William Young 1880-1958

young William

A double wedding was held on (when ? 1904 ) between William Young and Mary Elizabeth George, and William George and Jessie Rose Young. They were married at Makarewa at the home (what address ?) of Mr and Mrs Charles Buxton, Mrs Buxton being a sister of Mary and William George.

Mary George and William Young, Jessie Rose Young and William George
Sarah Buxton, James Aitken Young, Dave George, Annie Rewcastle
Ettie and Elsie Young

Following their marriage, William and Mary went to live in Tuatapere (when ?), where William went into partnership with his uncle, Bob Aitken, in the butchery trade, making deliveries by horse and cart. As a young man, William was a keen sportsman, and was in training for NZ championships for running. The day before his 21st birthday 15 November 1901, he had a bad accident while bush felling and he lost his left foot. He had to be taken to Riverton hospital by trolley, and because there were no telephones in those days, birthday guests could not be told of the accident and they still turned up to celebrate his birthday.

Despite this disability, William kept up his interest in sport, and was one of the first committee members of the Tuatapere Sports Club (when ?). He was a judge and time-keeper at all sports meetings up until a few years before his death.

He was the second person to own a car in Tuatapere, a Dort (when ?), and he surely made good use of it when the 'Great Flu' struck New Zealand after World War One in 1918. He and Nurse Sommerville used the car to carry the dying to hospital and the dead to the mortuary. At times William's son, 4 years old Bert, went along with them, wrapped up in a blanket sitting between them on the front seat of the car.

When the Tuatapere business partnership was dissolved (when ?), the family moved to Invercargill and a home in Elles Road, later (when ?) to Ythan Street. William entered the car business, working first for T.R. Taylor Ltd (when ?) and then with Watts and Grieve (when ?), until he retired (when ?). He was also a Past Master in the Masonic Lodge (period ?).

He and his wife passed away (where ?) with only 7 days between their deaths (30 May and 22 May 1958, respectively), and were laid to rest in Invercargill's Eastern Cemetery. They had a family of four sons and one daughter : Bert (Albert Stanley) was born on 7 May 1914, Allan George was born on 24 June 1918 and Ronald Henry was born on 16 December 1922. William James was born on (when ?) February 1908 and died on 8 March 1908 at only 1 month old (from what ?); their daughter Mary Elizabeth was born on 30 September 1909 and she died on 29 August 1976.

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