DIAMOND WEDDING

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 60, Issue 4266, 12 April 1940, Page 4

DIAMOND WEDDING

MR AND MRS WM. KIRKHAM WORTHY TE AWAMUTU RESIDENTS. It is not often that a diamond wedding is celebrated in Te Awamutu, but to-day marks the sixtieth anniversary of the wedding of a very worthy local couple, Mr and Mrs William Kirkham', of Puniu Road. The wedding was solemnised at the Church of England in Chirk, North Wales, on 12th April, 1880, the officiating clergyman being Rev. Mr Jones. Two years after their marriage Mr and Mrs Kirkham, with their two infant daughters, set out for New Zealand in the sailing ship Coromandel, the voyage taking one hundred days. Upon arrival in Auckland during November Mr and Mrs Kirkham and their family spent a few days in what was destined to become the largest city in the country, and then made their way to Te Awamutu district, where Mr Kirkham took up farming, and he applied himself diligently fort many years in making his property one of which to be proud. Incidentally. accompanying them on the Coromandel was a cousin of Mrs Kirkham, Mr Richard O. Griffith, who also made his home in Te Awamutu, and has resided here ever since. Mr Kirkham’s first farm was along Ohaupo Road, now occupied by Mr T. G. Grigg. He resided there about ten years, but at the same time managed a roller flour mill in Te Awamutu, on a site near the corner of Bond’s Road. Before • that, however, he worked in Ml- S. Short’s gristing mill, located a few chains away. Later he bought a small farm along Bond’s Road, and then removed to Te Awamutu township, the new farm property being what is now an important part of the borough. The homestead was on the site of the present large Primary School, and Mr Kirkham! still retains part of the farm. For several years he conducted a nursery and milk delivery, but, .with Mrs Kirkham, has lived in retirement for many years. Mi- Kirkham, who has always been a lover of trees, has been responsible for the planting of many of the finest and oldest English trees that nowadays are so much admired in Te Awamutu and neighbourhood. Mr and Mrs Kirkham have two daughters, Mis G. A. Bowden, Te Awamutu, and Mas F. D. Wpod, Papakura, and two sons, Messrs James G. Kirkham, Ngahape, and Cecil Kirkham;, Te Mawhai; both sons are engaged in farming. A niece, Miss Carrie Kirkham, now Mrs Les. Andrews, of Kaitoke, Wellington, lived with the family for many years after her arrival from England as a child. There are . thirteen grandchildren and -even great-grandchildren. To-day Mr and Mrs Kirkham have already been the recipients of many congratulations. Members of the family : have assembled to honour them. Incidentally, Mr Kirkham was somewhat surprised at what he termed “the fuss” being made, adding that he and Mrs Kirkham had lived a very quiet life in the community for very many years, and as a matter of fact had not expected any, celebration of the anniversary of their marraige sixty years ago. Mr arid Mrs Kirkham both enjoy excellent health, and the former is seen practically every day in the streets.: v