Thirteen-year-old Kenneth Taylor was riding home from school at a canter along with Charles Cruickshank around four on a September afternoon in 1897.
The boys were between the Cross Roads and Greenhill – the Taylor family’s famed Clydesdale horse and Shorthorn cattle stud which extended from Ngaroto into Te Awamutu. On turning a corner of the road a four-horse wagon driven by William Head came in sight. Suddenly Kenneth’s pony stumbled and fell, and Kenneth was thrown to the road. The unconscious lad was picked up and taken home.
Cattle grazing. Photo: Serhii Volyk
Dr Pairman, who was soon in attendance, found Kenneth in a critical state suffering from a concussion from which he never recovered. The inquest, which was held at Greenhill, recorded a verdict of accidental death, occasioned by a fall from a horse, and no blame was attachable to anyone. Kenneth’s funeral took place after the arrival of the Auckland train, which brought several family friends. The cortege left Greenhill at 1pm. The coffin was carried to St John’s Church by four of the Greenhill employees and carried out to the grave by six of the Kenneth’s schoolmates.
William and Elizabeth Taylor had toiled together to make Greenhill one of the landmarks in the district. They had six sons and two daughters – one of whom, Mary, died aged four months in 1891. An immense crowd had attended the funeral demonstrating the sympathy that was felt all round the district for the bereaved parents.
By March 1908, with her five sons now grown and between the ages of 20 and 30, and one daughter aged 11, Elizabeth left for a visit to her home in England. There was a big crowd at the farewell held in the Te Awamutu Town Hall including a large number of settlers who had known Elizabeth ever since she came to the district. Speakers testified to the high esteem in which she was held by the whole community – a lady whose charity knew no bounds. She was presented with a pair of binoculars, and all wished her a pleasant voyage and a safe return to Greenhill. Three mighty cheers for her almost shook the roof.
In August, with his mother five months into her trip, 28-year-old Charles Taylor was in Te Awamutu township in his usual jovial spirits despite having some slight chest pains. He deteriorated fairly rapidly though and was placed under Dr Henderson’s care. His heart was found to be in a weak state and on top of this bronchitis set in. His condition became somewhat alarming; but fatal results were not anticipated. Nine days after his cheery visit to town he died shortly after midnight in the presence of his father and brothers, and Dr Henderson.
Charles a few years previously had contracted rheumatic fever which affected his heart; but subsequently he enjoyed fairly good health. The funeral left Greenhill, again after the arrival of family friends on the Auckland train, for St John’s Cemetery. “The saddest feature of his death,” noted the Waikato Argus, “is that his mother is at present on a visit to England and the news will be a great shock to her.”
Clydesdale. Photo: Pixabay
