Meeting my family in Christchurch

After many months of correspondence by email I finally met up with my second cousin Maxine, her lovely family  and her mother Beryl  (Aunty Beryl) in Christchurch. We found out about each other whilst we were both researching into the Fortin family tree and trying to unpick the mystery of our (possibly french/indian) philandering great grand father, JJ Fortin, who seems to have fathered at least 8 children, had 3 wives and been a tailor, a coffee shop owner and brother of a RC priest who was championing the cause of the striking miners in Durham.  One thing we now know, is that life in Victorian Britain was as complicated as modern life and full of some quite colourful characters. 

We had a lovely day out on The Banks peninsular, coincidentally at Akaroa which is a french settlement in NZ. Even the petrol station sells l'essence! After that a bar-b-q with friends of Maxine and more family tree stuff.

Alice, Maxine and Beryl in Akaroa

JJ Fortin aka JJ Rouse

Father Philp Fortin (JJ's brother)