Chapter 6 - Later Years and Legacy

On 2 August 1887, while at the Prince of Wales Hotel in Masterton, Robert Kershaw was the victim of a robbery in which his stopwatch, money, and pocketbook were stolen. During the subsequent court inquiry, he testified that he was living and working at Glendonald, possibly at Glendonald Sheep Station, located northeast of Masterton, New Zealand.

The accused, Benjamin Hobbins, was charged with the theft of a watch, a pocketbook, and £9 17s 6d from Kershaw. However, after deliberation, the jury acquitted Hobbins, leaving the case unresolved and Kershaw without recourse for his stolen possessions.

Robert Kershaw was permanently discharged from the New Zealand Army Constabulary at Wellington on 7 May 1888, after serving for two years and eight months. Following his discharge, he moved frequently but continued working as a labourer. The 1891 Masterton Electoral Roll lists him as living in Tutaekara and working in this capacity. By 1896, he had relocated to Okaiawa, Taranaki, where he possibly worked for T.L. Joll, a well-known butter and cheese producer.

His movements can be further traced through electoral rolls. In 1897, he remained in Okaiawa as a labourer. By 1899, he was mentioned in the Hawera & Normanby Star as a witness in a court case involving the Okaiawa Hotel's licensee, who was charged with supplying alcohol to James Sutherland during prohibited hours. At the time, Robert stated he was residing on Tempsky Road, Okaiawa. That same year, the Egmont Electoral Roll listed him as living in Okaiawa and still working as a labourer.

Throughout the early 1900s, Robert Kershaw continued residing in Okaiawa. The 1900 Hawera Electoral Roll confirmed his presence there, and he appeared in subsequent rolls from 1902 to 1908, consistently listed as a labourer. The 1908 roll also noted that T.L. Joll had transitioned to a cooperative, suggesting possible changes in Robert’s employment circumstances. By 1911, he had moved to Katotauru Road, Okaiawa, where he remained until at least 1922.

On 5 February 1917, Mauruuru Pango Tarawhiti, passed away. She was buried at Taikatu Urupā in Taranaki, an event that likely marked a significant turning point in Robert’s later years. In the 1922 Egmont electoral roll - no 2153. Robert Kershaw was living at Katotauru Road, Okaiawa, working as a labourer. This is the last recorded electoral roll entry for him, at which time he was 81 years old.

The following year on the 13 March 1923, Robert William Kirkby was admitted to the Hawera Old Men’s Home. Records indicate that he was born in England, identified as a member of the Church of England, and listed Okaiawa as his last known address. Facing financial hardship and now a very old man, he had to apply for a pension to receive charitable aid or as it was known at the time, L18. It is likely that because his alias Robert Kershaw did not have an immigration records, he had to use his true name in order to claim his pension. Unfortunately any evidence of this has not been found as it appears that only a few inmate records may have survived.

In the 1925 Patea General Roll, Robert William Kirkby is living on Hunter Street, Hawera, in the Old Men’s Home and receiving an old-age pension.

On 19 February 1926, Robert William Kirkby passed away at Hawera Hospital due to complications from acute prostatitis. He was buried the following day in a plain casket in the Roman Catholic section of the Hawera Cemetery. His life, spanning nearly 85 years, had taken him from the industrial heart of Lancashire, through military service and desertion, to a quiet existence in rural New Zealand.

Despite the hardships, his story remains one of resilience, reinvention, and survival in a rapidly changing world. His journey from the industrial heart of Lancashire to the far reaches of New Zealand speaks to his adaptability and determination. Though his life was marked by moments of struggle, including his desertion from the British Army and later financial difficulties, he carved out a life for himself in a new land. His legacy endures through his many descendants, who continue to live across New Zealand, carrying forward his name and story. Robert William Kirkby, known in his later years as Robert Kershaw, left behind not just a tale of survival but a testament to the spirit of those who sought new beginnings, forging paths in unfamiliar places and leaving an indelible mark on history.