Capt. Paddon

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Mademoiselle fernande le riche, veteran schoolmistress of Noumea, des cribed herself as a "shy little mouse", but there is nothing little about her; she has a huge heart, an ample figure, tons of good humour, and a vast store of memories.

She spent 44 years teaching (at L'Ecole Suzanne Russier at Noumea) to successive generations of New Caledonian families, to whom she is L'Ancienne Institutrice.

M'lle. Le Riche was born on August 25, 1884; her father was Leon Le Riche (1854- 1888), an early settler from the island of Reunion, and her mother was Lizzie Paddon, daughter of the famous Captain Jimmie Pad don by his native wife Naitani, of Aneityum.

Paddon was the first and greatest colonist in New Caledonia, where he set up a large establishment 10 years before its annexation by the French Government. He died in 1861 at the age of 50, without leaving a will.

His estate was reputed to be worth £65,000, and this was administered by his nephew Horatio John Martin for Paddon's two brothers and two sisters, who all lived in England.

Paddon's three surviving daughters in New Caledonia were allowed to share the sum of 100,000 francs, but not allowed to marry until they came of age. This made them each worth 33,333.333 francs on marriage, and each was often referred to as "M'lle. 33,333".

This money was deposited with the Bank of NSW at Sydney, and amounted to about £1,500 for each girl, plus interest at 6 per cent. The two trustees with Horatio Martin for the estate were Robert Towns and Henry Burns, both well-known merchants connected with the islands.

M'lle. Le Riche is translating into English a record of her mother's memories of old times in New Caledonia. She also has a remarkab'e series of nearly 100 photographs of Noumea, New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands, taken be tween 1880 and 1885 by a Sydney photographer named Duffy.

Apart from M'lle. Le Riche, Paddon s only grandchildren who may be still alive, or who may have some descendants, are Caroline Boche, and Eva-Marie and Louise Olive Lomont.

On the other hand the Martin family, des cended from Paddon's sister Anne, are well known in New Caledonia, Norfolk island and Sydney.

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