100 YEARS OLD TO-DAY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 7 October 1936, Page 6

100 YEARS OLD TO-DAY

RESIDENT OF HAMILTON MANY CONGRATULATIONS RECEIVED (By Telegraph—Press Association) HAMILTON, This Day. Still fairly sound in health and mentally alert, Philip Le Quesne, of Hamilton is celebrating his 100th birthday to-day. He has been in the town over 70 years and is a wellknown figure. He was born in the Island of Jersey. He spent his youth there and was married on Christmas Day, 1859. Early in the year 1860, he left to seek a fortune in New Ze'aland, sailing out on the ship Avor.d, the journey taking 110 days. He conducted a store in Karangar hape Road, Auckland, for six years, and in June, 1865, he came to Hamilton, building a store in the then military settlement. He later built the Waikato Hotel with the first pricks made in the Waikato, which he made himself. The building is still standing as the garage of the hotel. He acquired a great deal of land in the vicinity of the hotel and built shops and conducted the hotel until 1902, when he retired, but until two years' ago conducted all his own affairs from his little den. To-day he was able to read many congratulatory telegrams, cables and letters. He is the oldest worshipper at St. Peter’s Cathedral, Hamilton, having clear recollections of attending services in a : redoubt with a shingle roofing. A Frenchman, he was renowned in the early days for the wine he* used to manufacture from Pukekohe grapes and local blackberries.

One of his visitors to-day was Archbishop Averill, who is 71 to-day. Archbishop Averill’s visit is the culmination of a promise made to Le Quesne ten years ago, when he stated that no matter where he was, if he was able, he would visit him on the occasion of his attaining his century. The mayor and prominent members of the community were among the many visitors. One son, Winter John Le Quesne arrived from Sydney to-day. Mrs Le Quesne died in 1900. There are nine children, two sons and two daughters surviving.