Individual Notes

Note for:   Amy Alice Known As Alice Story,   1883 - 6 JUL 1952         Index

Burial:   
     Date:   8 JUL 1952
     Place:   Temuka Cemetery

Individual Note:
     Donald had name as Amy Alice Storey

*Birth Details Date: 1883, Folio No: 749, Area: Temuka, March quarter*

*Marriage Details Date: 1901, Folio No: 6098*

The Temuka Leader 28th November 1901 shows
Wedding
Pye - Story
On Thursday last, November 21st, there was celebrated at St Peter's Church, Temuka, a wedding which was of unusual local interest, judging by the large attendance at the church, at the breakfast and at a social function which was held in the Volunteer Hall in the evening. The contracting parties were Miss Amy Alice Story, second daughter of Mr Arthur Story, livery stable keeper, Temuka, and lately a farmer at Orari, and Mr Thomas Henry Pye, of Geraldine, son of Chas. Pye, of Riverslea. The officiating clergyman was the Rev. T. Farley, vicar of the parish, who conducted the service in a most impressive manner. Miss Coira presided at the organ, and as the happy couple left the church, played " The voice which breathed o'ver Eden." The bride looked particular well in a costume of white silk, trimmed with tucked satin chiffon, with a wreath of orange blossoms, and bridal veil. She wore a lovely brooch of gold, set with turquoises and pearls, and carried a beautiful bouquet, the gifts of the bridegroom. The bridesmaids were Miss Ethel Story, Miss Elsie Story, and Miss Nellie Pye. They wore charming costumes of white muslin, trimmed with insertion and lace, relieved by narrow black velvet. Their hats were of black velvet, relieved by white chiffon. Each wore brooches of greenstone and gold, and carried bouquets, all the gift of the bridegroom. The bride was given away by her father, Mr A. Story, and Mr J. Gresham, of Geraldine, acted as best man. The attendance of relatives and friends was large, and amongst those taking special interest in the ceremony were the bride's mother, who was stylishly attired in a costume of black figured silk, with bonnet to match. Mrs Pye, mother of the bridegroom, wore a pretty costume of silk grenadine, brightened by blue satin. Her bonnet was in general accordance with her dress. After the ceremony the happy pair were driven to the Volunteer Hall, where Mr and Mrs Story entertained a very large number of guests, principally family friends, at a very elaborate breakfast. Due justice having been done to this, the Rev. Mr Farley proposed the health of the Bride and Bridegroom, and wished them every happiness. To this Mr C. Pye responded on behalf of Mr and Mrs T. H. Pye. Mr Harry Pye, in proposing the toast of the Bridesmaids, had a few remarks to make in reference to the kindly expressions of Rev. Mr Farley, and took the opportunity also of thanking many friends for their attendance and good wishes. Mr Gresham, in a happy speech, replied for the Bridesmaids, and then proposed the health of the Parents of the Happy Pair. To this Messrs C. Pye and A. Story briefly replied. The bride and bridegroom left by train the same afternoon for the north, accompanied by the good wishes of a large number of the guests. The bride's going away dress was one of dark blue poplin, trimmed with white satin. She wore a black velvet picture hat, trimmed with white chiffon and ostrich plumes. In the evening younger friends of the family had an opportunity of enjoying themselves. The Drill Shed, beautifully decorated made a charming ball room, and the Volunteer Hall was utilised as a supper room. Most inspiriting? music was provided, and a most enjoyable evening spent. The wedding gifts were numerous and costly.
