Eliza Jane Preece (1836 - 1910) was the second daughter of James and Mary Ann Preece. She was born at the Puriri mission station, at a time of general inter-tribal warfare. Her father, together with the other missionaries, struggled to bring about peace. Later that year, James Preece began to erect the buildings for the new station at Parawai.
Eliza attended school in the Bay of Islands and Auckland. Other times were spent with her parents at mission stations. She found some of this life very hard work and tedious. She was a kind and virtuous woman, who supported many charitable causes. She spent a lot of time visiting the sick. Amongst other good works, she was a founding member of the Women's Charitable Society and the YWCA in Auckland, and helped set up Mrs Cowie's Home for women.
She married Dr Thomas Brutton Kenderdine (1828 - 1894) at St Paul's Church Auckland in 1859. There were nine sons and two daughters.
Thomas Kenderdine had studied medicine in England. He sailed for New Zealand on the "Josephine Willis" arriving in Auckland in 1855. He had no intention of continuing his medical career. Instead he purchased land in Whangarei from Gilbert Mair, and erected a two storied house, which had been shipped from England in pieces. The house stood for many years on the corner of Kensington Avenue and Kamo Road. A pohutuwaka tree in Woolworths' carpark stands on approximately the site of the house, and the farm land extended over what is now Kensington Park.
Tom Kenderdine's brother Isaac later owned the Kensington property.
It was discovered that Tom was a doctor when he treated an accident victim. His services were soon in great demand. Upon leaving Whangarei, he took over a medical practice in Otahuhu, but with the outbreak of the Waikato Wars, he moved his practice and family into Auckland. Apart from his private work, he was for many years in charge of the Auckland Dispensary. He was the first president of the Auckland Medical Association.
Doctor Kenderdine (MRCS, LSA, JP) is remembered for his good works. With the Rev J Floyd he founded what later became the Papatoetoe Orphanage. The men rented a cottage and employed a housekeeper to care for children left homeless and destitute. Many others received the benefit of his philanthropy. He died in 1894.
Eliza kept a diary in which she recorded the events of her daily life. Many family names occur. She died in Auckland in 1910.
Look at other parts of the Preece story by following the link to the Index page.