Mrs Oldham, Mrs Woolley, Miss Stewart, Mrs Steadman, Mrs Fairgray, Mrs Watson, Mrs Cahill and Mrs Murray. A summary of a couple of these follows.
Mrs Alfred OLDHAM, eldest daughter of W D REID, born in Auckland and bought to the goldfields as in infant in 1867. Educated at Thames High School, she married Alfred Oldham who was assistant master at Waiokaraka School. [Mary Jane Reid married Alfred Oldham 1890]
Mrs WOOLLEY was the daughter of Mr A LAMB, cousin of Mr J LAMB timber merchant of Thames. She was a teacher at Tararu School and married Mr Woolley in the Willoughby Street Baptist Church; for which she was an enthusiastic worker. [William Richard WOOLLEY married Margaret Rebecca LAMB 1886]
Miss STEWART - information on Matilda STEWART can be found here.
Mrs FAIRGRAY, "was the first white baby born at the Thames. She is the second daughter of the late Mr James RENSHAW, and was borne in March, 1868. he married Mr J FAIRGRAY, of the Bank of New Zealand, Auckland, and since her marriage has resided at Devonport."
Mrs CAHILL was born at Thames, daughter of the late T B WILLIAMS. After her marriage she helped run a grocery business in Thames near the Post Office.
Mrs STEADMAN came to the goldfields when they opened with her husband, they resided at Tararu. Later they moved to a farm at Waikawau.
Mrs John WATSON and her husband came to Thames just after the opening of the goldfield in 1867; and took a keen interest in all philanthropic and church work in Thames.
Mrs T L MURRAY came to NZ in 1860 and married her husband in Auckland; Mr Murray came to Thames as the manager of the Bank of New Zealand.
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| The women of Thames soon learned to cope with many hardships; walking the streets was often challenging in muddy weather (Alexander Turnbull Library) |
