Well-known Linwood resident dies

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33050, 18 October 1972, Page 11

Well-known Linwood resident dies

i A well-known resident of the Linwood district, Mr Henry John Stanley Harrington, died recently. He was 86. His whole life had been spent in Linwood and he was one of the third generation of his family to live there. Mr Harrington was educated at the Christchurch East School, and after serving an apprenticeship to the building trade began business on his own account. He worked in many parts of the South Island and among the public buildings with which he was involved were the Linwood and North Beach Methodist churches, which he designed and built, and the Harewood Anglican and Upper Riccarton Baptist churches.

As a child he developed a great love of music and joined the Linwood Methodist Church choir when he was 10. He was appointed choirmaster when he was 21 and he held the position for the next 54 years. Even after retirement he continued as a member of the choir and was active in it until about three months before his death.

His service to the Methodist Church covered both local and national departments. He held almost every office in both the Linwood Church and the Christchurch East Circuit, representing the latter at Synod and the annual Church Conference for 37 successive years. He was a member of the Methodist Church building and loan fund committee for 40 years and was also a member of the commtitee of the South Island Methodist Children’s Home for 29 years. Among his other activities was a lifetime interest in cage birds, and he won many awards for Norwich and latterly Border canaries. He was a foundation member of the New Brighton Power Boat Club and served for many years as its handicapper, commodore, and, until his death, its president. Mr Harrington’s interest in young people covered a wide field and as president of the local Scout committee for more than 20 years, he was the recipient of two ‘‘thanks badges” and a special citation from the then Governor-

General and Chief Scout for New Zealand, Lord Cobham. He is survived by two daughters.