Joseph Hodgson (1821-?) was born in Lancashire, England. On 5 November 1840 he married Mary Ann Prouse at the Waimate Mission Station Church in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand (source: marriage records). Family tradition has it that Joseph was the third son of a Lancashire Hodgson family that owned ships that traded stores out to the penal colonies in Australia. Joseph is thought to have served a veterinary apprenticeship in Lancashire, and travelled as an “adventure” on one of the family ships to Sydney. A side trip was made to New Zealand, to visit the Williams family at the Mission station. More information would be gratefully received. Submitted by Eric Stephens,  gleneric@xtra.co.nz