A LINK WITH THE PAST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14491, 4 October 1910, Page 6

A LINK WITH THE PAST.

DEATH OF AN OLD SETTLER. *>■ Mrs. Joseph Hargreaves, who died on Sunday evening, at the age of 84, was one of Auckland's very oldest settlers., having landed here on Christmas Eve, 1841. The deceased lady was the widow of Mr. Joseph Hargreaves, who died in 1879, and the daughter of the late Mr. William Spain, Commissioner of Crown Lands. Early in life Mrs. Hargreaves met with adventure. The ship in which 'she sailed from England, the Prince Rupert, had to put into Bahia, to set the captain ashore, through sickness. ' Another captain took command, but provisions ran out, and the -hip had to call at Capetown. Here the new commander mistook the anchorage, and the vessel was wrecked, becoming a total loss. The passengers lost everything they had, amongst other lost possessions of the deceased's parents being a new house, which they were bringing to New Zealand with them After the shipwrecked passengers had waited in Capetown sometime, a small brig, the Antilla, was chartered to bring them on. Besides Mr. Spain's family there were on board the late Mr. Eigar, Surveyor-General, and his family. Mrs. Hargreaves grandmother, Lady White, who also made the voyage to New Zealand, was the first person to be buried in the cemetery at the old .stone church, at West Tamaki. The church was built so as to be able to withstand any possible attack by Maoris, and Mr. Spain presented a 3ft thick door, fitted with loopholes, for it. Mrs. Hargreaves was one of the first six candidates confirmed by Bishop Selwyn on his arrival in Auckland. Her brother, the late Admiral David Spain, -who was then a midshipman on H.M.S. Hazard, fought in several engagements daring the Maori wars. Mrs. Hargreaves leaves four sons and three daughters.