OPUNAKE PIONEER 'DEAD

Taranaki Daily News, 17 October 1931, Page 18 (Supplement)

OPUNAKE PIONEER 'DEAD

LIFE OF MRS. G. WILCOCK. Word was received at Opunake on Thursday of the death of Mrs. G. Wilcock at Palmerston North. Mr. and Mrs. Wilcock were among the original settlers on Opua Road. After residing there for some years they sold to Mr. H. McCann. A native of England, Mrs. Wilcock came to New Zealand in April, 1875, in the ship Edwin Fox, and settled at Feilding. Her husband died about 12 months ago. Mrs. Wilcock' saw a great deal of pioneering work as her husband built the first railway bridges over the Ouroa River and\ completed the Manawapou bridge. After. Mr. Wilcock returned from the railway construction works as foreman, they settled at Opua. Under his supervision the Opua factory was built by co-operative labour. Mrs. Wilcock leaves a grown-up family, 28 grand-children and 20 greatgrandchildren. The members of the family are Mrs. Gavey (Palmerston North). Mrs. Gibson (Aramoho), Miss Mary Wilcock (Palmerston North) and another married daughter at Otaki, Messrs. John (Hamilton), Aleck (Pihama) and Charles (Palmerston North). The eldest daughter, Mrs. Charles Woolford, died at Opunake a few years ago.