DIAMOND WEDDING

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21613, 25 October 1935, Page 2

DIAMOND WEDDING

MR AND MRS R. C. TENNENT Friends in Canterbury will be interested to hear of the diamond wedding celebrated at Woodville this week of Mr and Mrs R. C. Tennent. The celebrations were held at the home of Dr. and Mrs P. H. Mules, the latter being their eldest daughter. The marriage was celebrated at All Saints' Church, Nelson, in 1875, by Bishop Souter, assisted by the bride'.; uncle, the Rev. Amos Knell, rural dean of Wairarapa. Mrs Amos Knell, who lives at Greytown, is 99 years of age. Mr Tennent came to New Zealand with his mother and three brothers in 1864, in the British Empire, the largest sailing vessel that ever visited New Zealand. He had been educated at Elizabeth College, Guernsey. Mr Tennent has the distinction of being the founder of Rugby football in this country, for he organised the first Rugby football team in Nelson, and later captained the team in the first interprovincial game played in New Zealand, against Wellington. Mr Tennent joined the Bank of New South Wales in 1865, and has been manager at Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin, Invercargill, Timaru, Wanganui, Blenheim, and Patea branches. He retired in 1918. after 53 years' service.

Mrs Tennent was the eldest daughter of Dr. and Mrs Boor, and spent her early years in the Wairarapa and at Lower Hutt, where Dr. Boor was one of the first doctors. After several years' residence in Wellington, Dr. Boor moved to Nelson, and was in charge of the hospital there for 25 years.

After his retirement, Mr Tennent and his wife lived for a time in Nelson, and later made their home in Napjieir, and in 1930 went to live at Woodville.

Mr and Mrs Tennent had 11 children, eight of whom are still living. They are Mrs Mules (Woodville). Mr L. C. Tennent (Dar-es-Salaam, South Africa), Mrs Wybrants Olphert (Lower Hutt), Mr H. D. Tennent (Dunedin), Mr Hugh C. Tennent (Honolulu) Mrs K. B. Tennent cWhangarei), Dr. Alan Tennent (Wellington), and Mrs Norman Branson (Te Araroa, East Cape). Mrs Hugh Burnett and Miss Boor, who were bridesmaids at the wedding 60 years ago, were present at the celebrations, and others present included Mrs Monteath (Christchurch) and Misses Sheila and Joy Tennent. BANQUET AND DANCE Members of the Christchurch Ladies' Amateur Swimming Club celebrated the twenty-fifth anniversary of the club with a banquet and dance at the Builders' Chambers. Several officials of swimming in Canterbury were present, and Mr C. Bryant, in proposing the toast of "The Club," congratulated the members upon their splendid record. In responding to the toast, the club captain (Miss Myra Powell) asked the two youngest members of the club, Misses Betty Graham and Betty Hobson, to present bouquets to Mrs B. Ballin (patroness), Mrs W. Brown (president), Miss Helen Brown (honorary treasurer), and Miss Dorcen Brown (honorary secretary).

Other toasts honoured were the "New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association" and the "Canterbury Centre," proposed by Miss H. Brown and responded to by Messrs C. Bryant and V. G. Spiller; "The Royal LileSaving Society," proposed by Mrs T. Thomson and responded to by Mr G. E. Billson; "Our Officers—Past and Present," proposed by Miss D. Brown to which Mrs B. Ballin, Miss C. J. Couzins, and Mr S. K. Bassett replied. A special vote of thanks was accorded Miss D. Feaver, who was responsible for the floral decorations, and to members of the Hagley BasKetball Club, for giving assistance at the banquet.

Dancing was enjoyed, and items were given at intervals by Miss E. Terris and party, Misses Bell, Boyd, V. and M. Stewart, and Mrs K. Le Cren. Amongst those present were Mrs "B. Ballin, Mr and Mrs C. Bryant, Mr and Mrs W. Brown, Mr and Mrs G. E. Billson, Mr and Mrs G. Osborne, Mr and Mrs K. Le Cren, Mr and Mrs T. W. Thomson. Mr and Mrs E. F. Stewart, Mr and Mrs J. Cairney. Mr and Mrs C. Rhodes, Mr and Mrs H. Drummond, Medames M. Cordy, V. Graham, E. Hobson, Nelson Baird, Misses C. J. Couzins, D. Feaver, Neilson, Tolerton, M. Powell, P. Bowman. V. Stewart, M. Stewart, N. Washer, L. Shierlaw, E. Ball, H. Brown, M. Birchfield. B. Graham, B. Hobson, C. Frost, H. Terris, R. Jackson, E. ScarfC, D. Ferguson, B. Ferguson, M. Bell, E. Boyd, D. Brown, Messrs V. G. Spiller. S. K. Bassett, L. Hitchings. T. Watkinson, J. Donovan, and L. Bloy, G. Rodmell and R. Cummins, members of the Hagley Club, Misses N. Austin, V. Ball, E. Browning, A. Small, and N. Gibbs.