Madeline Azerau GERZEAU

1845 - 1881  (35 years)

• Name	Madeline Azerau GERZEAU
  Born	26 Sep 1845	Échillais, , Poitou-Charentes, Charente-Maritime, France   [1]
  Gender	Female
  Emigration	10 Mar 1860
  	SS Caulaincourt With Emeri & Rose DE Malmanche
  Died	9 Jan 1881	Akaroa, Canterbury, NZ   [2, 3]
  	Cause: Suffocation during childbirth
  Buried	11 Jan 1881	Anglican Cemetery, Akaroa, Canterbury, NZ
  Person ID	I396	Moore Brickland Family Tree
  Last Modified	26 Feb 2021

  
  

  Father	INCONNU LAMBERT,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Mother	Francoise GERZEAU,   b. Abt 1820, France ,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Family ID	F184	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Emile Edmond LE PROU,   b. 5 Sep 1832, St Samson-sur-Risle, Eure, Normandie, France ,   d. 18 Apr 1905, Oparau, NZ  (Age 72 years)
  Eloped	22 Jan 1862	Akaroa, Canterbury, NZ
  	married in the Registry Office
  Married	28 Jan 1862	Akaroa, Canterbury, NZ   [4, 5]
  	Extract from Lyttelton Times, Wednesday February 5th, 1862,  P.4  (Courtesy of  Mavis Donnelly) also published : Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXI, Issue 14, 12th February 1862, Page 2 (Courtesy of Papers Past) Elopement - The quietness of Akaroa was somewhat disturbed by the elopement of a young couple on Wednesday the 22nd January last. It appears that the young lady, who has suffered for a length of time from the harsh conduct of an uncle, who is her guardian, had formed an attachment, which ended in an elopement with a young man of her acquaintance, her guardian of course disapproving of the match. They left Akaroa in the middle of the night, and arrived at Pigeon Bay early in the morning, covered with mud from the dirty state of the roads. Having been hospitably treated there by a gentleman famous for his liberality, they prepared to take their departure by the mail boat. In the meantime however an unlooked for difficulty in the shape of the old uncle appeared, accompanied by a young gentleman who had aspired to the fair one's hand with his consent. These latter searched about for the missing ones and at length discovered them hiding among some trees. Then commenced an altercation in French, interspersed with imprecations on each other's head. The old man took the girl by one arm and the gay lothario by the other, but the muscular arm of the blacksmith (for he was a blacksmith) prevailed, and he carried his intended on his back through the sea to the boat, and then shoved off, amidst cheers and hurrahs from a number of spectators on shore. The discomfited party followed up to his middle in water and reached the boat, a feat which only procured him a ducking for his pains. After some altercation they all got into the boat and proceeded to Lyttelton, the young couple to see a clergyman, and the others to appeal to the Resident Magistrate. It seems however that before they reached Lyttelton all differences were settled and they have proceeded back to  Akaroa to be joined together with the consent of all parties concerned at the Hymeneal Alter. ************************************* Marriage Certificate states: Jan 28th 1862 at the Office of the Registrar, Akaroa Edmond Emile, 29 yo Blacksmith (Bachelor) Madeline Gerzan, 21 yo Servant (Spinster) Officiating Registrar was Daniel Watkins *************************************** Information from Mavis Donnelly: In the Register (Vol 1 No 64) of the Station of the Assumption at Akaroa it is recorded : Le 30 du mois d'avril 1862 j'ai béni a Akaroa le mariage de Edmond Emile Leprou et Magdeleine Gerzau, célibré dans le même ville le 28 janvier de la même année devant le Registrar. (Signed by Chervier) [ On the 30th April 1862, I blessed at Akaroa the marriage of  Edmond Emile Leprou and Magdeleine Gerzau, celebrated in the same town on the 28th January the same year before the Registrar] **************************************
  Children	+ 1. Selina Josephine LE PROU,   b. 31 Oct 1862, Akaroa, Canterbury, NZ ,   d. 14 Oct 1947, Ohakune Junction, NZ  (Age 84 years) + 2. Helenne LE PROU,   b. 14 Nov 1863, Akaroa, Canterbury, NZ ,   d. 3 Jun 1947, Auckland, NZ  (Age 83 years) + 3. Mary Esther LE PROU,   b. 17 Dec 1864, Akaroa, Canterbury, NZ ,   d. 7 Nov 1928, Taumarunui, NZ  (Age 63 years) + 4. Lucy Cardine LE PROU,   b. 12 Jan 1866, Akaroa, Canterbury, NZ ,   d. 10 Dec 1945, Kinohaku, NZ  (Age 79 years) + 5. Sarah Charlotte LE PROU,   b. 14 Jun 1867, Akaroa, Canterbury, NZ ,   d. 14 Nov 1953, Kaiapoi, NZ  (Age 86 years) + 6. Benjamin LE PROU,   b. 10 Feb 1869, Tecoe Bay, Akaroa, NZ ,   d. 12 Jun 1949, 24 Beresford St, Auckland, NZ  (Age 80 years) + 7. Emile Edmond LE PROU,   b. 18 Jan 1871, Akaroa, Canterbury, NZ ,   d. 22 Jan 1961, Auckland, NZ  (Age 90 years) + 8. Agnes Victoire LE PROU,   b. 13 Feb 1872, Akaroa, Canterbury, NZ ,   d. 31 Aug 1953, Oamaru, Waitaki District, Otago, NZ  (Age 81 years) + 9. Madeline Mary LE PROU,   b. 22 Apr 1873, Akaroa, Canterbury, NZ ,   d. 23 Nov 1963, 77 Stamford Park Road, Mt Roskill, Auckland, NZ  (Age 90 years)   10. Amelia Julia (Annie) LE PROU,   b. Abt 1876, Akaroa, Canterbury, NZ ,   d. 12 Mar 1892, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia  (Age ~ 16 years) + 11. Julia Maud LE PROU,   b. 23 Sep 1878, Akaroa, Canterbury, NZ ,   d. 23 Jun 1953, Devonport, Auckland, NZ  (Age 74 years)   12. Victoria LE PROU,   b. 9 Jan 1881, Akaroa, Canterbury, NZ ,   d. 9 Jan 1881, Akaroa, Canterbury, NZ  (Age 0 years)
  Last Modified	26 Feb 2021
  Family ID	F22	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map

