A GOLDEN WEDDING.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14975, 23 May 1914, Page 8

A GOLDEN WEDDING.

OLTxmiE RE^IINISCEN'CES. At their residence, He&thcote street, Woolston, yesterday, Mr dnd Mrs E. Taylor, celebrated their golden • wedding, arid afterwards held' a gathering of their family 1 arid descendants and. friends in the Methodist schoolrpQm. Mr Tayior, his 75 years to the contrary notwithstanding, is hale and j hearty and rosy-cheeked, and Mrs Tay- | lor, whoso years number 70, also shows J few" signs' or' the ravages of time. The! day,was a, memorable one for the old couple, who had. around them eight eons and daughter,' their thirtyone grandchildren "and one ' great - grandchiid. : . ,

Mr Taylor is a native of Cherteey, Surrey, and Mrs Taylor of Sheerness, Kent, and both aro typical of that sturdy British stock wnich .has done so much in the way of settling and bringing into profitable use the lands of the" British dominions, overseas. Chatting .with a . representative' of Press,". Mr Taylor gave a fewbrief notes regarding himself and family. He has been in New Zealand for over-forty years, and,, with the exception of a brief period-spent in ChrLs.tchu.rch, has .resided at Woolston where he has followed the calling of a;gardener. Mr and Mrs Taylor and their young family came out in the ship Punjaub,-which became- a hospital shin beforo she reached Lyttelton. Tho Punjaub left. Gravesend on May 2nd, 1873-, and on the following day anepi- - demic of measles broke out. When the- equator was reached Asiatic cholera broke out, and a few' weeks later typhoid fever made its appearance. On the passage out forty-three died, including one of. Mr and Mrs Toylor's sons. When the ship reached Lyttelton there were only six'on board — : five of the ship's company and Mr Taylor—who were not sick, but the day after he landed Mr Tayior was stricken with typhoid fever. Mr and Mrs Taylor, Mrs Taylor's father (Mr,Harding), and Mr E. Reid were the first to form a congregation of Bible Christians, but since the amalgamation of that sect with tho Methodists they have belonged to the latter denomination. Yesterday afternoon's gathering was ! largely attended, and the proceedings i were opened with a short religious serI vice at the house.. The Rev. W. Laycock conducted the service, and gave a brief address, in which he congratulated Mr and Mrs Taylor on the celebration of such an important anniversary and wished them all happiness in the remainder of their lives. An adjournment was then made to the Methodist schoolroom, where a social gathering was held, and Mr and Mrs Taylor received the congratulations of the- : r many friends. Mr and Mrs Taylor were married at Minster, Sheerness, Isle of Sheppey, Kent. In the course of his address Mr L.ivcock mentioned that he had nine Tnylors on his visiting list in Woolston nnd Ojnwa. nnd all. wrMi the exception of one fampy, were related to Mr and Mrs E. Taylor.