90 YEARS OLD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23599, 7 March 1940, Page 13

90 YEARS OLD

MES. MARY PEEBLES

GOOD HEALTH ENJOYED EARLY MEMORIES OF HOWICK Still enjoying good health, Mrs. Mary Peebles will celebrate her 90th birthday at the home of lior daughter, Mrs. E. Olsson. at 1?9 Gittos Street, Parnell, on Saturday. Mrs. Peebles was born at Howick in ]Boo, her parents being Mr. and Mrs. James Winepress. She is the youngest child of three. Her parents originally came from Ireland, but before settling in New Zealand Mr. Winepress served in the Army in India. Howiclc in those days was a small settlement consisting mainly of Indian Army men retired on pension and farming on a few acres of land. The Journey to Auckland Memories of her youth in Howick are retained by Mrs. Peebles. Then the women used to work in the fields with the men, especially at harvesting time. A visit to Auckland meant either walking the whole distance or, if one was fortunate, a ride in a dray. Mrs. Peebles says she walked to the town, as it was in those days, many a time. She would leave in the morning and return in the evening. For a lift in a dray she used to pay three shillings. The settlers were troubled little by the Maoris, although Mrs. Peebles remembers natives raiding a house in a near by' settlement and killing two children.

Mrs. Peebles was married at the age of 19 to Mr. John Sherry. They remained in Howiek n short time and then went to East Tamaki, where they lived for a number of years. Mr. Sherry died about 3890. Several years later Mrs. Peebles married Mr. J. Peebles, of East Tamaki, and they went to Sydney to live. Mrs. Peebles returned to the Dominion in 1928, and since then has been living with her daughter in Parnell. Result of Hard Work Even at the age of 90 Mrs. Peebles likes to do her own washing and mending. Her evesipht is excellent and she does not require glasses for sewing. She can thread a needle without glasses. She enjoys reading the daily newspaper, and spends hours studying the war news. "1 have always been a strong, healthy woman, and have never been in hospital," she said. "It just shows what hard work floes for one." Mrs. Peebles is fond of young people and gaiety, but is not in agreement with many modern ideas. "I think all this powder, paint and lipstick is disgusting," she stated yesterday. "1 do not like to see women in short skirts and trousers." By her first marriage Mrs. Peebles had" five sons and four daughters, of whom four sons and one daughter are still alive. There aye 28 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.