100 YEARS OLD.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 March 1925, Page 3

100 YEARS OLD.

AIRS WEBB .HAS CENTENARIAN BIRTHDAY.

Airs W. If. Webb (formerly of Hokitika) who resides with her daughter, Airs G. H. Foote, of Feikling, celebrated her ]ooth. birthday oil Alonday Alarch 2nd. says the Feikling “Star”. Considering her years, Airs Webb is still most active, and is in possession of all her faculties. She can see without the aid of s; oeta-Tes and can hear and converse quite freely. She celebrated the event by entertaining her relatives and friends at afternoon tea at her home, while she was also the recipient of many congratulatory messages from all parts of the Dominion. The weight of her years does not yet prevent All's Webb from rising rogula ly every morning and being continually mi the move until nightfall. Slie retains a keen sense of humour

and shows little sign of decline. Her memory L splendid and she can retail an-iir.'iudv important events of her lile. even remembering the (oronation of Queen Victoria, which took place when she v.as 12 years ol age. Born in 18zo at Silverwell. a few miles from Truro, in the county of Cornwall. England. Airs Webb was one of a family of seven. Her maiden I,cine was Frances Harris. She was inanied to William Webb at. Harley Chapel, Linkinhorne. Liskard. Cornwall. in 18)1. She remembers quite well sailing from Liverpool just beloro Christmas. 1857, for Australia in the American sailer Tornado, which took six months to accomplish the voyage. Their destination was the gold diggings at Bendigo, ar.d Airs Webb still wears a lirii,ii’i made t f some of the gold Luiud there bv her husband. After seme years at Rcmligo All's Webb and her hi bam! came to Waipiro diggings in Otago. From there they joined in the gold rush to the West Coast, aniving at Hokitika in the sixties, when the hush was being felled on the town site.

Many years were spent at Hokitika, when Air Webb (ari'ied on business as a fruiterer in Rqyell Street, in portion of the pieniisos >i°"' occupied by Ali.ss F. Timms-on. draper, but alter Lei husband's death Alls AVehb and her family went to New Plymouth in 188 G. living there lor some years. During the last 17 years Airs Webb has lived at Feihling.

All's Webb bad a family ol . two daughters, Mrs G. IT. Foote, ol Feildiug. and Mrs Frank Newell’, ol New Plymouth, and one son, the late Air W. li. Webb. who. until his death some three years ago. lived al Stratford.

There are only six grand children and two grant grand children living. Vestcrday the Mayor and M.i v ivess (Mr and All's .(. S. Tingey) were amongst those who called and offered congratulations to All's A\ ebb.