OBITUARY

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21648, 5 December 1935, Page 12

OBITUARY

.—* MR S. F. WHITCOMBE Mr S. F. Whitcombe, whose death occurred recently, was a former superintendent of railways in the South Island. He was born in June, 1859, at St. Brieuc, Brittany. After some years at a public school in the south of England, Mr Whitcombe completed his education at the Imperial Lycee at St. Brieuc, and later joined the Midland Railway Company. In 1875 he came to New Zealand and joined the railway service in February, 1876. He held the position of traffic manager in

several districts. He was a representative football player for Derby while ia the service of the Midland Railways. During his residence in Netv Zealand he was in his younger days an enthusiastic exponent of fencing and various forms of self-defence. He "was also a good oarsman and later he devoted himself to lawn tennis, being at one time president of the Kaituna Lawn Tennis Club. He was for many years patron of the Civil Service Harriers. He was a member of the Church of England, and was prominent as a lay. reader, holding licenses from various bishops. He is survived by a son (Mr Aubrey Whitcombe, Owaka) and a daughter (Mrs H. Armstrong, Roslyn). His wife predeceased him by four years.