DIAMOND WEDDING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17902, 6 April 1920, Page 3

DIAMOND WEDDING

MB AND MRS WILLIAM CHURCHILL. It falls to the lot of few couples to live to celebrate the 60tho anniversary of their marriage. Among tho hardy pioneers of Gtago golden weddings are so numerous as to have ceased to be events of great novelty, but even of that band of adventurous immigrants the couples who live to colobrate their diamond wedding can be counted on one hand. Among those to achieve that distinction are Mr and Mrs William Churchill, of Maitland street, who wero married on April 4, 1860. To Mr Churchill is not to be "ascribed the honour of being among the first settlers, who arrived in 1848. _ Six years afterwards, that is, in 1854. he arrived in the Thetis, and was at once enrolled in tho band who wero then laying the foundations of Otago. It is to Mrs OhnrchjH ,who is still entitled to havo hrr name in the list published on successive provincial anniversaries of those who arrived in 1848 by the Philip Laing. She was then a lassie of five years, and was the oldest of the family of Mr James Hair. who settled in Maitland street, and lived there all his life. Mrs • Churchill, then Anne Spiers Hair, had a younger sister, who dsed in her infancy while the irnmi'grants were detained on board at Port Chalmers. The birth, christening, death, and burial of this infant are recorded in Dr Burns'a diary, recentlv published. Tho young couple who celebrated their diamond Wedding cm Sunday last wore united in matrimony by the Rev. Mr (afterwards. Archdeacon;) Edwards in the St. Paul's of those days, which 'was situated at the foot of Stuart street, on the site now occupied by the £aol, Tho yotmg couple took ur» their residence in Maitland street, and havo resided in this street even unto this day. This homing instinct will be found in many early settlers, who settle in reality and become practically ascripti glebae. To tho Oofcple were snccessivelv born 11 children, who all reached adult age, and 10 of them are alive. The oldest one (Mrs M'Auliffo. of Lyttelton) died some 16 months a<ro. The remainder of the famirv consists of five sons and four daughters. Theso are: John (of Naseby). James (Kaitangata), Tom fMosgieT), Alexander (Arrowtown)/ and William (Maoandrew Bay). The daughters are: Mrs T. Hendry (MiifSpTburgh). Mrs Wiffnall W.. Leonards), and Mrs Cameron (AwVlandV and Mrs Clifford (widow), and Mis<t E. Chm-phill reside with their parents. Of this prolifio stem there are 19 grandchildren. There were many congratulations bv visit and letter to the couple on the auspicious occasion, and Ithe pair, who in tho vigour of lusty youth joined their fortunes together 60 years ago, are now <roing down the shady side of the hill of life attended t with the •love of children, the respect of friends, nor the enmity or emvy of anyone. No more worthy cfiadem can adorn tho brows of a worthy pair.