LIVED 104 YEARS

Grey River Argus, 27 April 1929, Page 3 (Supplement)

LIVED 104 YEARS

REMARKABLE LIFE OF MRS FRANCES WEBB. UNDER FIVE SOVEREIGNS. Mrs Francis Webb, whose death at Feilding was reported yesterday al the age of 104, lived through the reign of five British Sovereigns. She celebrated her 104th birthday last month. Claimed to be the oldest European in New Zealand, Mrs Webb had a long and varied life. She was born in Cornwall in 1825, during the reign of King George 1V. A and married the late Mr William Webb in 1851. She was one of a family of seven, aid her maiden name was Harris. Mr and Mrs Webb lefi. Liverpool a few days before Christmas. 1857, for Australia in the American schooner Torna 10, which took six months to ae ccmplish the voyage. Soon after arrival they proceeded to the gold fields at Bendigo, and hero Mr Webb introduced the first 1 gold quartz crushing plant in Australia. It is interesting to note that one of Mrs Webb’s most treasured possessions is A brooch made from the precious stone secured at Bendigo by her husband. After some years at Bendigo. Mr and Mrs Webb came t 0 New Zealand, -nd they proceeded to the goldfields oi O ago. From ther e they followed the gold rush to the West Coast, arriving in Hokitika in 1865. Many years were spent in Hokitika, but after her husband’s death there, Mrs Webb took up her residence with tlv family in New Plymouth, where she lived fo r many years. In recent years Mrs Webb has bene living wi.b her daughter- in Feilding. Mrs Webb cduld recall many interesting incidents o f the early days, and rigut up to her death retained al', her faculties, and had a fine memory For instance, she ireinembered th? first visit to the West Coas. of Sir George Grev, Governor of the Dornin ion. She was in every sense of the word a pisnecr.