90th Birthday Today For Harewood Woman

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28491, 22 January 1958, Page 2

90th Birthday Today For Harewood Woman

A charming, sprightly woman whose hair has not turned completely white will celebrate her ninetieth birthday today. She is Mrs Eleanor Merton, who was bom in Christchurch in 1868 and who now lives in Harewood road Mrs Merton was an outstanding worker for the Red Cross Society for many years. She knitted many hundreds of socks and other garments for soldiers in the First and Second World Wars and was a member of the Styx-Harewood sub-oranch of the society for more than 18 years. She was a vice-president of the sub-branch for a number of years. Market day in Christchurch on the site now occupied by the Bowker fountain is vividly remembered by Mrs Merton. She can recall the stalls on the road to Papanui. Mrs Merton’s father came from Devonshire. As a young man he went to Australia and later came to New Zealand.

A great uncle of Mrs Merton’s was employed as a surveyor in tl-_ very early days of the colony.

Once he was attacked by Maoris and only escaped by concealing himself in the stagnant water of a swamp. He was fed by a Maori girl whom he later learned was a princess and whom he married. When the children were born he sent for Mrs Merton’s mother and aunt to come from Leicester. England, to help educate them However, both married within , three months of arriving in New Zealand. Surveyor Mrs Merton's father was a surveyor and was away from the family home at Fendalton for long , periods. Her father died when the five children were still small She well remembers the journeys to Timaru to stay with her aunt for holidays. The trip tooa two days, the first night being spent at Geraldine. When rivers were crossed water surged up through the floorboards of the coaches. At various intervals along the route boys waited on horse-back for the mail. Mrs Merton matriculated at the ■Christchurch Girls’ High School. Before she attended this school her education had been erratic , and she had attended various schools, including one run by a Miss Cottrell. She admitted she learned very little during her ( early education and in those days , very few girls went to secondary school, much less matriculated. On leaving school Miss Merton attended the Normal School where she gained a teaching certificate but she only did a little private teaching before she married. Mrs Merton was married at Merivale on December 18, 1891. Her husband was a teacher at the Cathedral Grammar School and just before his marriage was teaching at the Christchurch Boys’ High School, in Worcester street Mr Merton was a member of the choir of the Christchurch Cathedral and was one of the soloists on the day the Cathedral was officially opened. ' Farming Interest Mr and Mrs Merton first lived at Bryndwr, later went farming at West Melton, lived in the town for a period and then, because both were fond of farming, bought a house and nine acres on Harewood road where they grew fruit. They had one son, Mr R. K. Merton. Mr Merton died 26 years ago. Mrs Merton lived alone in the family home for more than 20 years. It was only two or three months ago that she went to live in a small flat in Harewood road. “I didn’t mind leaving the house so much but leaving the flowers and trees which I had cared for for so long made me sad,” said Mrs Merton.

A keen gardener, Mrs Merton won prizes for her roses at flower shows. Asked about hobbies and interests, Mrs Merton replied: “Hard work.” She had such a busy time at home that she had little opportunity for outside interests. She sang in Fendalton and Papanui choirs. She was also keen on horse riding. In possession of all her faculties, except for slight deafness, Mrs Merton shows intelligence and agility which would be a credit to a woman 20 years younger. She reads the paper fully every day, still takes a keen interest in politics, crochets and reads a great deal. Her favourite books are on travel. She can read without her glasses and enjoys good health. Mrs Merton has a brother, Mr H. Kitson, of Christchurch, and a sister, Mrs Wray Nolan, of Gisborne.