Mrs A. Stevens

Surname: Stevens Sheet No. 512
Given Name: Mrs A. Suburb: Marton
Given address: Marton City/Region: Wanganui
Notes: Biographical information provided by David Stevens, great grandson of Fanny.
Francis Alice Worsdell (known as Fanny) was born on 26 March 1865 in Reigate, Surrey, England a daughter of George and Fanny (nee Simpkins).
Fanny arrived in Otago on the sailing ship Wild Deer on 20 January 1875 with her mother Fanny Worsdell and six siblings Agnes, Bess, Anne, Katie, Edward and Lottie. They were joining her father George who had arrived in Dunedin in 1874.
She attended Miss McLauchlin’s School (Dunedin) and from 6 March 1876 North East Valley School.
Fanny joined the Salvation Army on 1 April 1883 as a soldier in the Dunedin City Corps. She was later promoted to Lieutenant and then Captain. On 17 February 1886 she married Arthur Ernest Stevens, a captain in the Salvation Army at the residence of her father George Worsdell in North East Valley. Fanny and Arthur continued to serve in the Salvation Army in various localities around New Zealand until her husband resigned from the Army in June 1893 while stationed in Marton. During this time they had two children Arthur born in Auckland in 1887 and Rena born in Christchurch in 1890.
The family returned to Dunedin in 1893 and Fanny continued to support her husband who had commenced home mission work for the Methodist Church initially at Little River from 1894 to 1899 and then at Arrowtown in 1900 and 1901.
In September 1901 the family again returned to Dunedin where they remained until 1936. During this time Fanny and her husband were active members in the Methodist Church. In 1936 they moved to Christchurch. Fanny’s husband died in 1937. By 1946 Fanny had moved to Nelson to live with her daughter Rena where she died on 12 April 1958 aged 93. She is buried with her husband in Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch.
In 1951 Fanny was awarded a Certificate of Merit from the Plunket Society in recognition of Outstanding Voluntary Service to the Society.