MRS. MARY A. NICHOLSON.

Auckland Star, Issue 111, 13 May 1935, Page 3

MRS. MARY A. NICHOLSON.

The funeral of Mrs. Mary Ann Nicholson, who had lived at Xorthcote for the past thirty years, took place on May 10. The Rev. Father J. T. Taylor officiated at St. Mary's Church and at the graveside in the Birkenhead Cemetery. Deceased was born 80 years ago at the old Auckland Barracks, where Albert Park is now laid out, and was the daughter of Captain Matthew Slattery, of the 18th Royal Irish and 58th Regiments, who was paymaster with the forces. Her father being ordered to India, she went to England for a convent school education, from the age of five to 17 years, at the Sisters of the Christian Retreat, which overlooked the cricket oval at Lords. She then rejoined her father, who was at Cork, in Ireland, and then went to India. When 20 years old she married Mr. Arthur Atkins, Commissioner of Police at Nagpur, Central India, who three years later died from the effects of sunstroke. With her two children, she came back to New Zealand and lived with her parents at Northcotc. At the ago of 25 years she was married to Mr. William Henry Nicholson, teacher at the Wellesley Street School, and afterwards headmaster for many years at Raniaraina, who died at the age of 51 years, in October, 1004, some two months after taking over the headmastership of the Hobsonville School. Mrs. Nicholson, whose father and mother bad died in September and May respectively of the same year (1004), both aged 70 years, then settled in Rodney Road at Northcote. She was a zealous, worker during the Great War for the Patriotic League, and all her six sons were on active service, a record for any local family, though the district was famed for the large proportion of the young men who enlisted lor the front. She is survived by three sons and five daughters. These are: Messrs. Eustace C. E. Nicholson (Kutarere), Edward F. Nicholson (Woodville). and Philip H. Nicholson (Dominion Road. Auckland) ; Mesdames C. Hawkosby (Sydney), F. Townshend (Xorthcote), N. Cavaye (Lower Hutt), 11. Neil (Otahuhu), and D. V. Piper (Rotorua). Three sons, Messrs. Arthur Atkins, D.C.M. (12th Nelson Regiment), William Nicholson (United States Engineers), and Edward Marmion Nicholson (Main Body, 3rd Auckland Regiment), died of war disabilities since returning from active service. A daughter, Mrs. Willoughby Brassey, predeceased her. There are 30 grandchildren. Three sisters of Mrs. Nicholson are still living, viz., Mesdames Robert Atkins, aged 85 (Southsea, England), George Bealc, 78 years (Grafton Road, Auckland), and W. F. Brooking, 75 years (Northcotc). •