OBITUARY

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 278, 20 August 1938, Page 4

OBITUARY

Mr. A. H. Hobbs

\ member of a family that settled in I Canterbury before the arrival of the f-st. four ships. Mr. A. H. j Hobbs diet', suddenly on Thursday night while he was attending a tueet- ' lug Of the vestry of St. Matthew’s [■ Church, with which he had been asso- ! elated for very many years, says a i " Dominion" Special Service message i from Christchurch. He collapsed and i died soon afterward. Mr. Hobbs, Who was aged 72. was a I well-known tesident of Christchurch, being particularly prominent in the Church of England, the Masonic Lodge, and the Justices of the Peace ■ i Association. His father, M illiaui Ben- ■ lamin Hobbs, came out to New Zealand I in the 'forties and joined the Rhodes I family at Ptirau. He Ataxrie,d in CbristI church, and Mr. ...A. H. Hobbs was born | in St. Albans, where he has lived alt i bls life. After receiving his education at the St. Albans School, where he was ' s a foundation, pupil. -Mr. Hobbs became a bookbinder, serving on the staffs of '■■-'several well-known city establishments. Later he went into partnership With Mr. J Du Feu in a boot and shoe business, retiring through ill-health nine years ago. ~ . . , Mr. Hobbs was a man of wide intetests. He was for many years a member of the St. Albans School - Committee, including a term as chairman. He ' ' was immediate past-deputy-grand master of the Masonic Lodge of New Zealand, and had been associated .for many .'years with the Concord Lodge,- Papa--i • nui. He was also immediate past-pre-, sident of the New Zealand Justices of J the Peace Association, and took a keen ’1 Interest in the affairs’of the local asj sociation. Mr. Hobbs maintained a I lifelong interest in the Church of Eng- •' land. Tn his youth he was a chorister '■(] and in later years served on the vestry of St. Matthew’s Church, acting for a long period as vicar’s warden. In his youth Mr. Hobbs played footed ball for the Merivale club. He was a 'ii!; member of the Christchurch Garrison Band, which is now defunct but which : .’i was once a champion band. He took a keen interest in the Volunteer move■'d merf, serving with the Engineers. ’Tj Mr. Hobbs married 43 years ago Miss A i; Lilian Midgley, also a inember of an ■ j old’Christciurch family. He is sur- ?; ' I vived by his widow, two daughters, and •- three sons —Mrs. K. I. Burr (Lower */ Hutt), Mrs. R. Compton (St. Albans). 4; Mr R. A. Hobbs (Springbnrn), Mr. L. '■ v C. Hobbs (Hororata), and Mr. H. S. oi ,'Hobbs (Blenheim). ,'fo ' —

Mr. R. 0. Jarrett

The death occurred on Thursday of Mr. R. 0. Jarrett, former prominent athlete and boxer, aged 69, states a Press Association message from Masterton. On the running track he won on 65. occasions and was second 63 times. He was a well-known physical •i - culture instructor.

As a physical culture exponent, athlete and coach of champions in New Zealand sport, “Dick” Jarrett carved a name for himself. He himself started on Sandow methods, but discovered that deep breathing, scientifically planned, was as good and even better • than merely muscle-building exercises. When Sandow visited New Zealand he

/■ was attracted by Jarrett’s methods and invited him to go to London to s join ti le thriving Sandow School of '• '■c Physical Culture, but when Sandow ' would not agree to a two years’ guarantee Jarrett declined to accept the Invitation. .In his younger days he

was threatened with ill health, and it was because of this that he took to ' physical culture and athletics. He was a star performer in the halcyon days of, professional athletics in this coun- ' try and a great all-rounder, though • his best events were generally considered to be from 220 yards to 880 yards. He was also a good boxer, though he did not box as a profes- '•-?/: sional, and was ranked highly as a boxing instructor. In his time he trained a number of champions, two of ’■ the greatest,- in athletics, being Randolph; Rose and Stan Lay. Jarrett whs ?'■ renowned'for his great strength. He could tear a pack of cards in half and . do weight lifting with a minimum of effort. Under the pen-name of “Physical Culturist” he wrote a number of articles on old-time sport.

Mr.’ J. V. Lonsdale

•' The death occurred at Wellington yesterday of Mr. Joseph Vincent Lonsdale, aged eight-five. A retired fore- ; ••'j:.: man printer, Mr. Lonsdale was well -known as a bowler, having been a mem--.iitri ber of the first New Zealand representative team to tour Australia, iHe served his apprenticeship on the “New c,Zealand Herald,” and also worked on ■..-the staff of the “Auckland Weekly News” before going to Dunedin. There, he was employed on the “Otego Wit- .... : ness” for some years before obtaining a position with the “Evening Post.” He served .in the typographical department 1;. of “The Post" for 43 years, commencing . in 1883. During "his long service, he

' was always known as a conscientious and painstaking worker. In 1932, when he was in his seventy-ninth year, he -retired. Mr. Lonsdale was always a keen sportsman. ?/, . Mr. Lonsdale leaves four sons and a /• daughter-r Messrs. W. J. E. Lonsdale, Khandallah; C, Lonsdale, Eltham; T. Lonsdale, Dunedin; E. Lonsdale, Wellington ; and Mrs. A, Skeet, of Masterton,

Mr. J. Tombleson

The death occurred at Auckland, following an operation of Mr. John Tombleson, a well-known sheepfarmer, aged 71, says a Gisborne Press Association message. He was a member of several local bodies and had been chairman of the Gisborne Harbour Board for the past ten years. He was prominent in the volunteer movement in his earlier years, holding the rank of captain.

Mrs. Frank Tait

Mr. E. J. Tait, a managing director of Messrs. J. G. Williamson, Ltd., and Messrs. J. and N. Tait, rewived a cable message yesterday morning announcing the death of his sister-in-law. Mrs Frank Tait, of Melbourne. Mrs. Tait was the wife of Mr. Frank Tait, a director of ' Australian and New Zealand Theatres, Ltd., and a managing director of Messrs. J. C. Williamson, Ltd., and Messrs. J. and N. Tait, of Australia and New Zealand. She had been ailing for the past twelve months. With her husband. Mrs. Tait accompanied Mr and Mrs. Richaid Jrooks to America last year at the •onelusion of the tour of the famous tenor. While staying with the Crooks familv in New V'fk she became ill. hut she seemed Io recover, and went on to England with her husband They returned to Australia >u the end “f last year.

Mr. Frank Tail is very well known in New Zealand, having made many

tours of tills cmmliw with famous singers and' entertainers. The la’e Mrs Tail was <-iboui 10 years of age, She is survived by three daughters. Iler only sot) died ten years ago. and p is said that site nevei fully recovered from that tragic blow.