HUNDRED YEARS OLD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19125, 17 September 1925, Page 10

HUNDRED YEARS OLD.

RESIDENT OF WANGANUI.

EARLY DAYS RECALLED.

STILL HALE AND HEARTY.

[by telegraph, —own correspondent. ] WANGANUL Wednesday A Wanganui resident, Mrs. Id. A, Wells, celebrated her hundredth birthday to-day. The event was marked by the gathering of numerous fnends, and the old lady was the recipient of many congratulations, accompanied by gifts of flowers. Mrs. Wells, who is halo and hearty, is in full possession of all her faculties. She was born at Ewell, Surrey, where she spent her early years, Her father was proprietor of the Spring Hotel at Ewell, a noted hostelry in the coaching days of England. It was on the main road from London to Brighton. Mrs. Wells' mother died at a comparatively early ago and her father married again. Her stepmother had previously been to Australia and opened the first school in Sydney. Mrs. Wells said she could remember the bells tolling when King William IV. died. She saw Queen Victoria before the latter came to the throne. Last week Mrs. Wells was honoured by a . call from the Governor-General, Sir Charles Fergusson, who, after a conversation, expressed surprise at her wonderful memory. Mrs. W6lls has five sons living. They are Messrs. J. M. Well 3 (Wanganui), F. Wells, E. Wells, P. Wells (Rhodesia), and H. Wells (England).