90th Birthday Of Pioneer Brunner Resident

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 November 1949, Page 4

90th Birthday Of Pioneer Brunner Resident

The oldest continuous resident of Brunner, Mrs Mary McLuskie, received many visitors and messages of congratulation yesterday, on the occasion of her 90th birthday, an event which she could celebrate in full possession of her faculties. Mrs McLuskie was born at Lanarkshire, Scotland, on November 8, 1859 and came to New Zealand in the sailing ship Taranaki, landing at Lyttelton in the year 1882. She came on to Greymouth in the vessel Grafton and settled at Brunner.

Disaster struck in the year 1896, when Mrs McLuskie lost her husband in the big Brunner mine accident. Mr r McLuskie’s father was also one of the victims of the disaster. Widowed, with a young family to maintain, Mrs McLuskie continued to reside in Brunner and until a few years ago she occupied the same house throughout the years. She has all of her faculties and still reads the newspaper every day. Of Mrs McLuskie’s family of eight children, four sons and one daughter are living and the majority were able to join in the celebrations of yesterday’s event. Many of the other old residents and friends of Mrs McLuskie also called on her yesterday and added to the pleasure of the day. Telegrams of congratulation were received from all ‘ parts of the Dominion.