DIAMOND WEDDING

Otago Witness, Issue 3448, 13 April 1920, Page 6

DIAMOND WEDDING

j MR AND MRS WILLIAM CHURCHILL. ► It falls to the lot of few couples to lire to celebrate the 60th anniversary of their marriage. Among the hardy pioneers of Otago gold-en 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 celebrate 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 were 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, ho arrived in the Thetis, and was at one© enrolled in the band'who were then laying the foundations of Otago. It is to Mrs Churchill who is still entitled to have her 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, a.nd 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 died in her infancy while the immigrants were detained on board at Port Chalmers. The birth, christening, death, and burial of this infant are recorded in Dr Burns's diary, recentlv published. The young- couple who celebrated their diamond wedding on Sunday, 4th inst.. were 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 gaol. The young couple took un their residence in Maitland street, and have 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 the couple were successivelv born 11' children, who all reached adult age, and 10 of them are alive. The oldest one (Mrs M'Auliffe, of Lyttelton) died some 16 months aero. The remainder of the familv consists of five sons and four daughters. These are: John (of INaseby), James (Kaitanga'ta). Tom (Mosgiel), Alexander (Arrowtown). and William (Macandrew Bay). The daughters are: Mrs T. Hendry (Musselburgh), Mrs Wig.nall (St. Leonards), and Mrs Cameron (Auckland), and Mrs (widow), and Miss- E. Churchill reside with their parents. Of this prolific stem there are 19 grandchildren. There were many congratulations by visit and letter to the couple on the auspicious occasion, and the pair, who in the vigour of lusty youth joined their fortunes together 60 years ago. are now .o-oing down the shady side of the hill of life attended < with the love of children, the respecb of friends, nor the enmity or envy of anyone. No mora worthy diadem can adorn the brows of a worthy pair.