GREAT FAMILY RECORD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19660, 11 June 1927, Page 12

GREAT FAMILY RECORD.

EVENTS OF A CENTURY. 107 YEARS IN NEW ZEALAND. "BEN CRISP" AND HIS FAMILY. A family association with New Zealand extending over a period of 107 years can be shown by Mr. Joseph Crisp, of Station Road, Avondale, himself an octogenarian. Mr. Crisp's father, the late Mr. Benjamin Crisp, landed at Wellington in May, 1820, having until then been a boy in the crew of a whaling ship which in that year put into the port. In 1842 he went to Nelson, then just founded by the New Zealand Company, and established himself in the carrying business, remaining a citizen of Nelson for the rest of his life. As he prospered in business Mr. Crisp becafiHf known for his benevolence, and particularly for his interest in the rising generation. It was his annual custom to give, at his own expense, on Queen Victoria's Birthday, a fete for the children of the city, in which all, of high and low degree, took part. This practice he kept up for 50 years. Among the old gentleman's treasures was an autograph letter from Queen Victoria, congratulating him upon his interest in the little folk, which is still among his son's possessions. Another memento of his philanthropic proclivities is a gold medal presented to Mr. Ben Crisp by the people of Nelson in Her Majesty's jubilee year, 1887. It is also related that Sir George Grey, as long as he lived, used to send Mr. Crisp a sovereign every May as a contribution toward the expenses of the children's festival. Mr. Benjamin Crisp —he was affectionally known to all as "Ben Crisp"—had a great store of narsatives of hi 6 whaling cruises. He used to relate that on the visits of the whaling vessels to Wellington their crews were accustomed to moor their boats to the posts opposite Barrett's Hotel, on a Lambton Quay that really was the water-front street its name implies, while they sought liquid refreshments inside. On settling down to shore life, Mr. Benjamin Crisp became one of the leading workers in the temperance cause in New Zealand, in token whereof his son has a silver medal presented to him by the other workers in that interest. Mr. Joseph Crisp was born in Nelson on April 7, 1846, so that he is now in his 82nd year. In early fife he was employed in connection with his father's business. Later he entered the Public Works Department, in which he remained for about seven years. In this period he was engaged in railway construction, notably in connection with the laying of the Picton-Blenheim line and also the Wellington-Wairarapa railway across the Rimutakas. Then he was transferred to the maintenance branch of the Railway Department, in which he rose to the position of inspector of permanent way, ultimately retiring on superannuation about- 20 years ago. An ardent Freemason, Mr. Crisp is a past master of Lodge Taringatura, South, land, and was one of the foundation members of Lodge Titirangi, Avondale, to which he was treasurer from its inauguration twelve years ago. Last year, on his retirement from office, ha was presented by the members with an illuminated address. Both he and Mrs. Crisp are in excellent general health. They have eight children living, and- a numerous company of grandchildren.