104 and still knitting

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32998, 18 August 1972, Page 1

104 and still knitting

A Christchurch woman who is believed to be the oldest living graduate of the University of Canterbury, will celebrate her 104th birthday today.

She is Mrs Lillian Blyth, now a patient in the Nurse Maude Hospital in Christchurch

Mrs Blyth came to New Zealand from England when she was 11, and attended the

Christchurch Giris’ High School. She is the oldest old girl of the school.

From there she went on to the University of Canterbury, graduating as a B.A. in 1888 and a M.A. with honours in English a year later. One of her fellow students at the time was the New Zealand scientist, Lord Rutherford, whom Mrs Blyth can clearly remember. After teaching in various places, she became a mission, ary and worked in Melanesia. It was there that she met her husband, James Blyth, who was a magistrate in

Fiji. After they were married they returned to New Zealand and settled in Nelson and then in Christchurch. Mr James Blyth was the first white man to see the Fijian fire-walking dances performed. Mrs Blyth has no children, but has many nephews and nieces. Although her sight and hearing are failing, she has her own teeth. She manages to do a little knitting and until recently, knitted for Red Cross and mission stations. Failing sight has restricted this work.