Books published by Starting Gun Books

The 300 year history of the GRIFFITHS, LOWE and WOODS families of Wales, England and New Zealand.

As a teenager, in one tragic and fateful night on Auckland's Waitemata Harbour, Adam Holt's carefree world is changed forever. Twenty years later, having continually struggled to get his life back on course, everything suddenly falls apart again. First his best friend is murdered, stabbed to death in a seemingly random home invasion, and then his teenage son mysteriously disappears. And Adam's problems only escalate when an unstable and dangerous man begins furiously stalking him. Desperately wishing he could turn back time, Adam is forced to try and unlock the secrets of a past that haunts him - or he may never find his way out of this mess...

This 300 year family history covers 12 generations of the THOMAS family of Devon and New Zealand and specifically details the life of William Thomas, born in Devon, who came to New Zealand (aged 6) with his brother John and parents John and Jane Thomas, arriving in 1854. His father erected the Star Flour Mill on the Oakley Creek in Auckland and this was operated by the family until 1876. William married Eliza McKay and they had 14 children... 10 of whom went on to marry and raise families. William and family lived at Waterview in Auckland, Allenton in Ashburton, and at Ngawapurua near Woodville. He retired as a farmer and brick-maker at New Lynn in Auckland. William and Eliza's descendants now live throughout New Zealand. The main family surnames are: Thomas (x4), Sowry (x2), Dove (x2), Gardner and Hawken. Older generations include Carrie, Close, Coates, Earl, Griffiths, Hill, James, Ladbrook, McKay, Wilmshurst and Woods. With over 700 descendants of William and Eliza Thomas there is a great many other surnames listed in the Index of Family Trees.