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"101 - And With Two Namesakes"

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Description: These images were taken for the July 23rd 1978 edition of the Tribune weekly newspaper – the first of which was published.

The caption read: “The former Anne Lucinsky meets her namesake Anne Lucinsky. Mrs Christensen pictured talking to her great-niece, after her 101 st birthday.”

The article read: “It was Anne Christensen's birthday in Feilding the other day - the 101st time she has celebrated the occasion. Her maiden name was Lucinsky – and with her for the celebrations was another Anne Lucinsky – and also a former Anne Lucinsky (now Thompson).

The birthday was celebrated quietly, and about the only special guest was Feilding's mayor, Mr G. H. Corrick. On Mrs Christensen's 100th birthday she got telegrams of congratulation from the Queen and New Zealand's Prime Minister, Mr Muldoon, amongst others.

Mrs Christensen still gets up early every day - a habit from years of hard work. The mother of 12 children, she attributes her long age to hard work and good food. Longevity runs in the family – her mother lived to the age of 97.

Mrs Christensen is now living with her daughter, Mrs A. Redfern, in Russell Street. Despite her years Mrs Christensen doesn’t wear glasses. When the ‘Tribune’ editor called, she was picking minute pieces of fluff from a piece of material – evidence of her good sight. She does, however, need a hearing aid, and can’t get about like she used to.

Her parents came to New Zealand from Czechoslovakia, arriving in Wellington on the ship ‘Jane Douglas'. They trekked up the coast to Oroua Downs, farming in the district for many years. Mrs Christensen's father also worked as a baker and a labourer Her father helped clear the bush at Parorangi and also at Terrace End. Mrs Christensen was born at Carnarvon on July 21, 1877 the eldest of the family of seven children.

Mrs Christensen lived for many years Whakarongo area – and cut the district's centenary birthday cake last year as the oldest former resident of the area.
She also lived and worked in Cheltenham and Himatangi for many years, and lived in Hastings, before coming to Feilding to live with her daughter Mrs Redfern in 1974.

Her eldest daughter, now Mrs Anne Thompson, lives in Hastings but came to Feilding especially for the birthday celebrations. Also there was Mrs Christensen’s great-niece, Anne Lucinsky, whose parents live in Manchester St, Feilding. Miss Lucinsky’s father Maurice was Mrs Christensen’s nephew.”

These images form part of the Manawatū Evening Standard Negative Collection. Unfortunately, only negatives between April and December 1978 are held.