OBITUARY

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3287, 5 March 1926, Page 10

OBITUARY

MR. I. W. LOVELOCK, Manawatu has not so many old settlers in the district that it can afford to lose another link with the days of old, yot every month the .band of pioneers is decreasing. The latest of these “line old gentlemne” to go to the Great Unknown is Mr. Isaac William Lovelock, who passed away at his residence in Rangltikei Line on Wednesday afternoon. The deceased gentleman was born in Wellington in 1847, his parents having originally come from Kent, England, seven years before. At that period Wellington was but a small village and newly arrived settlers were 1 obliged to remain on board until i their roughly built homes were erected. The late Mr. Lovelock’s first occupation was as a fellow-worker of his brother-in-law, the late Mr. W. Tonks, who still remains in the Empire City at the brick works, but after a few years his interest was directed to reclamation works and in this line he assisted in the undertaking of making up the waterfront, while he also undertook the carting of metal for the Wellington-Petone railway line. Later he filled the role of tally clerk on the construction work of the Government buildings, while he brought four shipments of horses from Tasmania to New Zealand, many of the mares going to form the foundation of the stud stocks of the South Island. In this work he had the proud record of never losing an animal on the voyage, despite the difficulties under which he laboured in the days of sailing craft. It was in 1873 that he made his first appearance in the Manawatu, coming to the district on a contract for the formation of the main road between Sandon and Carnarvon. Five years later he purchased the farm in Rangitikei Line, at £ll an acre, where he carried on until his demise at the age of 79. Palmerston North in those days was but a village with narrow roads, threading the countryside, and deviation from the actual road involved a bogging in deep mud. Native trees ran riot in the Square, which was threaded with sheep and cattle | tracks, while in the centre was the railway station, post office and goods shed, all in one small building. It speaks something for the generous spirit which pervaded the inhabitants of those days when, despite the paucity of their numbers, Mr. and Mrs. Lovelock found, on their arrival, five carts awaiting them, they having been placed at their disposal for the transportation of their household vchattels. The farm property itself was set in a small clearing of native bush, yet to-day little indicates the unceasing labour entailed in converting that bush strewn area into the smiling countryside of to-day. It was in this work that he had the distinction of being the first, and for a period, the only supplier at Skerman’s Silverley’s dairy factory, but in the succeeding years the value of the industry was fully realised and a company was formed for the purpose of establishing a factory, but the earliest of the suppliers had to be content with the acceptance of 2Jd per gallon for their milk, which was but small reward for the difficulties of transport.

The deceased gentleman was in every respect a practical farmer and enjoyed a wide reputation as a breeder of horses and pigs and in the years gone by was prominently associated with shows, his Berkshire pigs gaining for their breeder innumerable prizes. Despite the many calls demanded of him on the farm, Mr. Lovelock for 20 years sat on the committee of the Newbury school, while he had held membership in the Foresters’ Lodge for a period of 50 years.

Some twleve months ago his health began to fail and in October last he sought medical advice, learning that an inward disease precluded any hopes of complete recovery but he made a strenuous fight, and only two weeks before his death he was carrying out several of his duties. Ton days ago, however, he was compelled to take to bed, where he remained until his peaceful dmisee. There are left to mourn their loss a widow and family of eight sons and four daughters, the members being Messrs. W. I. Lovelock (Awapuni), P. E. B. Lovelock (“Waverley Island,” Eureka, Waikato), H. C. Lovelock (Grey street), D. J. Lovelock (Church street), G. R. Lovelock ("Onepuhi,” Marton), L. L. Lovelock (Fitzherbert West), A. C. Lovelock (Woodville), and .H D. Lovelock (Newbury), and Mesdames W. J. Brogden (Fitzherbert West), A. J. Will (Rongotea), J. W. Oliver (Woodville), and H. J. Matthews (Kopane). One son, Levi, died during the war period In Featherston Camp, Mesdames W. Tonks, of Wellington, and D. Thomsa, of Carterton, are sisters of the deceased. There are also 32 grandchildren.