OBITUARY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 153, 10 April 1933, Page 6

OBITUARY.

MR W. MACKAY. (Per Press Association) WELLINGTON, This Day. Mr W. Mackay (senior partner of ' the late firm S. D. W. Mackay, booksellers, and a noted chess player), died yesterday after a long and painful illness. I MRS WILLIAM CRAY. One of the pioneers of Canterbury Province, Mrs William Gray, who arrived in Lyttelton in 1867, died at Timaru last week at the age of 95. Mrs Gray was born in Sweden in 1838, and at the age of 25 emigrated to America. The ship on which she sailed, however, was wrecked in the Bay of Biscay, and Mrs Gray amongst other survivors, was picked up and landed on the coast of Ireland, where they were given hospitality in an Irish convent. After a short time spent in Ireland, Mrs Gray travelled to London, and stayed there till 1867, when she decided to emigrate to New Zealand. She embarked on the sailing ship "Glenmark," and after six months at sea she arrived in New Zealand a few days before Christmas. From Christchurch she went to Southbridge, in the employment of Mi* Jollies. Here she met William Gray, whom she married in 1868. After a short period at Southbridge, Mr and Mrs Gray decided to engage in farming and contracting, and moved to Winchmore, and later to Greenstreet, about seven miles outside Ashburton, where they resided until Mr Gray's death in 1903. Mrs Gray then moved to Christchurch, living there until 1923, when she went to Timaru to live with her daughter, Mrs Boase, Church Street.

Until a few months before her death, Mrs Gray was remarkably active and mentally alert. She could speak with interest of life in the early days of the province, and had many interesting reminiscences; of her adventures and travels in many parts of the world. She was well known in a wide circle of friends for her kindly nature and willingness to help on any occasion, and the benefit of her advice has been appreciated by many. Mrs Gray is survived by two sons, three daughters, fourteen grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren. The funeral took place on Wednesday, and was attended by a large number of relatives and friends. The pall-bearers were her two sons, Messrs William and Charles Gray, her son-in-law, Mr Robert Boase, and her grandson, Mr James Bateman.