The following is a list of the presents as supplied to us :- Mr and Mrs A Story (father and mother of the bride), bridal outfit and cheque; Miss Phoebe Story, house linen; Mr Richard Story, cruet; Miss Ethel Story, quilt, Miss Elsie Story, toilet set; Miss Mabel Story, cream jug and sugar basin; Master Gilmore Story, tomato sauce bottle; Master Clifford Story, jelly dishes; Master Leslie Story, salt cellars and ink pot; Misses L. and Loe Story, candlesticks and vases; Mr and Mrs C. Pye (Milford), bedstead and cushion; Messrs C. and J. Pye, washstand; Mr S. Pye, duchesse dressing table; Mr and Mrs J. Cain, easy chair; Miss Nellie Pye, pair of pillows and shams; Mr and Mrs B. Brooks, silver mustard pot; Miss Ethel Pye, set duchesse mats; Miss Jennie Pye, breadboard and knife; Mr Bert Pye, tray; Mr and Mr A. D. Dowle, Christchurch, pillow shams; Miss M. Ramble, tray cloth; Mr and Mrs Chr. Pye, cheque; Mr and Mr (sic) Jas Pye and Mr and Mrs J. S. Pye, travelling rug; Miss Jennie Pye, silver jam spoon; Miss O. Morrison, silver bread fork; Mr and Mrs J. Heap, tablecloth; Miss M. McClintock, tablecloth; Mr and Mrs J. Connelly, jun., glass jug and ornaments; Mr A. E. Smith, flower and cake stand; Mr P. Lyons, cheque and port wine; Mr and Mrs and Miss Swaney, easy chair; Miss Lucy Hawke, salad bowl; Misses W. and H. Hawke, album, Mr A. F. Hawke, egg cruet; Mr and Mrs J. Sim, clock; Mr and Mrs G. Levens, flower and cake stand; Miss Mary Griffiths, Timaru, tray cloth and silk handkerchief; Mr Rodman, butter cooler, jam dishes and pickle jar; Miss E, Burn, crystal trifle stand and dish; Miss W. McBratney, glass water jug, Mr W. Lyons, senr., Rangitira Valley, half dozen desert knives; Mrs Lyons, table linen; Miss J. Goodwillie, jelly dish; Mr and Mrs McDonald, Clandeboye, silver butter knife, jam spoon and dish; Mr W. Hopkinson, sen., cheque; Mr and Mrs Somerville, set jugs; Mr and Mrs W. Telford, Rangitira Valley, poultry; Messrs Lyon Bros, sugar basin, water jug, and ornaments; Mrs Gunnion, towels and d'oyleys; Mr I. Story, two pair vases; Mr and Miss Howard, silver mounted pickle jar; Misses Kirkpatrick, silver mounted cake stand; Mr Arthur Smith, silver mounted and ruby jelly dishes; Mr and Mrs J. M. Twomey, silver cake stand; Mr and Misses Brown, Riverslea, silver mounted butter cooler; Mr and Mrs A. Bisset, silver fruit knives; Miss Telford, vases and cake dish; Mr and Mrs G. Thomson, silver mounted pickle jar; Mr H Berry, cheese dish; Mr W. Berry, vases; Miss E. Edgar, egg cruet; Mrs and Miss Telford, jam jelly dishes, and egg spoons; Miss Jennie Edgar, sugar basin; Mr T. Seward, butter cooler; Miss Gaby and Mr Vaulk, butter cooler, sugar basin and cream jug; Mr and Mrs J. Turner, wicker chair; Misses McBratney, Japanese flower stand; Miss Brenton, music stand; Mrs W. Ackroyd, preserving pan; Mr and Mrs W. Story, Orari, set smoothing irons; Mr W. Connolly, tray and glass water jug; Mr C. Connolly, set jugs; Miss M. Connolly, half dozen breakfast cups; Mr and Mrs McBratney, saucepan, Mr and Mrs J. Connolly, sen., half dozen china plates; Mr W. Clouston, silver pickle jar; Mr R. Groves, handsome serviette rings; Mr F. Beavan, enamelled (sic) kettle; Mr H. Dale and Miss Dynes, coal scuttle, Mr Jas. Curtis, Rangiora, set carvers, Geraldine Rifles, set carvers, Miss Gertie Story, set carvers; Mr and Mrs Gillespie, silver sugar bowl; Mr and Mrs H. Heatley, glass water jug; Mrs (sic) and Mrs Colbert, Orari, vases; Miss A. Maze, table cloth; Miss Tillie Swaney, cake stand; Mr R. Woodham, umbrellas; Mr Percy Fifield, sugar bowl; Mr A. and Mr B. Dale, half dozen tea spoons; Mr and Mrs Dale, Timaru, silver crumb brush and tray; Mrs Beri, Japanese table; Mrs Farley, set Tinereffa d'oyleys; Mrs McClintock, table cover; Mrs and Miss McCaskill, pair curtains; Mr T. Edwards, quilt; Mr Breadley, quilt; Mrs Breadley, silver cake