PIONEER'S DEATH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22393, 14 April 1936, Page 10

PIONEER'S DEATH

MANSION HOUSE CARPENTER LINK WITH SIR GEORGE GREY The death at Brown's Bay yesterday of Mr. Thomas Osborne severed an interesting link with the days of the Waikato War and the second Governorship of Sir George Grey. Mr. Osborne, who had reached the age of 93, was born at Beckenham, .Kent, and came with his parents and others of the family to New Zealand in 1858. Th 4 voyage occupied about six months. Mr,. Osborne's father was a gardener, and he was employed as head gardener at Government House in Auckland undor Sir George F. Bowen. When the seat of Government -was moved to Wellington the task was assigned him of lay* ing out the grounds of the new Government House there. Mr. Thomas Osborne followed the trade of a carpenter, and as a young man served in the militia that pnv tected the community against the warlike Maoris. As a carpenter he was employed in the building of the Mansion House at Kawau Island for Sir George Grey. It was at Kawau that he met his future wife, Miss Janet Harris, daughter of early and well-known pioneers. They were married in the old St. Paul's Church at the foot of Princes Street", and shortly afterward went to try .their fortune- on the Thames goldfields. Returning later to Kawau Mr. Osborne was employed as a carpenter by Sir George Grey and Mrs. Osborne was for some time his housekeeper. It is an interesting fact that the Sir George Grey collection of books which forms a valuable section in the Publie Library was actually packed by Sir. Osborne for despatch to the city. After the departure of Sir George from New Zealand Mr. Osborne was employed for 14 or 15 years by the Public Works Department, finally retiring to Brown's Bay 17 years ago. Mrs. Osborne predeceased him, but he is survived by t. son and two married daughters.