OBITUARY

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 April 1939, Page 5

OBITUARY

CAPTAIN C. M. RENAUT [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH. April 16. A unique family association with ships and the sea was broken by the death in London, on Saturday, of Captain Charles Malcolm Renaut, formerly of Christchurch, aged 69 years. It was an association that comprehended the best part of a century, three generations of sea captains, the change from sail to steam, and, indeed, from steam to motor power, Captain Renaut’s grandfather, Captain William Renaut, brought to Otago in 1848, the “Blundell,” the third immigrant ship to arrive there, and the first to be entered in the customs records of Port Chalmers. His father, Captain C. H. Renaut, was famous as the captain of the clipper ship “Crusader,” which made record passages from New Zealand to England, also of the “Pleione” and other ships of the Shaw Savill’s early fleet.

Captain C. M. Renaut first served with his father in the sailing ships. He later transferred to steam, and for many years commanded Union Company vessels. He was appointed Surveyor of -Ships in the Marine Department at Auckland in 1911, and was transferred to Lyttelton in 1923, being appointed Superintendent of Mercantile Marine there in 1929. He retired in May, 1935. Captain Renaut went to England early last year. He and Mrs. Renaul, formerly Miss Isabella Ormiston, of Dunedin, intended returning to New Zealand in November next. There is one son, Mr. J. O. Renaut, of London, and two Mrs. R. T. Roberts (Wellington), and Mrs. L. M. Aitken (Christchurch).