Prendivilles of Molahiffe

Looking for any information about PRENDIVILLE Family

Ellen Prendiville (formerly Lynch - aged 21) and John Prendiville (or Prindiville) (aged 24, Farm Labourer) from Kerry, Ireland, Assisted Immigrants, sailed from Plymouth, England, 7 September 1875, on board the S.S. “Waitangi” and arrived at Lyttelton, 7 December 1875.  A copy of their Marriage Certificate shows that they were married on 13 September 1874 at the Roman Catholic Chapel of Ballyhar, Registrar’s District of Molahiffe in the Union of Killarney in the County of Kerry.  On the certificate John was shown as a Labourer of Farranfore, Father:  Thomas Prendiville, Farmer.  Ellen (née Lynch) was shown as a Servant of Gearha and her father as Daniel Lynch (deceased), Farmer.

They settled in Little River in Banks Peninsula.

ELLEN died 10 July 1887 at Little River aged 32 of tuberculosis (death certificate – her surname registered as Prindiville).  Ellen was shown on her death certificate as having been born in Kerry, Ireland and married in Kerry, Ireland, aged 20.  Her parents were shown on her death certificate as Daniel Lynch, Farmer and Mary Lynch (formerly Rourke).  She made a will dated 30 June 1887, which named her husband executor and left her estate to six of her 7 children named in it.

We believe Ellen’s younger brother James Lynch travelled to New Zealand with her and John in 1875 as he appeared on the ship’s passenger list and also on Thomas and John Jnr’s baptism records as a Sponsor.

JOHN:  John’s (possible) date & place of baptism are shown in the International Genealogical Index (on Family Search.com) as 5 November 1850, Currow, Kerry, Ireland, but I cannot verify this, as I have no death certificate for him and I only know his father’s name (Thomas).

Their 7 Children (except Thomas) were all born in the Christchurch area (from baptism records. one birth certificate; and two death certificates), most probably at Little River.  They were:

Thomas:  born 22 October 1875 on board “SS Waitangi” (my grandfather)

Eleanor – born 10 July 1877, baptised Ellenora on17 October 1877

John, Jnr - born 2 May 1880 – baptised 21 July 1880

Charles - born 17 March 1882 (birth certificate) baptised Charles Patrick on 5 April 1882

Dinah- born 23 January 1883 baptised 22 February 1883 (

James – born 5 September 1884, baptised 15 September 1884