Nicolas was a mariner, aged 24, the son of Dettep Gemming (also a mariner) and Amelia Bremer of Kiel, Germany.

Christina was the second daughter of John Muirhead and Margaret (nee Walker) of Glasgow. Christina was born on 25 February 1838 and baptised at Glasgow with witnesses, David and William Walker.   At the age of 4 years, with her parents (and a brother who died on the voyage), Christina emigrated to Auckland, New Zealand on the "Duchess of Argyle" in 1842.   In 1852, Christina's mother married again - to George Turner - and Christina took her step-father's surname.

About May of 1854, the Turner family went from Auckland to Victoria, where George was occupied as a gold digger. Christina met Nicolas Gemming at Bendigo and they were married in August.   Their son, Charles Bernhard Gemming, was born at Kangaroo Flat, Sandhurst in July 1855 and the family moved to New Zealand about 1856.

Christina and Nicholas settled at Thames, New Zealand.   They had no more children.  Nicholas died suddenly at Waiheke Island in 1871.   By the late 1870s, Christina had re-married - James Earea.   Her son, Charles, lived at Thames.   He married and had 11 children.