OBITUARY

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 265, 4 August 1932, Page 10

OBITUARY

Old Identity Passes MR. WILLIAM R. BOCK Man of Many Interests An old Wellington identity in the person of Mr. William Rose Bock died yesterday morning at his residence, No. 115 Hataitai Road. The late Mr. Bock, who had been a familiar figure in Wellington for more than half a'century, was head of the firm of W. R. Bock and Co., engravers, die sinkers, and illuminators. He was born in Hobart, Tasmania, in 1847, and came to New Zealand in 1868, under engagement to the old firm of Lyon and Blair (the predecessors of Messrs. Whitcombe and Tombs), as an engraver and illuminator. He remained ten years with that firm, and then struck out for himself in partnership with Mr. A. E. Cousins (still a resident of Day’s Bay), under the name of Bock and Cousins. This partnership existed for many years, but was eventually dissolved, when Mr. Bock continued in the business alone until he was partnered by his son, Mr. W. E.. Bock, under the name of Messrs. W. R. Bock and Son, whose work is known throughout the Dominion. The late Mr. Bock designed and illuminated many notable addresses, including those presented to the late Queen Victoria and King Edward VII, and also several addresses to his Majesty King George and Queen Mary, when, as the Duke and Duchess

i of York, they visited New Zealand, and i later Mr. Bock’s artistry was exemplified in some of the addresses presented ■ to H.R.H. the Prince of Wales and H.R.H. the Duke and Duchess of York. Mr. Bock also won prizes as a designer of New Zealand stamps. Although a tireless worker, the late Mr. Bock had many other interests in life. He was as a young man an ardent cricketer, and once, in the early '7o’s, he represented Wellington. He also played football. Later he became a member of the old Phoenix Club. When he ceased active play he still retained a very keen interest in the game and turned out every Saturday afternoon to umpire games on the Basin Reserve. On the formation of the Wellington Cricket Umpire’s Association Mr. Bock was appointed chairman, a position he held for many years. He acted as umpire in many representative matches in Wellington, and was held in high regard by the cricketing community for the conscientious manner in which he performed his duties. Mr. Bock was also a devotee of music, particularly of choral music, in which he could participate. He was very actively associated with the original Wellington Operatic Society, which had its origin in St. Peter’s choir. He was a member of that choir for a quarter of a century, and played parts in the first performances in Wellington of the operas “The Sorcerer,” “Patience,” and “Rip Van Winkle,” and was a chorister in many others. He also acted as treasurer of the society for some years. He was also a member of the Wellington Choral Society (under Mr. J. Maughan Barnett), and continued on as a member of the chorus of the 1 Royal Wellington Choral Union up to the time of the illness which terminated in death. Mr. Bock was a keen volunteer in the early days, was one of the original members of the D Battery, in which he was a sergeant, and was the holder of the long service medal. He was also a member of the Wellington Chess Club, the Savage and Orphans Clubs, and seldom missed attendihg a session of these organisations. As a chess player he was, even when an octogenarian, remarkably keen. For several years he played in the annual North Wellington v. South Wellington tournament in which a hundred players take part. Quite recently he was the first player to win his game in this tournament. Mr. Bock leaves a family of two sons, Messrs. W. E. Bock (of the firm) and Mr. W. O. Bock (accountant in the electricity department of the City Council), and two daughters, Mesdames J. H. Clark, of Wellington, and Murray (wife of Mr. John Murray, Commissioner of Stamps). The funeral will leave the residence, Hataitai, at 2 p.m. today. At the meeting of the management committee of the Wellington Football Association last night; upon the motion of the chairman, Mr. W. B. Hicks, it was decided to send a message of sympathy to the relatives of the late Mr. Bock. Mr. C. W. Smith Mr. Charles Willcox Smith, formerly J well-known in Wellington, died at ] Christchurch on Tuesday at the age of , 91. . 1 Mr. Smith was born at Liverpool in i IS4I and came out to New Zealand 1 with his parents in the Carnetic in 1854. < After farming for a number of years ’ in Taranaki, his father, Mr. Benjamin j Smith, began business in Wellington t as a land agent in 1871, Mr. C. W. f Smith joining him later. i On the death of his wife in 1921 Mr. < Smith went to Christchurch, and lived 1 there ever since. He was a religious J man and an ardent supporter of pro- t hibition. He leaves three sons, Messrs, j W. V. Smith (Karori), J. H. Smith t (Christchurch), and B. D. Smith (Lon- i dou), and four daughters, Mrs. M. v May (Eastbourne), Miss E. K. Smith (Christchurch), Mrs. J. C. Orr (Lower Hutt), and Mrs. C. W. Tanner (Christ- 0 church). There are ten grandchildren ® and two great-grandchildren. r