NINETIETH BIRTHDAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18202, 22 September 1922, Page 8

NINETIETH BIRTHDAY.

EARLY WOMAN COLONIST. MRS. ELIZABETH BOWBING, The 90th. birthday of one of Auckland's early women colonists, Mrs. Elizabeth Bowiing, of Lawrence Street, Ponsonby, will be celebrated to-day. Mrs. Bowring and her husband, the late Mr. A. Bowring, arrived at Auckland from London in 1856, and fin common with all other pioneers, experienced all the difficulties and hardships of life in a new and unsettled country. Mr. Bowring was a piano manufactures by trade, but the difficulty of securing tbe necessary materials, made it almost impossible for him to follow his calling in those early years of colonisation. Suffioient j material was sent to him by his father in England, however, for the manufacture of two pianos, th-3 first made in Auckland, and ono of these remained in the possession of the late Mr. J. H. Howdeh until the time of his death, a few years ago. As the City of Auckland grew and prospered, Mr. Bowring began to import pianos from London and the Continent, and his shop in Symonds Street will he remembered by many citizens of tho6e early days. In an interview yesterday, Mrs. Bowring dwelt proudly upon the fact, that although surrounded by a growing family and manifold household cares—she was the mother of 12 children, of whom eight arc living—she always managed to maintain her interest in her one great hobby, the Writing of poetry. She displayed an albuip completely filled with beautifully written manuscripts of her own work, dating from a far-off day when, as a girl of eieht years, she penned her first poem, a plea to her father to allow her to' attend a theatrical perfor» mance in London, given in aid of a charitable society. Many of her poems have been published in New Zealand and English papers, while during the war, the sale of her patriotic verses aradni? friends enabled her to make a substantial donation to the war funds. For many years, Mrs. Bowring wrote poems ip celebration of the O'd Colonists' annual reunions, which were greatly appreciated by the old folk. Another point meVrtioned yesterday, with nrfde, was the fact thai; the Prince of Wales had sent a special letter of thank* for two pieces of poetrv sent him by Mrs. Bowring, when he visited Auckland, one written on the oceasion of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria, the other when she died. :■" N Mrs. Bowring, although deaf, still retains 'good sight, and being a great re<idpr, takes & keen interest in all the news of the day. She is interested in the world of art as well as that'of letters, for one of her nons is the well-known artist, Mr. W. A. Bowring R.A., now residine in London. Her Wr*hday will be celebrated to-day by a gathering of her sons and, daughters, the majority of whom are living in Auckland.