sampler made by Jane Holloway King (1818-1894)

Jane Holloway King was the third European-Pakeha girl born in New Zealand, and the first to live her entire life here. She was the eldest daughter of Church Missionary Society missionaries John and Hannah King, who arrived in New Zealand with Rev Samuel Marsden in December 1814. Jane was born at Rangihoua, the first Mission Station, in 1818.

In 1855 Jane married Rev Richard Davis of Waimate North. After Richard’s death in 1863 she moved to Auckland with her young son. She died at his residence in St Stephen’s Ave, Parnell, in 1894.

"Remember now thy cre / ator in the days of thy / youth while the evil days / come not nor the years / draw nigh when thou shalt / say I have no pleasure in / them. Lay up for your / selves treasure in heaven / where neither moth nor / rust doth corrupt and / where thieves do not / break through nor steal. / For where your trea / sure is there will your / heart be also. And there / shall be no night there / and they need no candle / neither light of the sun / for the Lord God giveth / them light and they shal l/ reign for ever and ever (verse)

Jane Holloway King her/work born Feb the 10 1818 (signature)

Colours: dark green, brown, tan, gold

Motifs: 2 x bowls of fruit; 2 x topiary-like trees; crown; 2 x eyelet stitch pattern

Bands: 3 x arcaded strawberries; 2 x arcaded oak leaf and acorns; 1 x arcaded floral; 2 x Greek key bands, sawtooth band

Border: arcaded floral border

Alphabets: 3 x virtually identical uppercase complete (7 stitches high); 3 x virtually identical lowercase complete (7-9 stitches high);1 x uppercase 14 stitches high (A-Z complete); 1 x lowercase 14 stitches high (a-z complete)

Numerals: 1-13, 1-14, 1-17, 1-14

Verse: "Remember now thy cre/ator in the days of thy/youth while the evil days/come not nor the years/draw nigh when thou shalt/say I have no pleasure in/them. Lay up for your/selves treasure in heaven/where neither moth nor/rust doth corrupt and/where thieves do not/break through nor steal./For where your trea/sure is there will your/heart be also. And there/shall be no night there/and they need no candle/neither light of the sun/for the Lord God giveth/ them light and they shall/ reign for ever and ever"

Details in signature: Jane Holloway King her /work born Feb the 10 1818