John William Neve was born on 27th April 1860 (some records indicate 1856 or 1858), in Alysham, Norfolk, England. John, along with his wife Esther Ruth (nee Copeland) and son James Neve immigrated to New Zealand in approximately 1893. Unfortunately at this stage we don't have the exact date, but we do know that Esther died in either 1896 or 1897, approximately 3 years after they arrived in New Zealand. John and Esther had two more children, both born in New Zealand - William John Neve (born 28th November 1893) and Clifford David Neve (born 6th March 1895 or 1896) John William Neve married for a second time, to Hannah Eliza Fleming (nee Cooper) on 16th august 1899. Hannah was a widow with five children - 4 from her marriage to Alexander Fleming and 1 from a liaison with a married man after her husband had died.