THE LATE MRS REYNOLDS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3885, 28 August 1928, Page 28

THE LATE MRS REYNOLDS.

A LONG AND WORTHY CAREER. The late Mrs W. H. Reynolds, whose funeral took place on Thursday, her remains being cremated at Anderson’s Bay, spent by far the greatest part of her long and extremely useful life m this city, in the welfare of which both she and her husband were deeply interested. She was one of the worthiest of the many worthy pioneers who did excellent work in building up the prosperity of the city and the provinces, and even at an advanced age she was one of the outstanding figures in several movements for the benefit of the public generally. Mr Pinkerton, the father of Mrs Reynolds, arrived in Otago with his wife and family in 1855. On his arrival in Dunedin he met Mr James Macandrew and Mr W. H. Reynolds, and on their adviec he proceeded to Tapanui. He made up his mind to settle at Crookston, but on returning to Port Chalmers to bring his wife and family ashore he discovered that they were not favourably impressed with Otago, and he yielded to their wish to proceed to Canterbury. A week’s experience in the northern province, however led to a decision to return to Otago. Th e family were settled in a house at Caversham—the only dwelling available at the time, and Mr Pinkerton then proceeded to Tapanui with a large flock of merino sheep, which he had brought over with him from South Australia. All the timber for the' homestead had to be cut in the bush, and the work of erecting th e house was a long and arduous one, occupying two years. On October 7, 1856, the subject of this notice married Mr W. H. Reynolds, who was at the time a member of the firm of James Macandrew and Co., and their first home was in a small cottage in the Glen. Some time previously Mr Reynolds had gone to Melbourne, at the instance of the Provincial Government, to secure a few immigrants, and as he had been successful Captain Cargill persuaded him to proceed to England to get more people to come out. In February, 1857, Mr and Mrs Reynolds started in the Gi] Blas, about 157 tons. The voyage to Melbourne, lasting 28 days, was a very rough one. Mrs Reynolds was so distressed by it that Dr Motherwell recommended that she should come back to New Zealand in th e Gi] Blas. She preferred to sail with her husband in the ship Kent for England, however, and suffered so badly at sea that she could not leave her berth until the vessel had rounded the Horn. Mr James Adam, afterwards of Bon Accord, was a fellowpassenger, appointed to select the English emigrants. Over 2000 emigrants were secured by Mr Reynolds and Mr Adam on their visit to England. Mrs Reynolds did not travel much in the Old Country as her first child, afterwards Mrs G. L. Denniston, was born in August, 1857, but she made a trip to Edinburgh, and afterwards related how she surprised some of her husband’s relatives, who had learned that she was a native of Adelaide, and who therefore concluded that she must be a black woman. After a long and distressing voyage to Port Chaimers in the Strathfieldsaye Mr and Mrs Reynolds took up their residence at ‘‘ Woodhead,” where they lived for several years. They then made up their minds to return to England, but the idea caused such disappointment to Mr Reynolds’s mother that thev decided to remain here, and they took up their abode at “ Montecillo,” where they lived for nearly 40 years. Mr Reynolds subsequently took a prominent part in the public life of the province and the country. He was Speaker of the Otago Provincial Council at the time the provinces were abolished, and was elected to the House of Representatives for Dunedin, and then Port Chalmers, being afterwards called to the Legislative Council. He held a portfolio in four Ministries; those of Waterhouse, Fox, Stout-Vogel, and Polen. Mr Reynolds was prominently asso'iated with the Otago Daily Times and Witness Newspapers Company for some time. In 1877 he acted as confidential negotiator for Messrs Reed and Fenwick (now Sir George Fen wick), when thev wer e in treaty for the purchase of the assets of the company Tn 1878 he was one of the provisional directors while the present company was in course of formation, and when the flotation of the company ' was brought about he became a member of the board of directors.

One of the outstanding directions in which Mrs Reynolds rendered signal service to the community was in connection with the free kindergarten movement, which was brought into being as the result of a thought that struck the Rev Dr Waddell. Having seen young children plaving about in what was then Walker street under undesirable conditions Dr Waddell got in touch with the late Mr Mark Cehen, who said immediately: " Have a free kindergarten.” Mr Cohen had been reading about Mrs Sarah Cooper's wonderful work in San Francisco, and was anxious to see the same work started here A correspondence was opened. Mr Mark Cohen and Mrs W H Reynolds on this side, with Mrs Sarah Coouer of San Francisco. The imnn-Ise needed to forward the interest of the cause was given by Bishop Suter. Tn an address delivered at the Town Hall on March 4, 1889, he set forth in a masterly way the advantages of kindergarten from an educational standpoint, and told of the visits he had paid to the free kindergartens of San Francisco. The result of this meeting was that a meeting was held with Mr (now Sir) James Allen as chairman ; that an association was formed on May 2, 1889, with Mrs W, H. Reynolds as president, Miss Kelsey as hon. set retary. Mr Mark Cohen and Sir James Allen among the-members of the Advisory Board. The first kindergarten was opened

in Walker Street Mission Hall on Monday, June 10, 1889,. with 14 children. Al] who took part in the inauguration of the movement and all who were subsequently associated with it pay a tribute to Mrs Reynolds’s untiring activity in the cause. She gave to the work her best time and her thought, and, as one co worker nuts it, “ she was always the brisk breeze to fan our energy.” Her knowledge of the world and her acquaintance with the people at large, were also high qualifications for this particular kind of work. The naming of the Macandrew road branch after her was a fitting recognition of merit. She lived to see the association the owner of six schools, with a staff of six head teachers assistant teachers, and a training class under the direction of Miss Dutton. One of the important tasks to which Mrs Reynolds and M r Cohen addressed themselves jointly was the procuring of a capitation grant from the Government, this being agreed to, after much pleading, in 1905. This financial base being secured, Mrs Reynolds resigned th e presidency of the association in ISO 6. but continued on the council, and was -also a life' member.