1985 - Dunedin
Dunedin was the venue for the 1985 national gathering, held 15-17 March.
The weekend got away to a wonderful start at Alan and Dorothy Gold's home in St Kilda.
For the general meeting on Saturday morning there was a good turn-out. It was agreed that subscriptions be raised to $5 per family, with branches to retain $3 and forward $2 to the executive.
Fergus indicated his intention to retire from the position of Chief. Peter Ayson, of Knapdale, was nominated but initially declined the appointment because he felt there were too few cousins in his district to help him carry out the job.
After the church service the next day, however, he accepted the position, having received an offer of help from Grace and Doug Young, of Gore.
On the Saturday afternoon members made their way to Otakou on Otago Peninsula, 25km from Dunedin, for a barbecue lunch and to witness the enactment of a landing by long boat on Onerau Beach.
The pioneer Aysons no doubt came ashore in the vicinity. On board the sea-scout cutter were Betty Osmand and daughter Raylene, Hugh Ayson, Heather Hore and husband Trevor. The crew were all grandchildren of May Spiers.
The landing was followed by a formal welcome on to Tamatea Marae by the Otakou people (in "Pioneering in Otago" William Ayson tells of the Aysons' arrival in March 1853 when he was just a boy: ''As soon as we were anchored several boatloads of Maoris paid us a visit, selling fish and potatoes."
The evening function, attended by 106 members, was held at the Druids Hall and took the form of a buffet meal followed by music and dancing. Fergus's 80th birthday was celebrated with the piping in of a cake.
The next morning at First Church the sermon was given by Ayson Clifford and the readings taken by Robert Gold.
The reunion finished with lunch in Burns Hall followed by a visit to the Early Settlers Museum.
The success of the reunion was due in no small part to the work of Alan Gold, the Otago Branch secretary, and his wife Dorothy.
With Alan's death in 1989, the clan lost a faithful member.
Acknowledgement:
The Ayson Story. Glenshee to Otago 1853 - 2000
Published Clan Ayson Of New Zealand Society