OBITUARY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 208, 2 September 1926, Page 11

OBITUARY.

,j ■ ' MR. ROBERT THORPE. '. TRAINER OF THOROUGHBREDS. i A prominent figure in racing circles • for many years in Auckland, Mr. Robert 1 Thorpe, died yesterday at the residence tof his daughter, Puriri Avenue, Green t, I Lane, at the great age of 92 years. He z was one of the oldest and most respected i of horsemen, trainers and owners in ■ New Zealand. He was apprenticed to I' the late Marquis of Exeter in 1852, and b I came to New Zealand in 1864, settling s'■ at Auckland. He trained and also rode f a number of racing horses, some for ) himself and others for various owners, i Amongst the horses were Borealis, Sweetbriar, Yellow Jack, Koaroa, Voluni teer, Glengarry, Golden Crown. Ma?iJ; cian, Lalla Rookh, Rose of Sherwell, i. Libeller, Paramena and Tetford. Volunl ! teer was never beaten while it was in i I Mr. Thorpe's hands. Over 40 years ago 1 I Mr. Thorpe became proprietor of the -' Harp of Erin Hotel, Oreat South Road. 1 I but he still continued to train horses. t Shortly after 1900 he retired to a pretty - little home named "Wenhaston," on i Rockfield Road, between Kllerslie and c Onehunga. but had ever since been a '• regular attendant at race meetings in 8 j the Auckland district. He was present a■ nt the last meeting of the Paknransa 0 ! Hunt Club at Ellerslie on August 21, c I and when descending , from the trainers' Q stand, had the misfortune to fall and : - sustain injuries to his head. At his rt I advanced age the shock was too much, c and he never rallied.