Ann Guilford nee Benbow
Timaru Herald 14th July 1930 -
Obituary to Ann Guilford, Pleasant Valley Born at Nash, Shropshire, England, 5th
Feb. 1849, she came to New Zealand with her parents ( the late Mr and Mrs
W Benbow of Waitohi, Temuka) in the sailing ship "Huntress" which arrived
at Lyttleton in April, 1863. Her parents came into Timaru and she followed
them about a year later.
In 1866, she married the late William
Guilford and went to live at Pleasant Valley, near Geraldine, where her
husband was engaged in farming and sawing timber, and she did her full
share of pioneering work. They lived there for 36 years and in 1902, the
family shifted to Tarata, Taranaki, where her husband died in 1906.
Mrs Guilford then removed to New
Plymouth, where she has lived ever since. Of a cheerful and kindly
disposition, she endeared herself with all she came in contact and for
many a mile did she tramp in all weathers, to give a helping hand to those
in need, when ways and means of getting about were either in a dray or on
foot. She leaves a large family, five sons and six daughters and a host of
friends to mourn their loss.
Ann and William Guilford at back with
Ann's parents William and Mary Benbow: It is said by Catherine Lincoln, in her
book "The Benbows" written in 1974, that it seemed to be Ann's philosophy
in life to "Love thy Neighbour and Do unto Others".
Ann not only proved herself a capable and
loving mother but she found time to care for others in need. She was an
efficient midwife delivering babies any time of the day or night.
Quite capable of harnessing her own horse and buggy she would go off to
bring babies into the world, often staying two or three days with the
mother if needed. She would cook meals for the woman's children, repair
the children's clothes and help with the new baby. She must have appeared
a fairy godmother to many families.
In Taranaki, Ann continued this work and as her family
married, she became more involved with people and again when required,
helped in the delivery of babies. A local doctor in New Plymouth admired
her work so much that he asked her if he built a hospital, would she take
charge of it. She declined stating that her family came first, then the
needy in her time. She made time for both.
Hetti and May had a dressmaking business at New Plymouth and
lived at Young Street in 1905. William's death came just before Alice's
21st birthday October 1906 and he was buried with his son George at
Tarata.
Liz and Gert married the year following their father's
death, so Ann moved with her children - Hettie, May, Dot, Alice, Cecil and
Myrtle to New Plymouth and lived at Ships carrying returning soldiers and war invalids
brought home influenza which was
rife overseas and the virulent epidemic spread throughout the country. No
area was immune and it touched young and old without
mercy. The First World War claimed the lives of more than
18,000 New Zealand soldiers over a four year period, but the influenza
epidemic killed almost 8600 people in the period from October to
Christmas, 1918. Booths were opened in towns and throats were sprayed with
formalin, streets in business areas were disinfected. In 1919 she moved to Gill Street and in 1922
she and Henrietta joined Bert at Frankley Park where he had bought a farm.
The family gathered at New Plymouth to be with Ann Guilford to celebrate
her 80th birthday, nine months before her death in June, 1930.
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Voluntary labour was needed to man hospitals as doctors
were in short supply as many were still serving overseas. Death rates were
recorded as 49 in 10,000 Europeans and 226 per 10,000 Maori. Hairdressers,
banks, schools, bars, pastrycooks, tearooms closed their doors and
temporary hospitals were set up.
