92ND BIRTHDAY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23356, 26 May 1939, Page 3

92ND BIRTHDAY

MRS. SARAH POWLEY MANY YEARS IN DOMINION RESIDENT OF HERNE BAY One of the city's oldest residents, Mrs. Sarah Powley, of Hamilton Road, Heme Bay, yesterday celebrated her 92nd birthday. Mrs. Powley Avas born in London, where she was married at the age of 19, coming to New Zealand with her husband in the first iron clipper built, the Ironsides. Mrs. Rowley's husband, the late Mr. George Henry Powley, was originally from Auckland and had travelled to England on a warship. He had nowhere to live in London, and was taken home by the ship's carpenter, Mr. John

Tooke, and lived as one of the family. He met Mr. Tooke's daughter, and shortly afterward married her at the Lambeth Wesleyan Chapel, St. George, Southwark, on December 25, 1866, and the couple left for New Zealand. After an eventful voyage the Ironsides reached Auckland on June 18, 1867. Mr. Powlev had a varied career, and he and his wife finally retired to Hamilton Road 38 years ago. On Christmas Day two years ago they celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. Mr. Powley died nearly five months later. Mrs. Powley has retained her faculties and still enjoys fairly good health. She takes a keen interest in present-day happenings, and has a fund of interesting reminiscences of life in early Auckland.