Obituaries Australia

The death occurred on Wednesday night at Warwick, Edgecliff-road, of Mrs. Caroline Mary Reading, wife of Mr. Edward Reading, who, prior to his retirement, was one of the earliest dentists practising in Sydney.

Mrs. Reading, who was 79 years of age, was born at Long Buckley, Northamptonshire, and came to Australia with her husband in 1867, three years after their marriage. She was naturally of a benevolent nature and possessed a kindly disposition. These induced her to devote as much time as she could spare to assisting the poor and needy. She was very active some years ago in city mission work, and also took a practical interest in the Boys' Brigade. As a young woman she was interested in various charitable movements, but most of her practical work was performed for the City Mission and Boys' Brigade when these institutions were in their infancy.

Mrs. Reading was a regular attendant at the Jersey-road Congregational Church. Of late years she had necessarily been prevented from taking an active interest in social and public affairs. About two months ago she became ill, and for a time her condition was regarded as serious. She rallied again, and it appeared as if she would recover, but on Wednesday she suffered from heart seizure and died at 8.30 p.m.

Of her six surviving children, Dr. Richard Fairfax Reading, Professor of Dental Surgery at Sydney University, is the eldest. The other sons are:—Claude Hill Reading, managing director of the British-Australasian Tobacco Company and one of the managing directors of the British Tobacco Company of Australia, Ltd.; Philip Burdett Reading, practising as a dental surgeon in Macquarie-street; Arthur Edward Reading, practising as a dental surgeon at Armidale, New South Wales; and Frank Ernest Reading, a merchant in Wellington, New Zealand. The one surviving daughter is Mrs. Minnie Isabel Mummery, wife of Dr. Mummery, who, after retiring from the Royal Navy, started a practice in Australia, but afterwards went to England.

A short service will be held at the Jersey-road Congregational Church at a quarter to 10 this morning, and the funeral will leave the Church for the South Head Cemetery at about 10 a.m.