A CENTENARIAN’S BIRTHDAY

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21908, 8 October 1936, Page 16

A CENTENARIAN’S BIRTHDAY

MR P. LE QUESNE, OF HAMILTON

SEVENTY YEARS IN WAIKATO

(press association telegram.)

HAMILTON, October 7.

Still fairly sound in health and mentally alert, Mr Philip Le Quesne, of Hamilton, celebrated his one hundredth birthday to-day. He has been in the town more than 70 years. Born in the island of Jersey, Mr Le Quesne spent his youth there, and married on Christmas Day, 1859. Early in 1860 he left for New Zealand in the ship Avond, the journey taking 110 days. He conducted a store in Karangahape road, Auckland, for six years, and in June, 1866, he came to Hamilton, building a store in the then military settlement. Later he built the Waikato Hotel with the first bricks made in the Waikato, which he made himself. The building is still standing as a garage belonging to a hotel. A Frenchman, he was renowned in the early days for his wine. He used to manufacture it from Pukekohe grapes and local blackberries.

Mr Le Quesne acquired a great deal of land about the hotel, and built shops. He conducted the hotel until 1902, when he retired, but until two years ago he conducted all his own affairs from his cottage. He is the oldest continuous customer of tne Bank of New Zealand. To-day he was able to read many congratulatory telegrams. cablegrams, and letters. The oldest worshipper at St. Peter’s Cathedral, Hamilton, Mr Le Quesne has clear recollections of attending services in the military redoubt, which had a shingle roofing. One of the visitors to-day was Archbishop Averill, whose seventy-first birthday also fell to-day. His Grace’s visit is the culmination of a promise he made to Mr Le Quesne 10 years ago, when he said that no matter where he was, if he were able he would visit him on his hundredth birthday. 'Hie Mayor and prominent members of the community were among Mr Le Quesne’s many visitors. One son. Mr Winter John Le Quesne, arrived from Sydney to-day. Mrs Le Quesne died in 1900. There were nine children, two sons and two daughters surviving.