stand; Mr and Mrs Hardey, hearth rug; Mr J. Watson, paper rack; Miss A. Tozer, set Duchesse mats; Miss M. McQuillan, tray cloth; Mr and Mrs Bennington, tray cloth; Miss Flora Bennington, Duchesse mats; Mr and Mrs Coira, centre piece and tray cloth; Miss Nellie Beavan, Duchesse mats; Miss M. Lyons, hand painted mirror, Mr and Mrs J. O'Neill, notepaper rack and silver ink pot; Miss A. McCaskill, flower bowl; Mr and Miss Brosnahan, cruet stand, Miss Greaves, bread plate and candlesticks; Mr P. McCaskill, painted wall pockets; Mr and Mrs J. H. Anderson, glass jug and biscuit barrel; Miss and Master Coira, glass jug and tumblers; Mrs A. Webb, half dozen cups and saucers; Mr J. McLean, half dozen dessert knives; Mr and Mrs W. Mason, Orari, dozen silver tea spoons; Mr C. T. Jessep and Miss Jessep, card tray; Mr and Mrs W. Radford, mincer; Mr and Mrs E. Lee, flour sifter and rolling pin; Mr and Mrs T. Sheen, writing desk; Mr C. Story, silver cake stand; Mrs C. Story, silver butter cooler and knife; Miss Maggie Story, sugar basin and cream jug; Miss Amy Story, salt cellars Miss Mary Story, hand painted jewel box and panel; Mr W. Chesterman, jelly dish; Miss Lily Henry, breakfast cruet; Mr and Mrs Hancox, pictures; Dr and Mr Warren, vases; Mr D. McCaskill, crystal butter cooler; Mr C. Moore, silver jelly dish; Mr A. McLean, silver jam jar; Mr R. Waters, hand painted mirror; Mr Jas. Martin, sugar basin and cream jug in stand; Mr Jas. Chapman, sugar tongs, mustard and salt spoons in case; Mr and Mrs Creemer, silver butter cooler; Mr McLeod and family, Riverslea, cake dish; Mr and Mrs G. C. Collins, crystal butter cooler; Mr C. Wilks, vases; Mr and Mrs T. Beavan, vases; Mr J. South, cruet; Mr and Mrs J. Bracefield, vases; Miss A. Bracefield, photo frames; Mr and Mrs F. Butterfield, cruet; Miss A. Perry, photo frames; Mr and Mrs J. Talbot, oak and silver biscuit barrel; Mr and Mrs J. Whelan, cruet; Mr and Mrs J. A. McCaskill, half dozen cups and saucers and tea pot; Miss A. Russell, silver mounted tea pot stand; Mr and Mrs Rainbow, silver tumbler stand; Mr and Mrs M. McLeod, oak and silver biscuit barrel; Mr and Mrs J. McCallum, vases; Mr and Mrs P. Dale, silver crumb brush and tray; Mr A. Fyfe, pair handsome vases; Mr and Mrs A. Scott, cruet; Miss J. and G. Davis, butter knives; Mr C. Cleary, claret glasses; Mr J. and M. Burke, trifle stand; Mr R. Green, hot water jug; Mr W. Bateman, ruby and silver jelly dish; Miss Bertha Dale, silver and ruby salt cellars; Mr and Mrs Jas. Douglas, jam dish and butter knife; Miss M. Bell, silver and crystal cake dish; Mr J. Earl, vases; Messrs A. and E. Beattie, cruet stand; Mr and Mrs Englefield, silver and ruby cake dish; Mr Percy Fifield, butter cooler; Miss R. Douglas, vases; Mr H. Brosnahan, vases; Misses Burridge, silver and ruby sugar bowl; Mr and Mrs Gillespie, silver and china sugar bowl, Misses N. and M. Earl, glass water jug and moustache cup; Mr J. and Miss Riordan, glass water jug; Miss L Langridge, water jug; Mr and Mrs Gray, ornaments; Friend, candlesticks; Miss M. Edgar, butter cooler; Mr Gresham, silver and ruby jelly dish; Miss E. Wilson, Duchesse mats; Mr and Mrs Gaze, set butter cooler, honey pot, and cream jug; Miss White, ornaments; Mr and Mrs D. Henry, cream jug and sugar basin; Mr P. Swaney, egg cruet, Mrs R. Beavan, afternoon tea set; Mr and Mrs T. C, Farnie, butter cooler and sugar basin; Miss Minnie Smith, teapot: Mr B. and D. Horgan, teapot and stand and pair trays; Mrs T. E. Brown, house linen, Mrs J. Tucker, water can, bucket and pail; Mrs Patrick and Miss Patrick, sugar basin and butter cooler; Mr W. Ellery, butter cooler; Mr Geo. Sweet, cheque; Mr Rodman, silver and crystal jelly dish, A Friend, crystal candlesticks; Mr and Mrs T. Talbot, feather bolster

