OBITUARY

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27055, 2 June 1953, Page 2

OBITUARY

MISS M. S. MOORHOUSE

Miss Mary Sefton Moorhouse, the last surviving member of one of the outstanding pioneer families of Canterbury, died on Sunday in Timaru. Miss Moorhouse, who was 91 yeats old, lived in Christchurch for the greater part of each year, but as she found the winters rather trying, she had for several years spent the winter months out of the city, latterly at Timaru.

Miss Moorhouse was a daughter of the late Dr. B. M. Moorhouse, who was a brother of Mr William Sefton Moorhouse, the second Superintendent of Canterbury. He arrived in New Zealand about 1850 and took up land at Shepherd s Bush, Rangitata, where he lived for many years. Though farming his property, Dr. Moorhouse practised his profession in the district and travelled far and’ wide to attend patients. After his death at a comparatively early age. the family moved to Christchurch and lived in a gabled bouse that is still standing in Oxford terrace, near the Christchurch hospital. Miss Mary Moorhouse, one of Dr. Moorhouse’s five daughters, trained as a nurse in the Wellington Hospital at the time when few women were taking up that profession. After qualifying she went to England, where she nursed for many years and also practised in Europe, mostly in France.

While in England, Miss Moorhouse trained as a masseur and when she returned to New Zealand she did not continue nursing but did for a time continue her massage work. For about 30 years Miss Moorhouse lived in Armagh street west. Miss Moorhouse’s sisters—Mrs Howell, Dr. Alice Moreland, Mrs Armitage (who lived in Southern Ireland) and Miss E. Moorhouse—and her two brothers—Dr. B. M. Moorhouse, who practised for many years in Christchurch, and Mr Frank Moorhouse—all predeceased her.