OBITUARY

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23315, 29 April 1941, Page 10

OBITUARY

♦ • MR E. B. HAWKINS The death has occurred at Greytown of Mr Erasmus Bowerman Hawkins, who was born in Wellington in 1852. His parents, Mf and Mrs George Hawkins, arrived at Wellington in 1841 in the brigantine Harrington. In his early life in Wairarapa, Mr Hawkins built many well-known buildings, including the Roman Catholic Church in Masterton and the Carterton railway station. Before his retirement he was. a successful farmer in Greytown, being a foundation shareholder and director of the Greytown-Wairarapa Dairy Factory, the first co-operative factory in the Southern Hemisphere. MR L. F. WATKINS (P.S.S.) WELLINGTON, April 28. Mr Laurence Frederick Watkins, formerly organist and choirmaster at St. Mark’s Church, Wellington, died on Saturday morning. Mr Watkins, who was 77, was the son of the late Mr Stephen'Watkins, Of Akaroa, Canterbury. Born in Akaroa, he was educated at Canterbury College, where he graduated-,; as bachelor of music, being the first .organist and second musician in New Zealand to attain that distinction. For some years he was housemaster at the Cathedral Grammar School and deputy-organist at Christchurch Cathedral. His first Church appointment was that of organist to the- Papanui Anglican Church. Mr Watkins went to Wellington in 1896, where he was appointed organist and choirmaster to St. Mark’s Church, Dufferin street, a- position he held for 43 years. On his retirement in 1939, he received a' presentation from the congregation. From 1896 to 1936 Mr Watkins was'music master, to Wellington College, and for a time to the Wellington East Girls’ College and St. Patrick’s College, Kent terrace. He was one of the first presidents of the New Zealand Music Teachers’ Association, and was the composer of several compositions for choir, organ, and string quartet. The music of Edith Howes’s “Seasons” song cycle was also composed by Mr Watkins. He leaves a widow (a daughter of Mr R. C. Hamerton, of Wellington). Members of the family are Major Wynne Watkins, of the 2nd Echelon, N.Z.E.F., and the Rev. Neville Watkins, vicar of St. Luke's, Wadestown, Brothers and sisters are Messrs E. Watkins (Miramar), G. Watkins (New Plymouth), J. Watkins (Tauranga), H. Watkins (Sydney), and Mesdames T. Eastcott (England), H. Beadel (Christchurch), R. A. Hamerton.