This is part of a long letter Alice writes from England to her sister Mabel in New Zealand on the 26/9/1948.
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My Dear Mabel,
I have been a longtime in answering your letter I received some considerable time ago but I thought if I waited until I had been up to Yorkshire the news I would have, would interest you perhaps more than the other places I have visited.
I wrote to Cousin May and Marion - also Mary Slagg. I owed them all letters since I returned. Well here I am after the wedding making for Baker St Station where I entrained for Alysley - then a ten mile bus ride got me to Wenston in Buckinghamshire where I stayed with cousin May Story, the first cousin I was to meet, she had previously been over to see me on a day when a terrific thunder storm had put …..? telephones out of order and we couldn't get a message through for them to send a car to meet her. Consequently she had to pay 30/- for a taxi at 11pm to get home as the buses didn't run after 9pm. Well after leaving Wenston May had made arrangements for me to go to her brother at a place called Ardwick on Dearne. So I went from Alysley to Sheffield then to Ardwick where I had to take a taxi for several miles and found myself at Ted Story's where I stayed for several days. As Fred had a farm opposite I was able to see them both at the same time. They were very good to me and took me to see Frances Tr….? We arrived there on a very wet evening to find them all our but Frances arrived back just as we were about to leave. She took us in and we had an hour with her and decided we had better be getting to the bus as it was race day in Barnsley and if the buses were full they would simply pass us. We waited 1½ hours one day in the cold wind and them had to hail a man in a car who they knew to give us a lift. Every where you go here or at least up north you have to walk long distances to bus stops. I was always tired. After waiting on the corner for ¾ hour we were told the buses would be late so we walked 2 miles to a village. Ted was carrying a big bag. Well Frances came to see me one day later and we had a good talk about family affairs. She is not a bit happy being with her only son. The wife and she don't hit it off. As they were away at the pictures we never saw her, she has been 47 years on the farm and certainly has some very fine pieces of mahogany furniture. She expects to get a little house in Billingley when an old lady of 80 dies which I think she hopes won't be long. She gave me some old family photos. I hope to see her again. I have heard the story of the legacy from both sides and it didn't amount to very much after all. However I was taken to Abdy Farm which was one of my chief reasons for going trip and the present occupier a Mr Turner tells me his father has been on the estate for 76 years and he remembers his father speaking of Mr Story as he was the previous tenant as the estate belonged to an Earl Fitzwilliam who was killed in a big air crash when flying to France in company with a young lady Harrington a widow. It would be the young Earls father then, and his lordship farmed it himself between the time grandfather had it and Mr Turner. He said to me you will be related to John Story The Grange Hooton Roberts - I knew him well, he used to follow the hounds he has been dead sometime, but his housekeeper he had for over 30 years is still alive in Bolton. Mr Turner is sending me some photos of Abdy house Bolton on Wath. Mrs Turner also showed me some letters she had been getting from a Mr Addy in New York who was coming over soon and intended writing a book on the history of Abdy dating back to the time of the Romans and claims that they derived their name from Abdy farm, and that it may yet be proved that he had more claim to it than the present Earl, who is old and gouty. The home of the late Earl is a huge 365 roomed place which can be seem as we walked around a common on the way to Abdy and has been greatly mutilated by the Colleries board who have cut down hundreds of huge oak trees to work an open cast coal mine which I should explain. The coal is brought to the face by machinery and all the way up North there are huge mountains of coal all over the country where ever they deem fit to strike coal.
Well Ted worked it out that it was 88 years since grandfather left to go to N.Z. It appears that grandfathers father was a very well to do man and set grandfather up in that farm with plenty of good stock and implements - he kept several men and grandmother 4 maids but as William was too fond of Racing hunting set he soon found he was in difficulty. Consequently John Story suggested him going to the Colony's and making a fresh start. However grandmothers people persuaded her not to go until he had made a home for her and as she had an income of her own and was an educated person speaking several languages, she naturally gave her daughters a decent education. Mrs Slagg received a somewhat better education than the rest as grandmothers sister bought her up and she didn't have a great deal to do with her other sisters when she grew up.
Well after staying in Bolton where I saw but was not able to visit the church grandmother sat in all her married life practically - I left Bolton on Dearne Station for Leyburn away north of York to stay with Marion Horner, nee Story. I enjoyed meeting them all and we had a long time together, again they gave me photos and snaps and I visited an historical castle across the road where Richard Hunchback once lived. It is now a show place. I stayed there a week and then left on my trek back to London breaking my journey at a place called Chesterfield - 10 miles north of Sheffied to stay with Mary Slagg who shares the home with her sister Frances Roberts. They remember Charles and ask about him. On my journey from Middleham by taxi 7.30am to Layburn Station I change at York then North Merton then again at Sheffield for Chesterfield where Mary met me and she took a taxi up town for lunch, then a taxi to a bus, 10 miles by bus then another taxi, from which we reached a 4pm. So you see the amount of travelling involved say nothing of expense. All fares have gone up considerably. Class distinction is noticeable everywhere even CI? and 3rd waiting rooms in country stations. Well the day I left Mary Slaggs I went to considerable trouble to make enquiries about my return ticket as far as Aylesbury on a totally different time, and was informed I must return by that route so we took a taxi a considerable distance instead of waiting for a bus to get the train into Sheffield. Mary and Frances came in the 10 miles to see me off.
I forgot to mention I had been given a cup and saucer of our grandmother's tea set more than 160 years old just as good as the day it was bought. Transcription of letter by V Baker

