The history of the Pritchard family in the Pacific...more appropriately, the South Pacific, begins with GEORGE PRITCHARD my 3rd Great Grandfather. Born in (1796-1797), in Birmingham,Warwickshire England, the son of George(Sr.) and Martha Pritchard. He was also referred often, in the circle of family historians as, The Birmingham Boy.
George Pritchard (the Younger) also had siblings by name..James,Elizabeth, ,Charlotte,Mary,Edward, Martha and John.. George Pritchard applied for mission work to the South Seas, under the direction of the(LMS)- London Missionary Society. One of the requirements to be met or fulfilled and considered for mission work, was that he have a helper...in other words, be married.
George Pritchard courted and married Eliza *Aillen (DOB abt 1800)@ Carrs Lane Chapel, West Meon) perhaps around 1823. Their departure from England on the (name of ship), took place around 1824.,
They arrived in Papa'ete.-Tahiti,in the same year, after several months at sea. In Oct.1825, their first and oldest child, George Aillen (*variations in spelling: Ailleen, Ayleen, Aillen, Allen etc) was born. Followed, by the births of seven more children.
Listed are George and Eliza Pritchard's nine children...ALL born in Papa'ete, Tahiti.
1). George Aillen Pritchard.(1825)
2). Eliza Sarah Pritchard ( 1827)
3).William Thomas Pritchard (1829)
4).John/Alexander Bradford Pritchard (*1831)
5).Martha Johanna Pritchard (1832)
6).Elizabeth Charlotte/Charlotte Elizabeth Pritchard (*1834)
7).James Barnard Pritchard (*1835)
8)Mary Greenwood Pritchard (*1837)
9) Emily Spencer Pritchard (1839)
* dates will need to be verified
The former LMS Missionary...Reverend and British Consul to Tahiti....George Pritchard, after the Tahiti affair...was appointed as British Consul to Samoa,(In all actuality, when George Pritchard was appointed as British Consul to Tahiti, he was also simultaneously acting as British Consul to Samoa) where he and his family... namely his sons relocated. Eliza was most likely back in England. The daughters possibly between Australia,NZ and England. The Pritchard boys...namely George Aillen and John Alexander(Bradford)...are in Samoa with George Pritchard..(James is not mentioned, probably in Australia,NZ then England), William Thomas Pritchard is mentioned by Robson in Prelude to Empire as being in Samoa at that period of time while his father is British Consul there, in the islands. The Pritchard boys, namely George Aillen establishes the first store Pritchards & Sons...Upolu Island, in Samoa.
