OBITUARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2239, 28 January 1897, Page 59

OBITUARY.

The many friends throughout Otigo of Mis Holmes, wife of the Hou. jMathew Holmes, M.L.C., will have received with deep regret the intelligence of her death, which occurred at Wellington on Thursday. The deceased lady wan a Miss M'Lean, belonging to a branch of the family of which Mr John M'Lean, of Redcastle, is a member. As a child she came with her parents from Scotland to Tasmania, and in Melbourne was married to Mr Holmes, with whom she afterwards removed to Geelong, where her husband entered into business as the head of the firm of Holmes, White, and Co. This was at the time of the gold rush, when most of the trade of the goldfields passed through Geelong. On the memorable Black Thursday (February 6, 1851) Mrs Holmes had an experience of a terrible kind. The thermometer on that day stood at 112 dog in the shade, and flames from bush firds were consuming the whole country round about Mr Holmes's house, which was itself complexly destroyed in the fire, the family losing everything. Mra Holmes and the whole of her family, to save themselves, stood for the \ whole of that day immersed in the waters of a j lagoon, and from the effects of that experience j the then youngest child subsequently died. ! Leaving Geelong the family visited England, and came to Otago in 1864. They settled at Anderson's Bay, but Mr and, Mrs Holmei were in the habit of spending portion of their time ' also at Awamoa, near Oamaru, and latterly they lived in Wellington. The deceased lady, who was about 76 years of age, took an active nart while Hvina ia Dunedia in

I uharitafaki and pli;u-.iii;.r-i|in; movement* She was one ot' the foiujtlsrs of th< I Female Refuge, she took i r:*<m interest in th« Benevolent Institution, »nd she was one ol those who were associated with Miss Dalrytnple. in the movement for providing the girls ol Otago with the advantages of higher education. Mr Allan Holmes (solicitor, of this oifcy), Mrs George M'Ltan (wife of the Hon. G. M'Lean), Mr J. S. Holmes (of Awamoa), Mrs J. White (wife «f Mr John White, solicitor, of this city), and Ml* Stuart Holmes (of Kikanui) are surviving members t>f th« deceased lady's family.