1953 - 100th Anniversary of Peter, James, Alexander and Margaret Aysons' arrival in New Zealand.

 

A picnic was held in the Woodhaugh Gardens  in Dunedin on the afternoon of March 21,1953 where there were over 200 descendants of the four pioneers present.

 

A panoramic photograph was taken and published by the leading newspapers in New Zealand.

 

In the evening a banquet was held at the Crawford Lounge in St. Andrews Street and attended by 160 adult members.   Mr Walter Ayson presided over the gathering while Mr William Ayson was Master of Ceremonies.   A full Toast List was honoured, the most impressive of  these being the ones to the Ayson pioneers and the one to those who paid the supreme sacrifice in the two World Wars.

 

A large Centennial Cake made and iced by Mrs Walter Ayson was piped into the hall by Cousin James McLean and was cut by Cousin Ida Wright the oldest member of the gathering and assisted by her brother Bert Ayson of Middlemarch.  

 

Many interesting reminiscences we are told by the grandsons of the pioneer Aysons and their boyhood recollections of incidents that occurred at the old homesteads.

 

Family members decided to elect a committee to carry on the work of uniting the descendants in such a manner that future gatherings could be held its stated intervals.

 

After the banquet tables had been removed the rest of the evening was devoted to a general get-together that enabled  members to cement friendships already formed and to make new ones.    Dancing and musical items helped to enliven the evening.   At midnight the singing of Auld Lang Syne and the National Anthem brought  this part of the programme to a close with a feeling that the time had been all too short to get to understand each other better.   A good omen for the success of future gatherings.

 

On the Sunday morning many of the members took part in the special service held in First Church as part of the Otago Anniversary.   A part of the church had been reserved for them and a mention of them was made by the Rev. A.C. McLean during service.

 

In the afternoon a pilgrimage was made to Balclutha and Warepa for the purpose of laying wreaths on the graves of James and his wife Margaret at Balclutha , and on the graves of Peter and his wife Douglas at Warepa.    At the same time that the ceremony was taking place at Warepa a wreath was laid by arrangement on the graves of Alexander and his wife Joan at Wyndham Cemetery.    Unfortunately owing to the short notice the grave of Margaret and her husband James Robertson had not been located but arrangement shall be made to lay a wreath on her grave during the next centennial.

 

The service at Warepa was conducted by the Rev. H.S. McLean of the Warepa Church.

 

Afterwards a splendid afternoon tea had been provided by Mrs John Ayson and her many helpers in the Warepa Hall.

 

Acknowledgement:

 

 "Looking Back - Glenshee to Otago,  1853-56  to  1953-56"

 

Pubished by Clan Ayson of New Zealand Society.