OBITUARY

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27131, 29 August 1953, Page 2

OBITUARY

MR FERGUSON H. GRANT

.. O, L e of the ? ch °ol of Socialists, Mr Ferguson Hamilton Grant died in Christchurch on Thursday after a short illness. Mr Grant was president of the Unemployed Workers’ Movement in Christchurch during the depression, and with his wife became known to many for hi s work for the unemployed. Born in Fifeshire 76 years ago, Mr Grant was a miner by occupation, and from an early age was an enthusiastic X°£ ke ? f 2. r a « d 2 ffl £ ial of the Socialist Party in Scotland. He was also miners’ agent in Fifeshire before he left with his wife and his first son for New ?* ea l¥¥? 1903 -. He took up mining at Millerton, where two sons were aI M? J?- e returned to Fifeshire in 1906 with his family. He returned to Millerton in 1911, and became secretary of the Miners’ Union, a vicepresident of the Mine Workers’ Federation and a national executive member for the Buller.

Because of his activities in the 1913 strike, Mr Grant was unable to resume mining for two years, during which he earned a living a s an itinerant salesman in the Buller mining towns. After another seven years in the mines, he transferred his home to Christchurch and worked for the Railways Department. He was not re-engaged to ® per J od aft f r the 1924 railway strike, and was dismissed during the depression. He was employed on rehe£w2rks untll he finally retired wa t de J e S at e of the Ndrth Brighton branch of the Labour Party to the Labour Representation Committee for. many years. He was acknowledged in the Labour movement as a man of strong principles and frank M rs Grant died 15 years ago, and he is survived by four sons and two daughter*.