Annie Vivian Gunn was born 12 December 1891 in Coromandel Town, Coromandel New Zealand (Birth Certificate number 1892/1038).

She was Baptized on 19 April 1892 aged 4 months.

Not much is known about Annie’s childhood though we can assume it was much the same as her siblings. The family move from Coromandel town to Auckland and move into 8 Somerset Place.

Annie married Jean Varley Borgolte at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Auckland 28 June 1919.

Jean Borgolte was a Driver and born in Papakura, he was the son of Ferdinand Carl Borgolte and Frieda Hansch. Carl was formally from Hamburg, Germany, and Frieda from Kassel, Germany.

Marriage Certificate

One of the first records we have on Annie is where she is listed on the NZ Electoral Roll – living at 8 Somerset Place, listed as a spinster with her husband Jean.

In the home at the time were her mother Annie, and her siblings Daniel and his wife Reinie, Dennis, Henry and Robert. We can assume that the two youngest – Patrick and Thomas were also in the house and that they were too young to be on the roll, this would mean 10 people living in the same home.

Charles was living next door at number 7 Somerset Place and brother John was at 219 Hobson Street with his wife Margaret.

Annie and Jean lived in the Gunn family home until the trial of Dennis Gunn at which point Jean was kick out of the house for his role in the evet. Jean was no saint himself – the only picture we have of him is from the NZ Police records.

Jean moved to Taumarunui where his brother lived. The Northern Advocate printed on 7 May 1921 records what happens to Jean It reads;

WHARE CAROUSAL INQUEST AND VERDICT TAUMARUNUI, This Day. I In connection with the death at Okahukura of Walter Borgolte, of Auckland, and Darcy Roy Hunter, of Nelson, an inquest was held .this afternoon by the District Coroner, Mr A. S. Laird. : The brother of the deceased, Philip Hunter, stated in evidence that on Wednesday night deceased Borgolte brought to the whare three bottles of whisky.

After having a few drinks they lit the fire to have some drinks hot, but could not And the water billy. They kept drinking till about 10.80 p.m., when, witness went to sleep. Sometime later he was awakened by flames coming into the room. He did not see the other two in the room at the time. He made a hole through an old chimney place, got out and called for help.

Mr Guy came along and entered the hole witness had escaped through. He attempted a rescue, but without success. Two minutes later the walls collapsed. Further evidence was given by John Guy, Frederick Borgolte (brother of the deceased) and the police. The coroner returned a verdict that the men were accidentally burned to death. He specially mentioned the gallantry of Mr Guy, in attempting to effect a rescue.

Annie was now a Widower. A marriage that lasted 2 years with no children.

In the 1935 Electoral Roll we have Annie Borgolte now living at 48 Wellington Street, listed as a widower.

In 1937 Annie marries Richard (Dick) Frederick Herz (1883 – 1964). We have no record of who Richard’s parents were. Even his WW1 Service records he does not state their names – it does however have him state that his father was born in Auckland and his mother somewhere in Ireland.  Dick have been previously married to Dulcie Smith in about 1910, we have no records on Dulcie.

In the 1946, 1954, 1957 Electoral Rolls we have Annie and Dick living at 43 Wellington Street, Dick is listed as a Salesman.

On 23 July 1964 Richard passes away (Death Certificate Number ……….) in Auckland. He is buried in the Waikumete Cemetery in the Catholic Section F Row 2 Plot 85. Annie and Dick had no children.

Three days later Annie’s brother Robert Alexander Gunn also dies and is buried in plot 93.

Annie died in 1967 (Death Certificate number 1967/47899) in Auckland she was 76 years old, she was buried in the same plot as her husband.