MR F. M. FISHER MARRIES

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28180, 19 January 1957, Page 2

MR F. M. FISHER MARRIES

Massey Cabinet

Member

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, January 18.

Advice has been received in Wellington of the marriage yesterday at Ngongotaha, Rotorua, of Mr F. M. B. Fisher, the last surviving member of the Massey Ministry of 1912, and Mrs Mireille Boyer, a member of a French family of Noumea,- New Caledonia.

Mr Fisher had his 79th birthday in December. He is a son of the late Mr George Fisher, one-time Mayor of Wellington, M.P. for the city and a Minister of the Crown. He served in the South African War and was a notable tennis player before he entered Parliament in 1905 on the death of his father.

On his retirement from New Zealand politics, Mr Fisher settled in England where he played tennis at Wimbledon with such celebrities as Susuanne Lenglen and took part in tournaments on the Continent and in America.

I” 1947, Mr Fisher married Lady Wavertree of Delemere, the widow of the first baron, and with her settled at Ngongotaha, where she died a few years ago.

SILK FARMER MOVES

3,000,000 Eggs And Other Equipment [By SUSAN VAUGHAN] Moving house is a hectic business at the best of times; in the case of Zoe, Lady Hart Dyke, it has been more like a fullscale regimental manoeuvre More than 100 guests saw her set out for her new home recently—riding on a new pillar box red scooter with 3.000.000 silkworm eggs, and followed by a convoy of vans carrying 30 mulberry trees, incubators, trays and other sundry equipment.

Lady Hart Dyke is Britain’s one and only silk farmer She took it up as a hobby while she was still in her teens and started her farm in 1932. to encourage Commonwealth countries to produce enough silk to make Britain independent of all foreign supplies. Since then, her example has been followed by a number of countries in the Commonwealth.

Royal Patronage Her first big order for silk came for the coronation of. King George VI, when, with the aid of two girls and a crippled boy, she produced 201 b of raw silk for the purple velvet robes of Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother). Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret This Royal recognition brought in orders from all over the world.

Later, the silk for part of Princess Elizabeth’s wedding dress was produced at the farm, and for the Coronation in 1953 250.000 of her silkworms provided material for the Queen’s robes. Lady Hart Dyke has now moved her farm from, Lullingstone Castle, near Eynsford, Kent, for two reasons. The noise and dust created by nearby excavations are bad for the worms: second, her former husband. Sir Oliver Hart Dyke, has married again and is returning to the family seat.

New Home Lady Hart Dyke’s new home is a Queen Anne house in Ayot St. Lawrence, Hertfordshire, where George Bernard Shaw used to live. It was last occupied by former King Michael of Rumania and his wife, and has a swimming pool and 13 acres of ground. The worms should be happier there, says Lady Hart Dyke, because the farm is on much higher ground. During the summer it is really hard work, starting at about 6 a.m. each morning. But in the autumn and winter the eggs are kept in a refrigerator until the spring. when about 3.000.000 worms hatch out each year Then Lady Hart Dyke has time for a holiday, to lecture, and to indulge in her chief recreationfencing.