Lindakiki, Maara and Luisa have been looking at the changes in the Glen Innes shopping centre over the years. This is the presentation they create to show what they learnt from their research.

Our Kakapo reading group have been looking for information about William Innes Taylor. In their research they came across the obituary written when he passed away in The New Zealand Herald.

24 March 1890

Obituary of William Innes Taylor

Another old pioneer settler has passed away in the person of Mr William Innes Taylor, son of the late General Taylor, of the West Tamaki.

In his last illness (pneumonia), which was somewhat sudden and a general break up of the system, he was attended by Drs Haines and Lindsay.

Mr Taylor was born in 1821 at Hyderabad, India, and was the son of the late General William Taylor, and brother of C. J. and A. K. Taylor. He was educated at Glasgow College and spent two years in Perthshire learning practical agriculture. In October 1843, he arrived in Auckland by the ship 'Mandarin'; bought land and settled at Tamaki West, where he began his career as a farmer, living in a tent. After six years real hard work he made himself a comfortable home and married, pursuing his career as a pioneer settler with energy, forethought and ability and was nearly always successful in his undertakings. Being of a generous and trusting nature, he sustained many heavy losses, but notwithstanding this, as time went on, fortune seemed to smile on him. He was an original shareholder in the Bank of New Zealand, in which he always took a deep interest, becoming a director and retaining his interest (which was considerable) to the last. Mr Taylor was also a shareholder in most of our local companies. Besides his farm at Tamaki he owned land in the Waikato and always took a keen interest in all agricultural matters.

He leave a widow, four sons and five daughters to mourn their loss. The funeral of the deceased gentleman took place on Sunday, the 9th instant, at Tamaki West Presbyterian Church, the remains being followed to their last resting-place by a large assemblage of the Old Identities and most of the leading men of Auckland.

The principal mourners were:- The deceased's four sons, William, James, Walter and norman; his brothers, Messrs C. I. and A. K. Taylor and sons; F. C. Barber, Arthur Taylor, nephews; and three sons-in-law. Messrs T. Kissling, Rev T. Farley and H. C. G. Walker. The procession consisted of about fifty carriages, and many horsemen, while a number of settlers followed on foot.

The Revs J. Macky and Steele conducted the service in a most impressive manner. The former dwelt at length upon the many good qualities of the deceased, whom he had known for nearly forty years. He spoke of him as Christian man, whose piety was unostentatious, as also his charities and those who knew him best respected him the most.

Among those present at the grave we noticed the Revs A. Carrick, R. F. Macnicol, R. Sommerville, D. W. Runciman, Mr F. Lawry, M.H.R., Captains Colbeck (president Bank of New Zealand), Irvine, Wilson, Clarke, Hawes, H. F. Anderson, Messrs Tolhurst (Bank of New Zealand), W. B. Thompson (Union Bank), Goulstone (Loan and Mercantile Company), Messrs S. George, A. Thorne, M. A. Clark, J. Macky, J. Alexander, T. Macky, Johnston, Main (Kohimaramara), R. Hall, J. H. Kirkwood, R. W. and H. Andrews, T. W. Wyllie, Osborne (Newmarket), E. McLean, A. Buckland, S. Jackson, sen., Howard (2), H. Atkins, S. Baird, Stewart (2) (Waipuna), Massey, Wallace (2) (Mangere), J. Wallace (Papatoetoe), R. Udy, J. Haultain, S. Vickers, etc.