OBITUARY.

Franklin Times, Volume XXII, Issue 26, 2 March 1932, Page 5

OBITUARY.

SIR WILLIAM BLACKWOOD.

WELL-KNOWN MARINE ENGINEER,

The death occured at the Auckland hospital of Air William Blackwood, a well-known resident of King Street, Pukekohe, after a short, but severe, illness.

Air Blackwood was born 77 years

ago at Greenock, Scotland, and at the age of 25 went to sea as engineer on the Duke of Argyle, then trading with Dublin. Afterwards he served in the Alediterranean trade. In 1884 Mr Blackwood came to New Zealand and

joined the Union Steamship Company’s Te Kapo, as second engineer. He remained in that service for about 11 years. He married in New Zaland in 1894.

During the Coromandel gold boom Mr Blackwood was part owner of the steamship Akaroa, which was on the Coromandel service. For many years Mr Blackwood was connected with the Northern Steamship Company and was associated with Captain McLean who is a well-known officer of the company.

On one occasion during his seafaring career, he was shipwrecked off the coast of Africa when the ship and personal belongings of the crew were lost. Fortunately the crew reached shore safely and although penniless were well cared for by the people on the coast. Accommodation however, was difficult to obtain, and until a relief vessel put into port the crew was compelled to “sleep" under haystacks. Sleep was out of the question as the men were worried by fierce South African parasites. About. 11 years ag Mr Blackwood settled in Pukekohe and during this time he made a host of friends. He possessed a quiet, unassuming nature, and was ever ready to assist a friend in need. He was highly popular and news of his death cast a gloom over the town. He was a most enthusiastic crib player. Air Blackwood was very methodical, and earned a reputation in the marine service as one of its best engineers. He took a pride in keeping the engines under his care up to concert pitch, and it is said that never once did be have a breakdown due to faulty workmanship. Several of his shipmates well-known locally are: Capt. R. Gibbons (Onehunga), Mr Drake (Pukekohe) and Gapt. A. Parris (Mangatangi formerly of Patumahoe).

The deceased is survived by Airs Blackwood. There were no children.

The funeral took place yesterday at Hillsborough cemetery. The pall bearers were engineers from the Northern Steamship Company’s boats.

MR ALEXANDER POTHERING HAM.

FORMER RESIDENT OF PUKEKOHE

DEATH AT GENEVA. *News was received last evening of the death, at Geneva, of Mr Alexander Fotheringham, solicitor, formerly of Auckland and Pukekohe, at the age of 55 yea’fs. As a young man of Scots parentage, Mr Fotheringham secured degrees of 8.A., LL.B. Canterbury and Oxford, and a Middle Templar. He entered the Indian Civil Service and served .on the judicial side in the Madras, presiding as a Session judge of the Indian High Court. He came to New Zealand in 1921 and in 1923 he entered into partnership with Mr Clive Wily, now of Puni, who was then practising as a solicitor in Auckland, and later he partnered Mr H. Jenner Wily, solicitor of Pukekohe and Auckland, the firm carrying on business as Fotheringham and Wily. In 1929 Mr Fotheringham disposed of his share of the partnership and left New Zealand for Europe with the idea of exercising his favourite hobby, walking, over the principal European countries. During his few years’ residence in New Zealand he made many friends, principally amongst the members of the Auckland Chess Club, of which he was an active and leading member. Mr Fotheringham was a widely read man, and an authority on history, particularly ancient history. He is survived by one son. William, now resident in the Sudan, and two daughters. Miss Barbara, of Waverley, and Miss Cecily, of the Auckland Girls’ Grammar School.