NEWS FOR WOMEN Ross Nonagenarian Sings In Choir, Attends Meetings

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27452, 11 September 1954, Page 2

NEWS FOR WOMEN Ross Nonagenarian Sings In Choir, Attends Meetings

Mrs Margaret Isabella Grimmond, MJB.EL, of Ross, who will celebrate her ninetieth birthday today, has lived on the West Coast practically all her life. She was awarded an M.B.E. for outstanding welfare work in the community during the First World War, when she was Mayoress of Ross.

Living alone in her cottage in Aylmer street, Ross, where she has spent many years, Mrs Grimmond is fit and well and does her own housework. She will spend this week-end with a niece, Mrs J. Carter, Sale street, Hokitika, to celebrate her birthday. Mrs Grimmond married in 1898 the late Mr Joseph Grimmond, a member of Parliament for Hokitika from 1887 to 1890, and a member of the Legislative Council from 1918 to 1924. at Invercargill on September 11, 1864. Mrs Grimmond is a daughter of the late Mr and Mrs James Macf ar lane, who settled at Hokitika in the early sixties. Mr Macfarlane was one of the earliest Magistrates and wardens there in the early mining boom days. He originally a merchant in Hokitika, but later took charge of a special settlement established for immigrants at Jackson’s Bay, where efforts to establish on the land migrants of various nationalities, including Ger-

mans and Italians, eventually proved a failure. He also held the office of Magistrate in this district After some time, Mr Macfarlane moved back to Hokitika and remained there until his death, giving long service to the town as Magistrate. Taught School at Jackson’s Bay When a comparatively young woman, Mrs Grimmond taught in schools at the Jackson’s Bay settlement, Hokitika, and Ross. After her marriage she lived at Ross, where her husband was a mining engineer engaged in exploring and working the deep leads of the Ross Flats and other localities. Mr Grimmond died 26 years ago. Until a few years ago, Mrs Grimmond was a regular traveller overseas, having visited Britain, Europe, and Australia many times. An active member of the Holy Trinity Church, Ross, Mrs Grimmond is still a member of the choir, with which she has been associated for many years. She has also been a keen supporter of many other organisations in Ross, including the Plunket Society and the Country Women’s Institute. She still attends their meetings regularly. Mr and Mrs Grimmond had no children. Mrs Grimmond had three sisters and four brothers, including Mr Colin Macfarlane, of Wellington, who is 91.