Martyn in September 1876, as he was no longer the publican.  The building is now a takeaways and butcher shop.

In the 1875-76 Wises Directory he is listed as being involved with the Duke of Edinburgh Hotel and Store in Russell St, however, he is not listed as being the license holder for the premises. It could be suggested that Patrick and Agnes ran the store at this time.

 

 

 

The family continued to grow – James Patrick (1875), Ellen Jane (1875), Jane (1876) and Mary Josephine (1877).  Unfortunately tragedy struck the Lyng family in November 1876 when Ellen passed away at 14 months old.

Not long after this they moved to Princes St just south of the Market Reserve in 1877 and set up shop, first as a butcher, and then by 1880 they changed the business into a greengrocers.

By the early 1880’s they closed the Princes St shop and Patrick sets up a butcher shop in St Andrew St and Agnes advertises herself as a good machinist and needlewoman ‘at ladies’ houses’ at 2 shillings a day.

In June 1887 Patrick appeared in the City Police Court for using illegal weights and he was fined accordingly.

Their two oldest boys established themselves in Dunedin, my great grandfather Edward (Ted) was working for Hudson’s Confectionery and Charles was a machinist at Otago Daily Times (where he worked for more than 50 years).  They were both good at rugby and cricket, and also skilled at sailing, having been well placed in numerous regattas in the 1890’s.

Tragedy again hurt the family in June 1895 when Isabella died at their family home, on the corner of Princes St and Police St.  Shortly after this they shifted to 36 Cargill St, and Patrick Lyng died at home 21/3/1903.  Agnes moved into Kensington Ave to live with her son, James Patrick Lyng, where she too passed away five years later. (Kensington Ave is the short street off Anderson’s Bay Rd between Warehouse Stationery and the old Caledonian Bowling Club).