DIAMOND WEDDING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21853, 16 July 1934, Page 3

DIAMOND WEDDING

MR. AND MR. J. H. JACKSON Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Jackson, of 31 Baildon Road, Grey Lynn, who celebrate their diamond wedding to-day were married in St. Mark's Church, Remuera, on July 16, 1874. Mr. Jackson was born in Camberwell, London, in 1851 and at an early ago went with his parents to Capetown, South Africa. After his father's death in 1861 the family came to New Zealand in the ship Everline, arriving in Auckland on January 22, 1864. The first news that the ship's passengers heard on their arrival was of the wreck of H.M.S. Orpheus, which had occurred some months previously. News travelled slowly in those days. Mr. Jackson's people settled at Onehunga and he can remember as a lad waching the Maoris dancihg war dances on the beach at Mangere when they were threatening to attack Onehunga. Mrs. Jackson comes of very old pioneering stock. Her parents, the late Mr. and Mrs. George Moore Ross, arrived in Auckland in the ship Ann in 1848 and settled at Otahuhu, where Mrs. Jackson was bom in 1853. Mrs. Jackson's father belonged to the 58th Regiment, the Black Cuffs. As a soldier he helped to build the first Ann's Bridge near Otahuhu. She remembers during the second Maori war a stockade built to shelter the women and children in the event of the Maoris reaching Otahuhu. It was never used as they did not get further north than Drury. At that time there was only a bridle track between Otahuhu and Auckland. When stores were required, the settlers had to walk the nine miles to town, and the men carried the heavy goods home, the women carrying the lighter parcels. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson have a family of five sons and five daughters, all of whom are living in Auckland, with the exception of Mr. T. A. Jackson, of Wellington, and Mr. G. M. Ross Jackson and Mrs. T. A. Blackman, both of whom are residing in the Malay States. There are 11 grandchildren. Despite their .advanced age Mr. and Mrs. Jackson still enjoy remarkable health and are in full possession of all their faculties. They are fine examples of the old pioneering stock of which New Zealand people are so justly proud.