NOW 91 YEARS OLD

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18234, 1 November 1933, Page 2

NOW 91 YEARS OLD

MRS. JAMES RUTHERFORD MOTHER OF GREAT SCIENTIST The mother of the Empire’s greatest, scientist, Mrs. James RutheVford, celebrated her ninety-first birthday at her home at New Plymouth on Sunday. She is the mother of 12 children, ol whom one is Lord Rutherford of Nelson. She is as active as she was 40 years ago. She is a lover of method and a close follower of national and world affniis in the daily paper and by mail. She is an ■exemplary correspondent. There is an intimate ‘motherly touch in the way Mrs. Rutherford has followed every step of her distinguished son since the time ol his winning the Tinline Scholarship fnr Nelson College in 1885, an achievement which placed him in the first niche of the great career he carved out for bimselt. Lord Rutherford went abroad in 1891, but in the fortnightly letters to Ins mother, carefully preserved, every step in his scientific discoveries can be followed. There is sufficient material in these documents for an intimate biographical study of the great man. * There was a quiet gathering at Mrs. Rutherford’s home to celebrate the anniversary. Archdeacon Emeritus F. G. Evans* spoke in happy vein of the celebratioas that would mark -Mis. Rutherford’s hundredth birthday, for, he said, she was so well that there seemed to be no reason why she should not reach the century. Eight of the family of 12 are still, alive. The daughters are Mesdames M. P. Chapman (Frasertown), H. G. Streiff (Te Aroha), H. G. Sergei (Hamilton) and L. T. Bell (Kaifaia); and the sons are Ernest (Lord Rutherford) and Messrs. George (Auckland), James (New Plymouth), and Arthur (Te Aroha). Mrs. Rutherford’s only surviving is Mr. Charles Thompson (Moutere. Nelson). Mr. Edward Jeffries (Spring Grove, Nelson) is a step-brother. Her husband died several years ago.