THIS WEEK'S GREAT MAN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 205, 29 August 1936, Page 8 (Supplement)

THIS WEEK'S GREAT MAN.

HENRY FAWCETT. 1833 - 1884. BORN AUGUST 26, 1833. * The national memorial to Henry Fawcett in Westminster Abbey bears the following inscription, written by Sir Leslie Stephen: HENRY FAWCETT Bom 26th August, 1833 Died 6th November, 1884 After the loss of his sight by an accident at the age of 24, he became Professor of Political Economy in the University of Cambridge, member of four Parliaments, and from 1880 to 1884 H.M. Postmaster-General. His memorable fidelity to his convictions commanded the respect, of statesmen. His chivalrous selfdevotion to the cause of the poor and helpless won the affection of his countrymen and of his Indian fellow-subjects. His heroic acceptance of the calamity of blindness has left a memorable example of the power of a brave man to transmute evil into good, and wrest victory from misfortune. In 1867 Fawcett married Miss Millicent Garrett, who survived him about 44 years. She became a noted social reformer, well known in after., years as Dame Millicent Fawcett. Though he attained the rank of Postmaster-General Fawcett never actually had a seat in the Cabinet, due to the tradition that every member must personally peruse documents.