Grace Howie Yeudall, aged twenty-one

Grace Howie Yeudall was the third daughter and fourth child of John Alexander Yeudall and Mary Pollock. She was born at 132, Duke Street, Galston, on the 24th of August 1893. She was the second daughter of the family to bear the name Grace, an older sister of the same Christian name having died six and a half months previously. It may be taken that she had inherited the Christian name of her paternal grandmother, Grace Kay, the second wife of Abram Yeudall, her grandfather.

An interesting twist to Grace's story is that she married one of Abram Yeudall's great-grandsons, William Matthew Park from New Zealand.

How this came about was as follows. Mary Yeudall, Abram's first child by his first wife, Jean Forsyth, married Archibald Park in 1871, and three years later on the 1st of October 1874, sailing for Otago from Glasgow on board the Nelson, the couple emigrated to New Zealand, along with Mary's illegitimate son Abram, now aged 6, and their daughter, Jane, 2. A further son, Archibald, had been born a few weeks previously, and although he is not entered on the passenger list, he went to New Zealand as well.

A further daughter, Agnes, born in New Zealand on the 27th of July 1880, had an illegitimate son, William, whom Archibald and Mary raised as their own. William Matthew Park was born on the 8th of December 1896 at Maori Hill, Dunedin.

William served as a private soldier in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force during the Great War, and was discharged at Wellington from the Otago Infantry Regiment on the 21st of October 1919. His number was 56990, and he had served for two years and forty days. It was stated that upon enlistment he had been twenty years and five months old, and that his height was five feet and four inches. His complexion was fair, his eyes blue, and his hair was dark brown. His occupation was entered as a labourer.

Family lore relates that shortly thereafter William came to Scotland to visit his relations. He met and fell in love with his cousin Grace, the granddaughter of Abram Yeudall and Grace Kay. A Certificate of Proclamation was issued at the Parish Church, Galston, on the 4th of October 1921. William's place of residence was entered as Palmerston, Otago, and Grace was stated to be resident at Crodene, Galston.

William and Grace were married on the 7th of December 1921 at the First Church, Dunedin.

William was entered as a railway porter (bachelor) aged 25. His usual residence was entered as Palmerston South, Otago. Grace was a spinster aged twenty-eight, her occupation was given as 'Domestic Duties', and her usual residence was entered as Waikouaiti.

William and Grace had two children, a daughter and a son. Mary Yeudall Park was born on the 4th of December 1922 at Palmerston, South Island, New Zealand. The son, John, was several years younger.

The family moved from South Island to North Island while Mary was in high school. William worked for New Zealand Railways and moved with his job.

Mary Yeudall Park was married to Kenneth Lawrence MacKenzie on the 27th of Dececember 1950 in the 'First Church', Hamilton, NZ.

Mary and Ken had three children; Christine Anne, born on the 30th of August 1953, Judith Dianne, born on the 16th of February 1955, and Mark William Robert, born on the 25th of May 1960.

Mary died of cancer in Auckland, NZ in 1991.

Ken died of heart disease in Paparoa, Northland, NZ at the home of his son in 1998.

John Park married Betty Fawkett and they had 3 daughters, Gaylene, Juilee and Maresse.

Grace died in a nursing home in Hamilton, New Zealand, on the 15th of February 1982. The old lady had attained the 89th year of her age and according to her granddaughter Christine James, née MacKenzie, who now lives in Australia with her husband Brian, she never lost her Galston accent.