*Death Details Date: 1952, Folio No: 3687*

Probate Record shows Pye Amy Alice, Place: Temuka, Timaru, Occ: Widow, Court: Timaru, Probate No: 8482, Filed: 18/7/1952, Type: Will, Where: Archives NZ, Christchurch

Timaru District Council records show Amy Alice Pye, Date of Death: None Listed, Date of Interment: 8/7/1952, Occ: None Listed, Aged: 69, Address: Temuka, Cemetery: Temuka, Denomination: Anglican, Section: B, Block: 6, Plot: 396, Buried with Thomas Henry Pye(husband)

The Press 7th July 1952 shows
Pye - On July 6, 1952, at Timaru, Amy Alice, loved wife of the late T. H. (Harry) Pye, Temuka, and loved mother of Jim and Leighton ("Chub" Temuka), Lorna (Mrs McLay, Auckland), and Lynda (Mrs McNeur, New York); In her 70th year
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Funeral Notice
The Friends of the late Amy Alice Pye are respectfully informed that her Funeral will leave the residence of her son, C. J. L. Pye, Factory road, Temuka, Tomorrow (Tuesday), July 8, after a service commencing at 3 p.m., for the Temuka Cemetery. W. Galbraith, Temuka

Cemetery Record Fiche for Temuka Cemetery shows Record No: 1262
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Thomas Henry Pye Died 1 July 1925 Aged 48. Amy Alice Died 6 July 1952 Aged 69