OBITUARY

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXIV, Issue 14074, 31 May 1946, Page 2

OBITUARY

MRS SARAH ANN THOMPSON The passing of Mrs Sarah Ann Thompson, which occurred at Auckland reccnly, at the age of SO years, removes■ another of those interesting personalities associated with the early history of Auckland Province. Mrs Thompson was born at Tauranga in the year 1866 two years after the Gate Pa battle and was the daughter cf Mr John and Mrs Sarah Feilding. Her father was a veteran of the Maori War, and farmed a property at Waima-pu, near Tauranga, for many years. This property adjoined the Gate Pa district and was raided by the Maoris, who killed all the stock and burnt down the buildings. The family was warned by a horseman and 1 escaped the raiders. For many years Mrs Feilding was engaged as a nurse and made many arduous journeys in carrying out her duties all over the district. Mrs Thompson was one cf the first white children born in Tauranga and lived her for 30 years, and during the ensuing 16 years resided in various parts of the Coromandel Peninsula, when gold mining and kauri timber milling were flourishing industries, and contributed in a material, degree to the prosperity of tho Province. She moved' to Auckland 34 years ago and lived there for the remainder of her life. Mrs Thompson is survived by her husband, Mr Thomas Thompson, four sons and one daughter. There are* eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren.