DEATH OF A CENTENARIAN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2761, 13 February 1907, Page 31

DEATH OF A CENTENARIAN.

The Minister of Education (the Hon. G. Fowld*), who afrit ed m Dunedin on Friday night, received the sad news on Saturday morning of the death of his father, Mr Matthew Fowlds. at Grey stone Knowo, who would have completed his hundred .and fir=t year in May next. The first cable v.hdi reached the Minister waa rpcehed at 1 o'clock on Saturday mornlng, and it read :— " Father fractured hia thigh ; fear the result." Shortly afterwards he was handed another cable acquainting him of his father's death, which took place on Friday. The deceased gentleman was a wonderful old man for his age. Up till la«t November he worked at his trade weaving blankets, and only on Friday at Lurnsden the Minister received a cheery letter from hirn_ dated the 13th of December, and another from a friend, stating that the old gentleman was wonderfully well and seemed to be enjoying life. He was born at Kilmarnock, in the house (Greystone Knowep in which he died. Last year it will be remembered. Mr Fowlds left the colony to attend the celebration of his father s centenary, which took place on the Z2rul of May. On that occasion, besides the family '(five sons and one daughter), bit J G- Ward, the Hon. Tl. M'Nab, and Mr j' G. W. Aitken, M.H.R., were present. Mr Fowlds is the only member -of the family living- in this colony. Three of hi« brothers reside in America, and the tourtn one in Lincolnshire,- England. His -only sister is married, and lives only a few miles from the old gentleman's house. It is interesting to note that two blankets weaved by him are among: exhibits oi Hhe Kaiapoi Company at the Exhibition, wb.il* an oil painting of iim foy » Omngow artist is on tmw in the JLxistEalwn «eotk>nt The Minister iaa neen fhs recipient 9 *nany_ xnesßaffeg of Bynipa'thy.