OBITUARY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22161, 15 July 1935, Page 12

OBITUARY

MRS. FRANCES SWINDAI L The death has occurred of Mrs. Frances Swindail, aged 82. the widow of the Lite Mr. D. M. Swindail, of Birkenhead. Mrs. Swindail, who was born at Northowran, Yorkshire, England, arrived at Auckland in the steamer British Empire in February, 1880, with her parents. The voyage, which extended over S9 days from London to Auckland, was a tragic one as. when only 13 days out from England, an outbreak of measles occurred and ragrd for over 40 days. This had no sooner been checked than scarlet fever broke out and in the course of the remaining 34 days of the voyage eight of the passengers died. The vessel arrived off the North Head on the morning of February 4 dying the yellow flag, and the passengers, totalling 350. were quarantined on Motviihi Island. Neither Mrs. Swindail nor her husband, who was a passenger on the same voyage, was affected by the epidemic.

Oti her marriage Mrs. Swindail and her husband took up their residence at Birkenhead when there were only a few houses in the district. Mr. Swindail, who died a few years ago, was a stonemason and bricklayer, anil in that capacity assisted in the erection of the Hank of New Zealand's Auckland premises in Queen Street. He and Mrs. Swindail took a close interest in local affairs and assisted in the formation of a local fruitgrowers' association. The surviving family are:—Mr. E. S.vindail and Mrs. G. H. Hohson, of Birkenhead, and Mrs. W. G. Tucker and Mrs. J. M Goodalt, of Otahuhu.

MRS. C. E. DONALDSON [FROM OCR OWN correspondent] HAMILTON. Sunday The death has occurred in Hamilton of Mrs. Sarah Jane Donaldson, aged 76. Mrs. Donaldson was born in Somerset, England, and came to New Zealand as a girl of 16. She was married 40 years ago to Mr. Charles Edward Donaldson, and settled with him at Waitetuna. Eleven years ago they removed to Hamilton. Mrs. Donaldson was closely associated with the Congregational Church at Raglan and Waitetuna. She is survived by her husband and one daughter.