After more than six years of researching and piecing together family history, Virginia (Ginnie) Mayo (Ngāi Tahu), of Little Akaloa, has produced her book William ‘The Carpenter’ from Wiltshire.’

Virginia, who is the great-great-granddaughter of William Gilbert and Heni Te Marino, has written to dozens of contacts over the past six years, many of whom have supplied her with photographs, stories or contact addresses to help with her research.

“It just grew like Topsy,” she says. “I discovered relatives I didn’t even know about.” [Read more…]