1891-1970
Catherine (known to us as Nan) was born on September 4th 1891 to James and Annie Elizabeth Mackenzie of Wellington. Her full name was Catherine Elsie Lynette but she hated the “Elsie” and refused to use it other than in legal circumstances. Her father James and his family (his parents and 4 siblings) arrived in 1858 by the “Robert Henderson” disembarking at Port Chalmers. James qualified as a surveyor in 1871 eventually becoming Surveyor General in 1911 and Under Secretary for Lands in 1913. Catherine opted for nursing as a vocation which in those days required a three year hospital-based apprenticeship to qualify followed by her registration in June 1916.
With the war still raging in Europe there were many wounded New Zealand soldiers requiring treatment in England and Nan joined the New Zealand Army Nursing Service (NZANS) on June 25th 1918. She and the other army nurses travelled to England on board the “RMS Tahiti” which became infected with influenza after a stop at Freetown, Sierra Leone. Ninety percent of those on board contracted the virus resulting in 78 deaths. In England Nan worked at No.2 New Zealand General Hospital at Walton-on-Thames and no doubt kept in touch with her uncle, Sir Thomas Mackenzie, who was at that time the New Zealand High Commissioner to Britain.
In 1920 Catherine married Captain Edwin Royden Wells who had served with the Otago Mounted Rifles and Dunsterforce during the war and on March 22nd 1922 they welcomed their son Ronald Stuart into the world.Sadly Ronald died at 19 months of age and Nan’s doctor advised her against having any further children as her pregnancy had had an adverse effect on her physical and emotional health. In 1928 Catherine and Edwin adopted 5 year old Roy Robin who became Robin Mackenzie Wells, our father. In 1950 Catherine was widowed when Edwin died at the age of 63 but she continued with her nursing career and her devotion to nursing and the New Zealand Red Cross was recognized in 1959 with the award of the Florence Nightingale Medal.
In the late 1960’s Catherine moved from Khandallah to Waikanae where she bought a quarter-acre section at 10 Koromiko Road which included a little two-bedroom cottage and where she was able to truly indulge her great love for gardening. Because, perhaps, of her experience of war and the tragedies in her own life Catherine’s favourite rose was “Rosa Peace”the Peace Rose. Catherine died in 1970 and, after a service at St Luke’s church in Waikanae she was cremated at Karori Cemetery and her ashes scattered over the Services section (confirmed) at Karori Cemetery. Lest We Forget.
By Peter Wells
