DEATH OF PIONEER.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 365, 5 March 1932, Page 21 (Supplement)

DEATH OF PIONEER.

Historic Link with Last Century. MRS K. WORTHINGTON. By % A. SELWYN BRUCE. The band of pioneers who faced the unknown conditions of the primitive days of Canterbury’s history is fast disappearing. It was the happy experience of the writer a short time ago to have a chat with Mrs Katherine Worthington, who has since passed away, and her wonderful memory enabled her to discourse upon the people and the conditions of life in the colony three-quarters of a century ago. Tastes were simple and requirements few in her youthful experience, and opportunities of indulging in luxury were almost non-existent. A lover cf animals from childhood, she had been an ardent follower of the hounds in South Canterbury when hares were not to be found in our new land and drag

scent meets were the delight of those fortunate enough to be able to join the hunt.

Mrs Worthington’s father, Mr Jagger, arrived in Lyttelton in 1851 by the ship Dominion with his wife—a sister of the late Richard Turnbull, who represented Timaru in the Liberal interest in the days of Ballance and Seddon. Mr Jagger was a brewer in Oxfordshire, leaving his native land in 1851 to try his fortune at the Antipodes. Mrs Jagger opened a school for girls in the Lyttelton Immigration Barracks in 1852 under the oversight of Bishop Selwyn, who used to visit the settlement periodically and conduct services in the first church in the province—• St Thomas’s, which was afterwards replaced by the present Holy Trinity Church. In this original’ Church of St Thomas, Mrs Worthington was baptised by Bishop Selwyn and had the honour of being sponsored by Mrs J. R. Godley, a valued friend of her parents.

Bishop Harper induced Mr Jagger to open the first church school at Timaru in 1864 and the family resided there until 1876. Miss Jagger took up teaching as her profession, and when only sixteen years old was appointed by Mr Restall to open the first school at Pleasant Point. She was married in 1869. Mrs Worthington's husband came of naval stock, his uncle having served on Nelson’s flagship when the latter was mortally wounded at Trafalgar.

Mrs Worthington’s mother was mistress of Kaiapoi Church School under th-e Rev Mr Willock and also occupied a similar position at the Upper Heathcote School at Lincoln Road.

The late Mrs Worthington was the guest of honour at the diamond jubilee celebrations in connection with the history of Pleasant Point Public School in 1925.