Celebrated Her 104th Birthday

Northern Advocate, 29 October 1948, Page 7

Celebrated Her 104th Birthday

CHRISTCHURCH, Fri. (P.A.).—Still in reasonably good health and able to take a lively interest in affairs, Mrs Eliza Hole, of 119 Hoon Hay Road, Halswell, celebrated her 104th birthday yesterday. Mrs Hole does not believe in staying in bed because of her age. She still gets up early every morning and is taken to town once a week.

She has never had a serious illness in her life, but she had an operation for appendicitis at the age of 85.

Mrs Hole was born in Berwickshire, Scotland, and came to New Zealand with her parents at the age of 11 on the sailing ship Cameo. Sne married Mr W. H. Hole in 1863. About three years later Mr Hole took up farming' in Hoon Hay Road and built a sod house on the property. In this they lived for 12 years. They then built the present two-storey home in which Mrs Hole and some members of her family have lived ever since. Mr Hole died in 1915. Of the 15 children five sons and three daughters are still living. There are 34 grandchildren and 37 great-grandchildren.

Decsfb Af 180

TIMARU, Fri. (P.A.).—Mr. John Workman, who reached his hundredth birthday yesterday, died at 11 o’clock last night. He had excellent health until the last few days.

Born at Penrith, Cumberland, he came to Timaru in 1884 and opened a saddlery business. For 50 years he was a lay preacher of the Methodist Church, and later became a member of the Brethren faith.

He is survived by two sons, William, aged 74, and Ernest, aged 68, of Christchurch.