Pioneer’s Grand-daughter Leaves £2000 To Museum

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31222, 21 November 1966, Page 18

Pioneer’s Grand-daughter Leaves £2000 To Museum

A woman whose grand-par-ents came to Canterbury in the Randolph in 1850 has left £2OOO to the Canterbury Museum for maintenance of the exhibits in the early colonists section, or those of similar nature.

This bequest has been made in the will of Gwendoline Mary Fleming, a spinster, who died at Christchurch on October 24.

Miss Fleming also left £lOOO to St. Luke’s Anglican Church in Christchurch, and £lOOO to the Diocese of Christchurch for the maintenance of St. Paul’s Anglican Church at Port Levy. Miss Fleming’s bequest to

the museum has been made in memory of her grandparents, R. J. P. Fleming, and his wife Emma (ship Randolph, 1850) and her maternal grandparents, R. W. D’Oyley (ship Steadfast, 1851) and his wife, Charlotte. Mr Fleming was an early settler and runholder at Port Levy. “It is most appropriate that a descendant of a Canterbury pilgrim should make this bequest in memory of her forebears, and for the upkeep of a section of our museum that is unique,” said Dr. R. S. Duff, director of the museum.

“The bequest also pays tribute to Miss Rose Reynolds, the honorary custodian of colonial exhibits, whose enthusiasm has been largely responsible for this section,” he said. Books and Bookcase A old collection of books on furniture and fine arts has also been left to the museum by Miss Fleming, together with the wooden bookcase in which they were brought out in the Randolph. Miss Fleming’s will contains a number of other private legacies and bequests—and directs that any share in the residue of the estate, subject to a life interest to cousins of Miss Fleming, shall, upon their deaths, be left to five church and charitable organisations in Christchurch. These are the Nurse Maude District Nursing Association (to receive a third share), the North Canterbury centre of the Red Cross Society, the Social Service Council of the Diocese of Christchurch, St. George’s Hospital, and the Aged People’s Welfare Council (each to receive a sixth share). Probate of Miss Fleming's will has been granted in the Supreme Court.