LATE MRS. A. BELL

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 287, 4 December 1930, Page 8

LATE MRS. A. BELL

PAPATOETOE XOXAGEXARIAX. One of.the early residents of Papatoctoe, Mrs Annie Bell, who was 1)1 years .of 'age, died last evening at her* home, Kolmar Road, Papatoetoe. Mrs. Bell was born at Pultney Wick, in the north of Scotland, in 18.'" J. She was the fourth daughter of the late Captain Peter Taylor, for many years harbourmaster at this fishing port. She had vivid memories of the excitement that followed the spiritual upheaval of 1843, the year of the disruption of the established Church of Scotland. Ministers in all parts of the -country left their charges, and free churches were established, one of which she attended as a child. Every fishing season large fleets of fishing vessels made Pultney their home'quarters, and Mrs. Bell remembered the activity when Dutch and Scots fisher girls'were busycuring the herrings. At' the age of 20 she came out alone to Xew Zealand. On the way out she had the misfortune-to lose some cases .of luggage at Hobart containing books and -other treasured possessions from Scotland. She arrived in Auckland in 1859, and six years later married Mr. James Bell, who had come out from the north of Ireland, and was farming at Kauri, Xorth Auckland. They lived there in a wliare, and had a long experience of pioneering life. Mrs. Bell founded the first Sunday school at Kauri, and Mr. Bell helped to build the church which is in use to-day. In 1880 they •came to Papatoetoe, where Mrs, Bell had lived ever since. For more than 40 years she ha<3 taken an active interest in St. John's Presbyterian Church, of which she was a member. She was especially active as a member of the Papatoetoe branch- of the' Presbyterian Women's Missionary Union, of which she was the first president. Mr. Bell died eight years ago, at the age of 81.