  Eloped - married in the Registry Office - 22 Jan 1862 - Akaroa, Canterbury, NZ Married - 28 Jan 1862 - Akaroa, Canterbury, NZ Died - Cause: Suffocation during childbirth - 9 Jan 1881 - Akaroa, Canterbury, NZ  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Photos

  Gerzeau - Madeleine headstone Madeleine Le Prou's headstone in Akaroa Cemetery, NZ

  
  

• Notes

  It is believed that Madeleine was the niece of Rose de Malmanche and came to NZ with the de Malmanches as a "maid" to her aunt. Her Death Certificate states "Born France, 19 yrs in NZ" (ie: arrived about 1862) Madeleine's Headstone reads:  LE PROU, Madeleine wife of E (Emile Edmond) Le Prou, died 1881 Lyttelton Times Thursday Jan 13, 1881. P4: (Courtesy of Mrs Mavis Donnelly) INQUEST AT AKAROA: A coroners inquest was held at the Akaroa Hospital on Monday last, before J. Aylmer Esq., Coroner, to inquire into the death of Madeleine Le Prou, who died suddenly the previous night. Mr T. Grange was chosen foreman of the jury. The husband stated that they retired to bed about ten o'clock on the evening previous. About an hour afterwards he was awakened by the deceased, whom he found lying on her side black in the face, and breathing with great difficulty. He sent a neighbour for the doctor, who arrived about half hour afterwards, but deceased was then dead. Dr. Guthrie deposed that deceased was dead when he arrived. On examining the body he found that death had resulted from suffocation. The jury returned a verdict to the effect that deceased had died from suffocation, but there was no evidence to show how it had resulted. *********************************** ex St Peter's Church, Akaroa: LEPROU, Madeleine, 39, res., Akaroa, wife of Edmond Leprou, buried 11 January 1881. Rev. Harry STOCKER

  
  

• Sources

  [S13] Le Prou - (Jim) Eric James b.1944. [S6] NZ - NZ Registrar General Death, Certified Copy No.73264 (Issued Akaroa 5 March 1984) (Reliability: 4). [S157] NZ - BDM Index online - https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/search/, New Zealand Government, Registration No: 1881/1467  Index states: Madeline Leprou 9th Jan 1881 aged 39yrs (Reliability: 3). [S5] NZ - NZ Registrar General Marriage, Folio 1862/861A - Copy held by Peter Moore (Reliability: 4). Registrar General Marriage. NZBDM 1862/861A [S157] NZ - BDM Index online - https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/search/, New Zealand Government, Registration No. 1862/106 (Reliability: 3).