FIFTY YEARS WEDDED MR. AND MRS. R. W. WHITE

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 144, 8 September 1927, Page 9

FIFTY YEARS WEDDED MR. AND MRS. R. W. WHITE

GOLDEN WEDDING TO-DAY At St. Matthew’s Church, Auckland, 50 years ago to-day, Mr. and Mrs. R. TV. White, of Wellington Street, were married. The Rev. Mr. Haszard performed the ceremony. To-day at St. Matthew’s parish hall, which was the original St. Matthew’s Church in which the couple were married, the golden wedding will be celebrated. Mr. White was born at Awarua, Waiheke Island, in 1848. and in his early years lived with his parents at Coromandel and at Auckland. He was apprenticed to Mr. Henry Niecol, shipbuilder, whose yards were situated at Mechanics Bay, near the site of the present overhead railway bridge. When the Thames gold-rush started Mr. White had just completed his apprenticeship and in August, 1567, together with the late Mr. Edward Hives and the late Mr. N. Pollard, he pegged out one of the first claims on the Waiotahi block.

Five years later Mr. White returned to Auckland and acted as foreman for Mr. John Taylor, who constructed the first railway wharf built in Auckland. Hater he went into business on his own account, afterwards entering into partnership with Mr. R. R. Hunt. Mr. White was responsible for a large amount of railway formation work and many of the harbour works, tie carried on business until about six years ago, when he retired from regular work.

Mrs. White, who was Miss Eleena Coghlan, was also born at Auckland. There are four children, Mrs. M. Buckley, of Devonport; Mrs. A. McCullough, of Grey Lynn: Mrs. A. Hallett, of Remuera, and Mr. W. White, of Wellington Street. There are 11 grandchildren.