OBITUARY

Evening Star, Issue 22277, 2 March 1936, Page 14

OBITUARY

MR T. B. KENNARD A very old and striking personality of Waimate, Mr Thomas Baker Kennard, passed away on Saturday, at the age of 94 years. Mrs Kennard died in May, 1932, three years and eight months after the old couple had celebrated the sixty-fifth anniversary of their wedding. Mr Kennard was born at Waikouaiti on May 6, 1841. He was the first white boy born in the South Island, his father being on© of Johnny Jones’s party of whalers and the first settlers of Waikouaiti. On August 11, 1863, he married Miss Mary M‘Nicol, who bad arrived in New Zealand with her parents in the ship Ajax in June, 1849. For many years Mr Kennard followed the occupation of a butcher in Central Otago, at one time working for Mr Lowe, of Arrowtown. He went to Auckland for a few years, and finally settled a few miles out of Waimate, where be had resided over 50 years. For a time he followed the butchery trade, and then took on fruit farming, and from that he carried on dairy fanning right up to the time of his death. Both Mr and Mrs Kennard had the true pioneer apirit, and were ever ready to help others, thereby earning wide respect and esteem throughout the communities in which they lived. Mr Kennard was very conscientious, and in his old ago was remarkably active, for at 92 years of age he still rode his horse about the farm. He retained his full faculties to the end, and even in his old age could read a newspaper without the aid of glasses, and could walk about without a stick. Up to a fortnight ago he went into Waimate twice weekly to attend to his own business. Mr Kennard is survived by nine children, 46 grandchildren, and 40 great grandchildren. His four sons are Messrs Thomas and James Robert Kennard (Waimate), Stephen M. Kennard (Palmerston) and David Kennard (Christchurch) ; and his five daughters are Mrs W. J. Jackson (Pareora), Mrs J. Melton (Morven), Mrs J. Haymes (Dunedin), Mrs Harold S. " ilson (Oamaru), and Miss Kate Kennard (Waimate),