MRS ELIZA HOLE

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25328, 30 October 1947, Page 2

MRS ELIZA HOLE

103RD BIRTHDAY Mrs Eliza Hole, of 119 Hoon Hay road, celebrated her hundred and third birthday on Tuesday. A daughter of the late William and Betty Reid, Mrs Hole was born in Berwickshire, Scotland, and came to New Zealand at the age of 11 years, with her parents and her two brothers and two sisters on the sailing ship Cameo. The trip from London to Lyttelton took five months. The family walked over the Bridle path to Christchurch, and travelled by station waggon to “Dalethorpe,” a big pastoral run at Springfield, on which Mr Reid had been engaged to work. Mrs Hole lived there until 1863, when she married Mr W. H. Hole at St. Michael’s Church. Their first home was in Armagh street. Mr Hole

was a contractor, and he constructed part of the main road from Sumner to Christchurch. About three years after thejr marriage Mr Hole took up farming in Hoon Hay road. Their first home on this property was a sod house in which they lived for 12 years. They then built the present two-storey home, and Mrs Hole has lived there ever since. Mr Hole died in 1915. They had 15 children, nine of whom are still living. There are 26 grandchildren, including Mr Tahu Hole, well-known radio commentator and author, and 31 great grandchildren.

Relatives and friends gathered at Mrs Hole’s home on Tuesday to offer her their congratulations. She also received about 40 telegrams, including several from members of Parliament. Although Mrs Hole’s eyesight and hearing are now failing slightly, her memory is still remarkably acute, and she can recall many incidents in the early history and development of Canterbury.