OBITUARY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 63, Issue 172, 3 May 1943, Page 2

OBITUARY.

MR FREDERICK JOHN CHAMBERS After being a resident of Ashburton for about 18 years, during which time he became a well-known and popular figure in the town, Mr Frederick John Chambei’s died at his home in Cameron Street this morning, at the age of 59.

Prior to coming to Ashburton as a representative _of Messrs Bishop and Company, Mr Chambers ran a butchery at Riccarton. He was also a railway employee. Mr Chambers was a past great chief of the Ashburton Savage Club and a past president of the Bowling Club. He was a member of the Ashburton Club and M.S.A., and the flag was flown there to-day as a marfc of respect to him. He was also a member of the Thistle Masonic Lodge. Mr Chambers was a veteran of the South African War. 4 A member of the Ashburton Trotting Club and the Ashburton Racing Club, he raced sveral trotters, the best of which was Wee Wrack. Mr Chambers’s father is dead, but his mother is living at Rangiora. He is survived by his wife and five sons, four of whom were from his first marriage. Of the four older sons, one is a prisoner of war in Italy, one is in the Army, one is in the Navy, and one is working in Christchurch. Mr Chambers’ fifth son is about four years old. There are two grandchildren.

MRS SIDNEY WEBB.

LONDON, April 30.

Mrs Sidney Webb, wife of Baron Passfield, is dead. She declined to assume the title of Lady Passfield. Mrs Webb, who was So years of age, was a daughter of Mr Richard Potter, at one time chairman of the Great Western Railway of Britain and pi’esident of the Grand Trunk Railway of Canada. She w T as a noted socialistic political economist. She was a member of several Government Committees between 1914 and 1920, and published many works dealing with labour questions and social history, her latest Jjeing in 1941. Many wore written in collaboration with her husband.

Lord Passfield, the first holder of the title, was raised to the peerage in 1929 on retiring from tho House of Commons. Ho was Secretary of State for the Dominions from 1925 to 1930.