CENTENARIAN’S DEATH

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 June 1941, Page 4

CENTENARIAN’S DEATH

MRS MARIA REYNOLDS OF MASTERTON ON EVE OF 103RD BIRTHDAY. LIFE DEVOTED TO OTHERS. Masterton’s oldest resident, Mrs Maria Reynolds, of Renall Street, died yesterday afternoon on the eve of her 103rd /For the last two weeks the late Mrs Reynolds had been confined to her bed. Although she had felt very tired during the past few days she was quite comfortable and her passing was a peaceful one. The late Mrs Reynolds enjoyed remarkably good health and until quite recently took a keen and intelligent interest in world affairs. She possessed a charming personality and was a bright and happy soul. A great part of her time in recent years was devoted to sewing and knitting and the garments and other useful articles she made were donated to those in need. On the occasion of her 100th birthday, every surviving member of the family assembled at her residence and she was the recipient of many messages of congratulations, including one from King George VI.

Except for some difficulty in hearing. she enjoyed the full use of her faculties, the most remarkable of which was her exceptionally keen eyesight. Referring to her sewing, when interviewed by a “Times-Age” representative on her 100th birthday, she said: "J use my glasses to thread the needle and then throw them away.” For many years past- she had made Peggy squares for the Plunket Society and in this way she had done her part, even at her advanced age, in extending a helping hand to those in need. The spirit in which this work was undertaken was well indicated in her own words.

AN INDOMITABLE SPIRIT. “The Plunket Society know I can if sew,” observed Mrs Reynolds, “but n they have given me no work lately. 1. Perhaps they think I don’t want it, (. but I do. I don’t like being idle.” e Those words of Mrs Reynolds “I don’t . like being idle,” uttered in all sincern ity, by a lady of one hundred years showed the indomitable spirit she possessed one that is an example to ■> many younger folk. Besides knitting, Mrs Reynolds was able to do hemstitching of a high class—fine, delicate work i> that would be a credit to a woman in i the prime of life. Mrs Reynolds owed much of her i vigour and long life to the golden rule 1 of having plenty of fresh air and suni shine. She made full use of her sun . porch and enjoyed until recently a f daily car ride. She conversed fluently and enjoyed nothing better than to . recall the days of her youth—the real . pioneering days in the Wairarana when toe district was covered by "a dense growth of forest and scrub. 1 AN EARLY ARRIVAL. Born in Middlesex. England. Mrs ; Reynolds was married in England and ; came out to New Zealand inmediaieiy . I afterwards, arriving here a* th— a- 3 >of 26 years, in 1864. Ln T he ship • i ope. Witn her husband, she ■ at Ea st Taratahi, a" pro- ■ peuy that in later years became well known throughout the WairareDa. When Mr and Mrs Reynolds took uu then- residence there the whole area was nothing but a thick mass of manuka. Their first shelter was a small whare and all cooking was done in a camp oven. Under these primitive conditions Mrs Reynolds reared a family of nine sons and two daughters. All travelling was done on horseback. About every fortnight a visit was paid to Greytown, fourteen -'Biles away, j n those days the principal town of the Wairarapa. Goods were delivered to the farm by a bullock dray. After her husband retired from acuve farming Mr and. Mrs Reynolds lived at the Hutt for about 10 years Toor Re - vnold s died there, in IJO6, Mrs Reynolds returned to Masterion. INCIDENTS WITH MAORIS. In the early days' Mrs Reynolds caiab in . c °nstant contact with parties ot Maoris, who frequently visited the house to borrow articles. “I didn’t like them very well at first.” said Mrs Reyn°ks. recalling these events three ? e . a . ls as °t but Ml ‘ Reynolds always > ni R t 1 didn't want to show them that I was timid and I didn’t. I used to put the fnr out so they would not know that I wns home. They used to come inside sometimes. They came in io borrow, admire the things in the house and to sit down and have a smoke. They were very friendly and used to take an ember from the fire o light their pipes. On one occasion ihey oorrowed a big boiler to make , hlhpe (flour and water) and brought it back clean and bright. They knew i Ir Reynolds very well and called him Renata. I think, they were very honest people. I never heard of their doHI S, auy , stca ‘ing, oh no, never.” Ine late Mrs Reynolds is survived b -’*' live sons. Messrs Charles (Taran l ' ' Erank (Lansdowne), Walter Tv- : ,Y a :ura) ' Leslie (Whangarei) and vv illiam. (Greymouth) and by one daughter. Miss Amy Reynolds (Masterton). Four sons and one daughter piedecocised her. There are eleven grandchildren and 16 great-grand-ehil.a-en. The sympathy of a large number of friends will be extended c Ltniily in their bereavement. -he funeral will, take place tomoraving !hc I:de residence, 68 Renan Street, following a service at 1.45 p.m. for the Clareville Cemetery.