This website has been created by Grant Keymer primarily as a repository for genealogical data concerning our family in New Zealand. Further information on that topic is contained in the box at right.
My wife Inger and I own a farm near Paparoa in Northland, New Zealand, where we breed Dexter Cattle and Wiltshire Sheep, as well as Pilgrim Geese, Silver Appleyard Ducks, New Hampshire Red Chickens and Dorking Chickens.
In 1883, my ancestors left the familiar surroundings of England, and came half-way around the world to start a new life in New Zealand. They travelled in an iron-hulled steamer, which had been converted to a sailing ship by removing the engines, so as it would carry more people.
Their accommodation was designated as Steerage Class which basically meant dormitory-style accommodation in what used to be the ship’s cargo hold, or engine room. With 3 small children, and another on the way, for 99 days this was their home. To add to their difficulties, child number 4 was born about a month after they left England. Out of 82 passengers in steerage class, 6 died en-route.
In recent years, I have become interested in tracing my family roots; to understand how and where my ancestors lived in the old country; what were their occupations, and why did they choose to leave.
To answer those questions, my wife Inger and I have made two trips to England, each time visiting people, places and institutions that could help with my research. Now I have compiled a family tree going back as far as 1762, and the time is right to share it with others. Details of the living have been concealed to protect their privacy, but are available to bona fide family members on request.
To view the Keymer Family Tree, click here.
We have a Davis Instruments Vantage Pro 2+ weather station at our farm which has been recording weather data since August 2008. It is teamed up with Weather Display 10.37 for Linux software running on an Intel NUC, which uploads data to this website every minute.
Our webserver is running the 'SteelSeries' gauges which give a near real-time display of current weather conditions at our farm.
To view the latest weather data, click here.