| Brief Description |
Sepia original carte de visite photograph of Sergeant Major Edwin Bezar. Studio portrait photograph of man seated holding a book in his lap. The man's left arm rests on a small table, upon which sits an upturned top hat. Man is formally dressed in a suit. His jacket is worn open over white collared shirt and tailored necktie and buttoned waistcoat overtop, from which the chain of a pocket watch is attached. Man has full moustache and medium-length beard and hair styled with side parting.
Edwin Bezar was born n England in 1838 and arrived in New Zealand in 1861, and was Sergeant Major of the 65th Regiment and Drill Instructor for the region. He later went on to become the proprietor of the Railway Hotel in 1875, but (Edward) declared bankruptcy in 1880.
In 1866 he married Mary Ann Kearns, daughter Sergeant Kearns of the 5th Regiment. Mary was born on the 'Java' in November 1846 and was the first white child in the Porirua district. They had the following children together (although some instances refer to the father as Edward):
Catherine Margaret born 1868 (father Edward), married Henry Charles Wilkinson 1886, died 1954 aged 85 years
George Edward born 1870 (father Edward), died 1877 aged 6 years
Thomas Herbert born 1872
Frederick William forn 1874 (father Edward), married Lucy Ellen Ryan 1898, died 1955 aged 84 years
No Name Registered born 1875 (father Edward), possibly Mary Agnes died 1877 aged 1 year
Charles Edwin born 1876 (father Edward), married Mary Hoskins 1909, died 1959 aged 82 years
Kathleen Jane born 1880 (father Edward), unmarried, died 1913 aged 33 years
Albert Ernest born 1882, married Jean Butter Edminds 1906, died 1960 aged 79 years
Harry Featherston born 1883, died 1889 aged 5 years
Percival George born 1886, married Matilda Eliza Brown 1925
Victoria born 1888, married John Thomas Watson, died 1962 aged 74 years
Mary died in 1907 aged 60 years, and Edwin died in 1936 aged 97 years.
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