Frances Marsh Rodgers was born in London, England. Her father was Mr W Rodgers.

James Lawrence (1) was born in Norwood, Tury, Surry, England, to James Lawrence and his wife Ann Stanaway Gardener.

James Lawrence (1) came to Auckland in the ship 'Tamar' and moved to Waiuku where he trained as a baker.

(from Frances obituary) 'Left (England) as a young girl in 1857, in the ship 'Tamar' under the command of Captain Ross and landed in Auckland in 1858. After spending two years in Auckland she went to Begonia (Bendigo?), New South Wales where she married and returned to the dominion'

James (1) went to Australia and took part in the Snowy River gold rush in New South Wales.

James returned to New Zealand and went into business with Mr H Robertson. They built the London Dining Rooms in Jetty Street, Dunedin. When gold was found in Gabriel's Gully, Mr Lawrence moved there for a time. He then continued to follow the Otago gold rushes. He established bakeries at various diggings including the Nokomai, Nevis, Kawarau (the original name for Cromwell), Foxes, Arthurs Point, Cardrona and Bendigo. The prices for a four pound loaf of bread varied considerably between the diggings - as follows: Nokomai - 6 shillings Nevis - 6 shillings Arthurs Point - 7 shillings Foxes (Arrowtown) - 11 shillings When Mr Lawrence commenced business at Fox's, there were no scales and candles in 1 pound packets were used as weights.

James (1) went back to Australia and visited Sydney and Melbourne. During this visit he married Frances Rodgers, the daughter of the late Mr W Rodgers, in Christ Churcn, Bungarra (near Jyndabyne) in New South Wales.

James (1) and Frances returned to Dunedin. James went ahead to Cromwell and set up his bakery. It was the first shop in Cromwell to have a plate glass window. Frances followed her husband once the business was set up. James ran a successful bakery in Cromwell. The price of a four pound loaf was one shilling and sixpence.

The bakery was for sale by mortgagees. James (1) engaged in carting to the Carrick Range.

James moved to Quartzville on the Carrick Range where he took up residence with stables. He ran the commercial hotel and set up a bakery.

James too up a coal mining lease in Shepherds Creek, near Tom's Gully.

The coal lease turned into a working mine and supplied coal to James's bakery.

James (1) secured the mail contract for Bannockburn - Nevis.

On Feb 19 1887, James (1) moved his bakery down to Bannockburn. He set up business in dwelling #113 which comprised of the bakery, shop and residence.

Mr Lawrence (James 1) had a long time interest in mining. His son Edward was the discoverer of the Day Dawn reef in the Caledonian reef area of the Carrick Range. All of his sons were involved in reef mining. James had a financial interest in a number of quartz reef gold mines and batteries on the Carrick Range. These included the Day Dawn, the Star of the East, and the Young Australian.

James (1) and Edwin Luscombe started growing lucerne for winter feed, possibly at Quartzville.

James Lawrence (2) joined his father in the bakery in Bannockburn.

Arthur Lawrence also joined his father in the bakery in Bannockburn.

James Lawrence was awarded the mail contract Cromwell - Bannockburn - Nevis and return three times per week. Bannockburn - Nevis return once per week. The contract was for a term of one year and the contract was for £100. Mr Lawrence may have had the stables built to support this contract (location #110)

James Lawrence (1) died on 1 Apr 1900 of enteritis after being unwell for three weeks. He was 59 years of age. He was buried in the Cromwell cemetery. It appears that the bakery was closed down on the death of James (1) Around Sept of 1900 Thomas Lawrence (with his young son Edward) moved to Australia to go gold mining. Arthur and James (2) Lawrence also moved to Australia to join Thomas some time after 1903.

Frances Lawrence continued to live in dwelling #113 after her husbands death.

Mrs Lawrence moved to Arrowtown to live with her daughter, Mrs A Ritchie (Ivy Beatrice Lawrence). Mr Alexander Robertson purchased dwelling #113 from Frances Lawrence.

Mrs Frances Lawrence moved back to Bannockburn from Arrowtown and once again lived in dwelling #113 with her daughter and son-in-law.

Mrs Frances Lawrence died on 4 Jan 1917 at the age of 77 years. She is buried in the Cromwell cemetery with her husband James (1) Lawrence. The Rev. W P Rankin officiated at the grave.

Married John Jenkins (miner) in Cromwell Presbyterian Church 13 Dec 1890. Children - Arthur, Lillian, Ida, Ted

Edward discovered the Day Dawn reef. Accidentally drowned in Dunedin at St Clair beach 27 Nov 1899. His clothes were found on the beach.

Married Mary Anne (Toms) in Cromwell Anglican Church 1896. Children - Mary, James George was a Carrick Range gold miner.

Married Edwin Luscombe in Cromwell Anglican Church 1887. Children - Clarrie, Winnie

Married Ada Kate Baker in Invercargill. Moved to Australia. Children - Vera, Horace James marriage broke up and James committed suicide - Nullabor Plains

Married Maude Isobel West in Dunedin, St Matthews Church 1900. Children Sydney James (b.22 Dec 1903. d.23 Dec 1954) (This is not the Charles listed in Stones directory - not from Smith's Gully)

Married Elizabeth Jane Toms in Cromwell Anglican Church 1895 Children - Edward Thomas, Icy Beatrice, Frances Elizabeth. Thomas died - Cromwell cemetery 16 May 1941

Married Lucy (?) Went to Australia with Thomas gold mining. Arthur died in Sydney, Australia.

Married Jock Currie

Married Alexander Robertson in St Andrews Church, Cromwell 18 Jan 1899. Mary-Anne died in Gore c1944 (see party group 428)

Married Mr Miller. Hannah died in Wellington.