OBITUARY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXI, Issue 6083, 2 October 1903, Page 3

OBITUARY

CAPTAIN GKO. COLEMAN

Wo regret to have to chronicle the death of Caption ' ituH-y^ Ooloiii;in our respected fellow citizen, win h occurred at Christfchmx'h yooter ay, at the a^ts Jot' 7:. ]n 1851, Captain Coltman arrived in Hobson's Bay, Melbourne, as chief officer of the ship '! Glentheriii," whljh was e.mdarnned by Lloyd's surveyors. For a period of fire years he was at Bendigo, Jones's Creek, ai.d Avoca and Ferry Creak digging?, and during that time he amassed a considerable quantity of gold, all of which he. spent again in Melbourne and Sydney. In 1857 he shipped at Melbourne as chief oificer in a vessel bound for Mauritius, and on arriving there left her to volunteer Lv service in the Indian Mutiny, He held several couunfinds during the two years he was employed there, lie then returned to Melbourne and married a granddaughter of Admiral Morrid. Captain Ooleinan subsequently owned a number of failing ships which ran on the Australian coast, and occasionally came to Now Zealand. Once on a voyage from New Zealand to Sydney his vessel was lost, though all the crew were saved. After that the docoased was employed by Captain SSehubert, of the Exchaujje, Sydney, to launch the " S.irah J3arr," which had been cast ashore high up on the sand at the mouth of the Manning River, New South Wales. In again launchng this vissel he was successful, and took her down to Sydney, where he was well paid for hi 3 work. Following that he went to Melbourne and owned ships again, having purchased the -'Jane Spicer" from Mr Hud dart. After two years he sold hu vessels, and came to New Zealand, where he purchased the large mercantile business in East Street, Ashburton, of Captain McLean, Middleton, and McQuado. At ©ne time, Captain Coleman stated that ho knew very little of this particular line of business, and consequently eighteen mouths after purchasing sold out to Mr Andrew Orr, and went to live at Christchurch. There he remained for upwards of twenty-five years, travelling about a good deal, and entering into many speculations. In 1899, he returned to Ashburton on account of his wife's health. Captain/Coleman was for a long time a member of the Christchurch and Ashburton Howling Clubs. He was also a Justice of the Peace for Ashburton District, and although not often seen on the Magisterial Bench, gave every satisfaction as a level headed citizen, when it was incumbent on him to mete out the ends of justice. Mr Thouia3 (President), and Mr E. Manchester (Secretary), will represent the Ashburton Bowling Club at the funeral which takes place at Christchurch to- l morrow, at 2.45 p.m. The cause of death wad a relapse of influenza, gout, and a kidney trouble. Mrs Coleman, and an adopted daughter, survive the deceased.