TAKAPUNA PIONEER

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 855, 26 December 1929, Page 8

TAKAPUNA PIONEER

MRS. E. L. WRIGHT’S BIRTHDAY 85 YEARS OF AGE The celebration of Christmas Had more than usual interest for Mrs. L* Wright, of Puouke Road t Takapuna. Yesterday she celebrated her eighty-fifth birthday. p>ORN at Brentwood, Essex, Bngland, Mrs. Wright came to New Zealand "with her husband in 1874. Her second daughter was born during the voyage, and when they landed at Auckland there were three voung children to care for. On arrival at Auckland the family wealth amounted to one shilling, but was <T uic kly found at Takapuna, where for a while they lived in a shed. ■From that day Mrs. Wright has spent her life at Takapuna. Naturally Mrs. Wright has seen mar.y changes at Takapuna, and can tell very interesting stories of the pioneer days. She helped her husband on his first job at bushfelling, and later at roadmaking, and in the stone pits. Once a week they went to Auckland for supplies, carrying the goods on their backs from Devonport to Takapuna. For an eight-hour day at the washtub or at house-cleaning the wage was 2s 6d. But hard work and long hours appear to have had little advert effect upon this hardy pioneer# Mrs. Wright owns her own home at Takapuna, where she is greatly respected, and lias livec. alone for the past 11 years, happy, and with the contentment that follows a long life of useful service. A family of nine was reared, and six are still living* Her eldest son was killed at the war. Yesterday several of her children, with their sons and daughters, spent the day with her.