French family
The first member of the French family to arrive in New Zealand was William Herbert French. He was born in Winchester, Hampshire, England, in 1867, one of the sons of William Rogers French, a farmer and horse trader, who married Anna Maria Shenton in 1867.
1867, Marriage solemnized at the District Church of St Paul in the Parish of St Mary Newington in the county of Surrey [now St Paul, Walworth, Southwark, England .]
No. 344, 1867, January 26th.
GROOM: William Rogers FRENCH, full age, Bachelor, Farmer. Residence Itchen Abbas, Southhampton.
FATHER: Samuel FRENCH, Farmer.
BRIDE: Anna Maria SHENTON, full age, Spinster, Residence St Paul's District, Newington.
FATHER: Edwin SHENTON, Gentleman.
Their children were: William Herbert FRENCH (1867-1937); Anna Maria FRENCH (c. 1869); Marion Frances FRENCH; (c. 1871); Ernest Evan FRENCH (c. 1873); Dora Shenton FRENCH (c. 1874); Leonard FRENCH (c. 1877 ); Camilla Shenton FRENCH (1878 ) and Charles Shenton FRENCH (c. 1878 ).
He arrived in New Zealand in 1884 and for a time was based at "Edenham Station", in Hawkes Bay.