GOLDEN WEDDING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20131, 17 December 1928, Page 12

GOLDEN WEDDING.

MR. AND MRS. C. A. WOOD*

LINK WITH ALBERTLAND. The golden wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Claremont Africa Wood, of Te Roma, King Edward Parade., Devonport, was celebrated on Friday. Their marriage was solemnised by the Rev. R. Laishley, at Thames, on December 14, 1878. Mr. Wood's parents left London for the goldfields at Bendigo, 76 years ago, but, owing to the ill-health of Mrs. Wood, sen., they landed at Capetown, and opened a store at Claremont, where Mr. C. A. Wood was born, and named Claremont Africa after his birthplace. The family came to New Zealand in the ship Frederick Bassel in 1866.

Mrs. Wood, who came from Manchester with her parents in 1862, is one of the original Albertland settlers. Her father, Mr. John Polling Jones, was interested in the printing trade, and the first copy of the Albertland Gazette and Ocean Chronicle was printed ou his printing press. It was edited by Mr. Samuel Johnson. One of tho copies of the first issue, and the first copy printed on arrival at Port Albert, are still in the possession of the family. i Mr. Jones later settled in Auckland, and held non-commissioned rank in the 2nd Waikato Militia during the Maori War. Mr. Jones then removed to tho Thames, and as there was no Government school at the time he opened tho Karaka school, where many prominent men received their education. Mr. and Mi's. Wood have 11 children surviving, and there are 15 grandchildien.