GOLDEN WEDDING.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 146, 21 June 1915, Page 8

GOLDEN WEDDING.

On Friday night Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Wills, of Onehunga, were entertained by their children and friends at the residence of their eldest daughter, llrs. D. Evans, Queen 'Street, Onehunga, to celebrate 'their golden wedding. Mr. and Mrs. Wills are both natives of Deron»::i:e, England. Jir. Wills left England in 1553 as an apprentice on the barque Lima, of Dundee, for Adelaide. On arrival all the crew deserted the ship for the goldfinlds. After a short residence in Adelaide Mr. Wills went to Sydney and joined the mounted police, leaving for England again in the steamer Lady Joey] mi. The steamer took over four months to do the trip, and consumed over 500 tons of coal. Mr. Wills arrived in Auckland in March, 1865, l>y the ship Bromley, his future wife being a fellow passenger with her parents. Three ■months afterwards, that is on June 18, 1865, they were married at St. Peter's Church, Onehunga, by the late Rev. Dr. Purchas. For several years Mr. Wills kept a boot shop in Onehunga, afterwards relinquishing the business for the sea. when he bought a fleet of boats and traded between Onehunga ana Waiuku. Having tired of the sea for a while Mr. Wills settled on a farm at Awiiftu, and traded ill gum and stores. And now for the last few years Mr. and Mrs. Will have been living in retirement at Onehunga. They both enjoy good •health. They have five children, 18 grandchildren, and three great-ggrand-children. Yesterday afternoon they visited a lady friend in Auckland, who acted as bridesmaid to Mrs. Wills Tvhen she was married.