Millar family plans anniversary activity

Press, 16 January 1986, Page 26

Millar family plans anniversary activity

About 250 Millar family descendants will gather at Leeston this week-end to celebrate the 115th anniversary of the arrival of their forbears in New Zealand.

The pioneer members of the family arrived at Lyttelton in the Charlotte Gladstone on January 30, 1871, from County Down, Northern Ireland, after a journey of 82 days. James and Letitia Millar were accompanied by three children and James’s brother, George, and sister, Elizabeth. They were part of a passenger listing of 136 adults and 44 children. The Millars settled immediately at Irwell, where James and Letitia raised a family of 13 children. Elizabeth Millar married James Houston, whose descendants are also included in the reunion.

Descendants of the original settlers are still living in the Irwell and Leeston districts.

The reunion will begin with a meeting at the Leeston Rugby Football Club rooms on Friday evening. Organised activities will resume on Saturday at 1 p.m. with an official wel-

come. Activities include the placing of flowers at the cemetery. The evening will be taken up with a banquet and dancing. Sunday will begin with a church service. James and Letitia Millar lived the remainder of their lives at Irwell, where they had a small farm. James also ran a road construction business and many of the original roads in the Ellesmere County were built by him and his sons.

He was acknowledged as an expert in the handling and breaking in of horses, a skill that was passed on to his descendants, some of whom became well known as successful breeders and exhibitors of Clydesdales.

Letitia was well known for her help to others, especially young mothers.

James died in 1919 and Letitia five years later. The chairman of the reunion committee, Mr Malcolm Millar, of Rangiora, has written a family history covering the first three generations.

The history shows that the Millar family is now scattered throughout New

Zealand with many members having played their part in community activities.

Several members of the family have figured prominently in rugby in the Ellesmere sub-union as players and administrators, with some having played for Canterbury Country. Mr Malcolm Millar’s enthusiasm for rugby resulted in his being a president and a life member of the North Canterbury Rugby SubUnion, a former president of the Canterbury Rugby SubUnions’ Association (Canterbury country rugby), and the first life member of the Canterbury Rugby Supporters’ club.

Military service figures prominently in the family, starting with service in the Boer War. This resulted in several members of the family being active in R.S.A. affairs. Members of a branch of the family have been active in the Salvation Army and two of them, Major Graham Millar and LieutenantColonel Len Millar, will play leading roles in conducting the reunion church service.