HOST OF DESCENDANTS

Evening Star, Issue 25523, 29 June 1945, Page 4

HOST OF DESCENDANTS

REMARKABLE FAMILY RECORD

Mrs Mary Robinson, who died in Dunedin last week, was the last surviving member of a pioneering family of 16 children.

Born in Berkshire, England, in 1858, she left Plymouth with her parents, Mr and Mrs Henry Dewe, in the sailing ship Scimitar, and arrived at Port Chalmers in 1874. The family settled in Invercargill, where Miss Dewe married Mr James Thomson, and they then went to live at Stewart.lsland. Later they, resided in different parts of Otago and Southland, and brought up a family of six girls and five hoys, the surviving members being Charles (Wellington) , Arthur and Alfred (Invercargill), William (Christchurcb)i Mrs Robert Chalmers and Mrs George Hamilton (Milton), and Mrs Dewe (Morton Mains, Southland). There were also 45 prand- ( children, 52 great-grandchildren,. and six great-great-grandchildren. Of these, one son, 10 grandsons,

and three great-grandsons served overseas in the present war. One grandson (Dvr M. J. W. Thomson) made the supreme sacrifice. One great-grandson, Flight-sergeant E. N. de Joux, of the R.A.F., was twice decorated for bravery, receiving the D.F.M. and the C.G.M., while another grandson, Private J. E. de Joux, was the first prisoner of war in Italy to be repatriated to New Zealand. Canada's famous Air Marshal, W. A. Bishop, V.C. (who in 1914-18 destroyed 72 enemy planes), is a nephew. In 1905 Mrs Thomson, married Mr John Robinson, and settled in Tokoiti, Milton. For the last 19 years they had resided in Dunedin,, where Mr Robinson still has his home. Mrs Robinson enjoyed remarkably- good health, despite her 87 years, until a few weeks before her death.

The funeral service was conducted at the residence of her daughter, _ Mrs Chalmers, Milton, while the service at the graveside was conducted by Adjutant R. Chalmers, a granddaughter, of Auckland.