90-YEAR-OLD FORMER WANGANUI RESIDENT LOOKS BACK ON THE YEARS

Wanganui Chronicle, 6 October 1947, Page 4

90-YEAR-OLD FORMER WANGANUI RESIDENT LOOKS BACK ON THE YEARS

(0.C.) Marton, Oct. 4 A varied career, which has teken iiim through England, Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand, has been the experience of Mr. John Mason Wells, of Marton, who celebrates his 00th. birthday today (Oct. 6). Despite his age, Mr. Wells is still hale and hearty, in tact looks much younger than his four score years and ten. A slight loss of hearing is the only faculty impaired during this long lite. Mr. Wells has lived through slump and prosperity, but has enjoyed life despite its rigours. An avid reader, he enjoys his books without the aid of glasses, though some years ago he used to wear them, but later found he could do better without them. He still leads an active life out-of-doors and when a reporter called on him, Mr. Wells was busy cutting firewood. Until a few months ago he used to mow the lawns, but now finds that exercise rather too strenuous. RELATED TO MR. ATTLEE Mr. Wells is a second cousin to the Prime Minister of Great Britain (Rt. Hon. C. Attlee), his grandmother being Ann Attlee. Mr. R. Wells, R.A., who was commissioned to paint a portrait of Queen Victoria, is a cousin. Mr. Wells, today, lias a painting of a landscape wnich was the first painting his cousin completed. Mr. Wells knew that his birthday was on October 6, but could not recall his age when the interview took place.. However, the family Bible lias proved a good source of information and there, in typical 19th. century writing, is the family record of vital statistics. Born on October 6, 1857, Mr. Weils is the second son of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Wells, Dorking, Surrey, England. There were eight children — seven sons and a daughter. IN AUSTRALIA Emigiating to Australia, the journey out took 86 days and during that time the ship had made no call at a port. Always a keen reader, Mr. Wells found employment in Melbourne at a stationer’s establishment in return for his keep. Whilst working there, he was offered a position in Gippsland, where the proporietor’s two sons worked in the bush.

Living conditions were hard. He was paid no wages, but was given free accommodation in return for his work bush-felling. The area comprised about 240 acres bought at 5s per acre. He slept on a hammock in a hut which had a bark roof. “It was a terrible place for fleas,” said Mr. W ells. After six months in the bush-fell-ing business, Mr. Wells decided to return to Melbourne, where he received e letter from a man in Tasmania, stating that he had learnt from friends in England that Mr. Weils was a specialist as a stone-dresser in the tiour-mill trade and offered him a position in Hobart. This Mr. Wells accepted, the deal being made in Melbourne. The Tasmanian had made a special trip for the 1870 Melbourne Cup. That was the year Grand Flaneur won.

"I was unable to go to the races because I didn’t have any money,” said Mr. Wells, "but my employer agreed to pay my passage to Hobart.” "1 received £2 a week there and that was considered big wages in those days," added Mr. Wells. He remained there for six months, when he left for New Zealand at the invitation of his brother. He arrived at Lyttelton in 1871, at the time of the census. His brother, who was working on a large station in South Canterbury, met him at the wharf and the two of them returned to Mr. Lovegroves, his brother’s employer. He remained there for a while working on the faim and then went south to Dunedin to return to the flourmilling business. “The work was very hard and wages £2 a week. I was there for the winter and it was terribly cold,” said Mr. Wells. Six months later his brother went to England and Mr. Wells was offered and accepted his brother s position on Mr. Lovegrove's station. He was there for four years until his brother returned and persuaded him to go to Invercargill, where Mr. Wens joined an auctioneering firm as a clerk.

It was while at Invercargill that Mr. Wells met his future wue—Miss Ellen Clapliam, of Wellington, who was holidaying in the Soutli Island, and l in 1887 at St. Paul’s Church, Wellington, they were married by the Rev. John Still.

FIRES IN INVERCARGILL Mr. and Mrs. Wells returned to Invercargill but about four years later they were forced to seek Iresh fields because of the slump which hit Southland. “Those days were certainly dreadful,'' said Mr. Wells reminiscing. “Tiie town went ’broke.’ and we were very glad to get away. At that time there were a number ot suspicious tires ano Invercargill became known as the ‘City of Blazes’.” Mr. Wells explained that was why Invercargill today was such a monern, well-planned city with many fine buildings. The fires had destroyed many of tlie old establishments and modern homes had sprung up. Mr. Wells and his wife then shifted to Wellington and stayed with Mrs. Wells' people. It was the time of the great. maritime strike. Without a job, Mr. Wells decided to work on the wharf. “We were paid Is an hour and had to work mighty hard. 1 lost two stone in the six months 1 was working on the wharves,” said Mr. Wells. CAME TO WANGANUI Later, Mr. Wells obtained a clerical position with the Wellington Agricultural Show, and that, he said, was a good job, out a better position was ottered him in Wanganui and he left Wellington to join the firm ol James 'Chain and Company, wholesale and retail ironmongers. He lived on Dune Hill. It was while in Wanganui that his wife died in 1891. Mr. Wells later took up a land agency business and at one time owned numerous properties. He received a financial setback when the slump arrived in the 1930's and later handed over the business to his son. Mr. Wells camo to Marton, where he has been living in semi-retirement for the past 17 years. Mrs. W. A. Ingle (Marton) is a daughter and Messrs. J. P. Wells (Wanganui), Godfrey Wells (Foretell) and Howard Mason Wells (Christchurch) sons.