Couple Celebrate 60th Anniversary

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30635, 29 December 1964, Page 2

Couple Celebrate 60th Anniversary

A South Canterbury couple, well-known in business, community, church and music circles at Geraldine, quietly celebrated the sixtieth anniversary of their wedding on Sunday with members of their family.

They are Mr and Mrs Ernest Undrill, of The Downs, Geraldine, who were married on December 27, 1904, at the Baring Square Methodist Church, Ashburton, by the Rev. A. Peters. Mr Undrill was born in 1877 at Ashburton and lived for a few years on the West Coast and in Southland before returning in 1894 to Ashburton. There he became closely associated with the town’s musical activities, including the Ashburton County Band, the Ashburton Musical Union and the Baring Square Methodist Church choir, of which he was conductor. He also conducted music festivals in Ashburton for many years at the beginning of the century. In 1911, Mr and Mrs Undrill moved to South Canterbury and took an active part in community life of the Geraldine district. Mr Undrill took over a one-man motor business in a small iron shed at Geraldine, developing the business to a staff of 17 by 1939 and extending the premises to cover two quarteracre sections until it became one of the leading motor garages in South Canterbury. During his business life, Mr Undrill became a pioneer of school bus services, operating a number of contracts for the Canterbury Education Board for 39 years. During that time none of his buses was involved in an accident and they never missed a school day except when roads were flooded. Mr Undrill served a term on the Geraldine Borough Council. In 1930 he took over the honorary conductorship of the Geraldine District Band to prevent its disbandment. He stayed on as conductor for seven years and built up a combination which competed with some, success in six contests. When he left the band it had its own hall, uniforms and a credit balance. He conducted the Geraldine

Orchestra for 12 years, and arranged and conducted music for Anzac Day services for 18 years. A life member of the South Canterbury Motor Trade Association and the South Canterbury Automobile Association. Mr Undrill also served on the South CanterburyMotor Trade Apprenticeship Committee.

His recreation was fishing for many years. It is now his garden and his wellequipped workshop. Mrs Undrill, the youngest daughter of Mr Searby Buxton, member of Parliament for Rangitata from 1887 to 1890, was born at Rangitata Island in 1881. A brother was Mr Thomas Buxton, member of Parliament for Geraldine and Temuka and a Minister without portfolio in 1912. Both Mr and Mrs Undrill are members and past officers of the Methodist Church in Geraldine. They have two daughters, Mrs C. Maurice (Mount Pleasant), and Miss Evelyn Undrill (Geraldine) and one son, Mr H. E. Undrill (Geraldine) and five grandchildren.