Edward Charles Ayson, 1926 - 2015

Ted, son of Ian Gordon Ayson was brought up in Dunedin, attending the Caversham Primary School, Kings High School and Otago University, through the tempestuous depression and war years.   He conscripted to farm work during school holidays, ending up in a year-long spell on the Miles farm at Portobello on the Otago Peninsula .  Their eldest daughter, Grace, a vocational training officer, was to set Ted's career when after much persuasion he took himself off  to Lincoln Agricultural College taking the three year Degree in Agricultural  Science.

 

One story must be told, says Ted.   "I spent the summer of 1949 on a Heriot property in West Otago being developed for settlement.   One day the manager asked if I could plough . "Of course"  I affirmed and then spent a sleepless night with my lecture notes; a week or so later there I was at a New Year's party on the neighbouring farm, my ploughed field in full view, the furrows running straight and true over the rolling hills. The Ayson name (well known in that area) redeemed".

 

After marriage to Audrey Finlay on the family farm at Tokaora, Hawera, Ted joined the then Department of Agriculture in New Plymouth as an advisor, and after only two years he was sent to Wairoa in Northern Hawkes Bay in a sole charge position, then the youngest in the field.   This was a time of great change in farming stimulated by the 1951 wool boom, the technical revolution in aerial topdressing, the advent of the giant discs, and electric  fencing.  

 

After 12 years the  family moved to Dannevirke, the centre of a very large farming district covering both intensive dairy and sheep production under the Ruahine ranges and extensive store sheep and cattle stations on the coast.   There Ted became very involved in advocating modern management systems.

 

The next move was to Nelson another 12 years later after the girls had been married off, "and not one to a farmer," Ted ruefully comments.   From Nelson it was two to three hours travel to the main farming districts in the beautiful river valleys beyond Tapawera and Murchison.   Again Ted and his fellow advisers saw dramatic changes to the farms as new management systems took hold.

 

Then before retiring to Levin, Ted and Audrey had a four-year stint in Westport still servicing the Nelson back country as well as the wet lands of the Buller and Karamea.

 

Besides an active and rewarding professional life, Ted was very involved in Rotary and the Eldership in the Presbyterian Church and a little golf.

 

Sadly Audrey died 10 Jun 2007 at Levin.

 

Ted contributed enormously to the production of the Clan book  "The Ayson Story, Glenshee to Otago, 1853 - 2000" and the result is shown throughout this web site and family tree. 

 

Edward Charles (Ted) Ayson passed away 1st July 2015.