User:DrThneed/Lillian Fell

Lillian Fell (1906–1987) was a coach driver on the West Coast of New Zealand, and the only known female coach driver to work on the Otira Pass.

Early life
Lillian Fell was born in Greymouth in 1906, and was the youngest of ten children of Australian Fred Fell and Greymouth woman Charlotte Goodall. Until the age of 21, the family lived at Otira. Fred Fell worked for the Public Works Department, and was engaged in building railway lines. Fell was educated entirely at Otira schoolhouse, although her education was interrupted by five bouts of rheumatic fever, once accompanied by scarlet fever.

Career
Fell demonstrated an interest and affinity for animals at an early age. She had to stand on a box to harness her father's dray, Toby, but Toby would oblige her when he was not so keen on being harnessed by others. By the age of 15–16, Fell was driving horses over the Otira Pass. The gradient on the pass was so steep that cars were unable to climb it, and were required to be pulled by two horses. The opening of the Otira tunnel in 1923? meant

Later life
Fell died in Greymouth on 22 February 1987, at the age of 81 or 82, and is buried in Karoro Cemetery in Greymouth.