Fortunes Lost in Pretender’s Day

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 756, 31 August 1929, Page 17

Fortunes Lost in Pretender’s Day

HISTORIC LINK DEATH NEAR RAGLAN (From Our Own Correspondent) HAMILTON, Friday, £JLAIMING to be the heir of large estates in Chancery, which were confiscated by the British Government at the time of the old Pretender, Mr. John Robson Charleton, of Ruakiwi, near Raglan, died at an advanced age a few days ago. His death recalls the fact that the family from which he descended was connected with one of the most romantic periods of English history, the times of the Derwentwater rebellion. In 1884 the Chancery Court advertised for the heir of one Robert Robson, who was said to be a brother of Mr. Charleton’s mother. The story goes that, at the time of the Old Pretender, James Edward of Scotland, Mr. Charelton’s great-grand-father, who was fairly wealthy, threw in his lot with in Earl of Derwentwater on behalf of the Pretender. All their properties were confiscated by the Government and the Earl was beheaded. It is said Mr. Carleton’s great-grandfather’s estate was placed in the hands of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners and afterwards in Chancery. The late Mr. J. R. Charle- ■ ton was unsuccessful in his efforts to j prove llis claim as heir to the propj eity. Mr. Charleton's parents, who came to the Dominion about 1836, j settled in Kawhia and once owned all tho Ruapuke district. His father was drowned when the schooner he owned was wrecked on the Kawhia Bar. The late Mr. J. R. Charleton was apprenticed to navigation and traded on the W est Coast of the North Island with a schooner for some years. After the schooner ran ashore on the Wanganui bar he gave up sea life and settled down in Raglan, where he was well- , known as a boat-builder. A few years ago he went to live with Mrs. Tapp, a daughter, at Ruakiwi, where he died ■ I on Monday.