AMY BOCK'S CHILDHOOD.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3187, 12 May 1909, Page 6

AMY BOCK'S CHILDHOOD.

SOME INTERESTING PARTICULARS. The following concerning Amy Bock's childhood is taken from the Auckland "Herald: — The scene of tha genesis of the career of Amy Bock was in the township of Sale, Gippsland, Victoria, where she first sdw the light nf day 49 years ago. According to Mr J. C. Bryant, who was a schoolmate of Amy's in that township (Mr Bryant's father was master of the State school at that "time), the girl at school was clever and popular, her somewhat reserved manner with her girl friends being counterbalanced by her fondness tor boy companion?. She was not bold or boisterous in any sense, it was just a question of temperament. As she grew older she became an accomplished pianist, and began teaching music when still a girl. She excelled as a horsewoman when in her early teeiis, and wiih her brother rode to the hounds. A number of riding prizes were also secured by her at agricultural shows. Her father, with her assistance, organised many pntertainments for charity, and at them Amy made herself famous by the clever manner in which she took boy parts in character plays.

Her mother was of weak intellect, and suffered from the delusion that she was "Lady Macbeth, and would stand at the gate leading to their home with a carving knife m her hand making all sorts of strange assertions as to her "high position." Amy would always hurry her mother indoors, and appeared to have great power over her. Mr Bryant says he believes Mrs \sock was afterwards committed to a mental hospital.