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Kōrero: History of immigration

Breitmeyer family, Akaroa

Breitmeyer family, Akaroa

While most of the early settlers were British, about 60 French and German people came out to Akaroa in 1840 aboard the Comte de Paris. Among them were a German couple, Johann and Eva Breitmeyer, and their four children. This photograph of the family was probably taken in the 1870s. There was a more substantial migration of Germans to Nelson in 1843–44.

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

Akaroa Museum

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Me pēnei te tohu i te whārang

Jock Phillips, History of immigration – The immigrants: 1840 to 1852, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/mi/photograph/3974/breitmeyer-family-akaroa (accessed 4 June 2026).

He kōrero nā Jock Phillips, i tāngia i te 4 March 2009, updated 1 August 2015.

Comments

Alasdair Nicholson
06 June 2024
The boy sitting on a box front row is Malcolm Breitmeyer my Grandfather. I believe Fritz (G Grandfather) is back row with a moustache. George Breitmeyer is my GG Grandfather with Enid sitting on his knee.
Dee Barron
20 August 2010
I came across this photo on your website while researching my Breitmeyer ancestors, and wanted to let you know the photo is actually circa 1908 (exact date unknown), and is Johann and Eva Breitmeyer’s son, Johann Georg Breitmeyer (known as George), his wife Elizabeth (nee Brown) and some of their family. Peter Tremewan published the same photo in a recent edition of his book French Akaroa, with a caption stating that granddaughter Enid Breitmeyer is on George’s knee, 4 other grandchildren are present (we are told by a distant cousin that one boy is Herbert Breitmeyer, her ancestor), along with five of their seve sons (presumably including Enid’s father, Peter, and Herbert’s father Fritz), one daughter in law (presumably Enid’s mother, Annie since this family lived in Eketahuna in the North Island), and four surviving daughters. George, Elizabeth and Enid are obviously easily identified, but we can only guess at the identities of the others. I’ve contacted Peter Tremewan and unfortunately he doesn’t know either, and advises that his source for the photo is now an elderly and frail woman who is unlikely to be of any help now. Nevertheless, I thought I’d still let you know so the basic information can be amended, and if we ever identify everyone I can let you know! By the way, we think the website is a fantastic resource and are really pleased to have a small piece of our family history included on it.