Birthday Reunion

Twenty-five members of the Dowell family held a very enjoyable reunion dinner at the Royal Hotel to mark Mrs Jessie Dowell's 86th birthday. Mrs Dowell was the youngest of six girls and two boys in the family of Mr and Mrs Robert McDuff Birrell. She was only nine months old when the family came from Glasgow to Gisborne and took up the property to be known as Elgin. Elgin was the area where that suburb now stands but was nearly all bush at the time. Mr Birrell farmed the property until such time as it was sold and divided for housing. Mrs Dowell's husband John, who died 25 years ago, was a Master Baker in Gisborne for many years.

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Mrs Dowell (centre) and her immediate family. From left, Irene (Mrs Robertson, 9 Totara Street), Jack Dowell (8 Seymour Road), Margery (Mrs Patty, 12 Centennial Crescent) and Laura (Mrs Sutton, 404 Williams Street, Hastings).

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John and Jessie Dowell pictured on the occasion of their silver wedding anniversary.

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Mr and Mrs Birrell taken on their golden wedding day.

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Members of the family attending the reunion at the Royal Hotel.