Popular Musician Passes

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6789, 22 February 1932, Page 8

Popular Musician Passes

DEATH OF MRS. CHRISTINA GILMOUR The injuries sustained by Mrs. Christina Gilmour, of Palmerston North, in a motor accident at Sandon a week ago proved fatal on Saturday evening, when she passed away at tho Palmerston North hospital. Tho news of her accident had come as a great shock to her many friends throughout tho Dominion, particularly in tho Manawatu and W est Coast districts, and tho announcement of her tragic death will bo received with profound regret by tho wholo community. During her residence of 12 years in Palmerston North tho lato Mrs. Gilmour had enshrined herself warmly in the hearts of music lovers, and to tho general public her appearances on tho concert platform were events eagerly anticipated. Her loss is a great one, and she will be sadly missed in many circles. Not a small part of her popularity was due to her generous nature, for Mrs. Gilmour’s services could always bo relied upon at charity and other similar functions,

Born in Granville, Westland, 35 years ago, tho lato Mrs. Gilmour was a daughter of Mr. D. Baybutt, J.P., formerly chairman of tho Grey County Council. At an early age she'showed musical talent, and she received her musical education at St. Mary’s Convent, Greymouth, whero she was a pupil of Sister Mary Anthony. At tho age of 11 she made her first public appearance, and when 17 years old gained her A.T.C.L. diploma. Sho was the first on tho West Coast to obtain this distinction, and thereby carried off tho Very Rev. Dean Carew’s gold medal. The following year sho secured her L.A.B. diploma, and won many honours in tho local competitions. The late Mrs. Gilmour took part in every musical function of importance in Greymouth and district, giving her services gratuitously for raising patriotic funds during tho war and being an indefatigable Red Cross worker. It. was on the advice of the lato Mr. Paul Dufault. that sho took up music as a profession. She made her first start in Wellington, and shortly afterwards received an appointment as pianist at ono of the picture theatres in Palmerston North. In 1922 she married the late Mr. W. H. K. Gilmour, and on his health failing somo years later, she resumed her musical career and for two years was director of a Palmerston North theatre orchestra. For the past iivo years the late Mrs, Gilmour had been the pianist or Miss Dorothy Southey Baker’s trio at the Rosco tea rooms, to which combination her demise is a sad loss, ns it takes years of practice to attain such a degreo of uniformity. During her residence in Palmerston North the late Mrs. Gilmour had been closely associated with the Palmerston North Orchestral Society, tho Philharmonic Society, the Palmerston North Choir and many other societies, her work at all times being given full recognition. She was the official accompanist for the Manawatu Competitions Society, and after a recent festival a prominent New Zealand judge stated that sho was ono of the most outstanding accompanists he had heard —an opinion that has been warmly endorsed by every vocalist who has been associated with her.

Tho late Mrs. Gilmour’s gracious personality and cheerful disposition von for her a host of friends who will deplore her untimely death. Her husband predeceased her, and thero are left to mourn their loss her father, Mr. D. Baybutt, now of Carterton; a sister, Mrs. D. Gibb Johnson, also of Carterton; and a brother, Mr. J. D. Baybutt, commercial master at tho Takapuna Grammar School, Auckland. The funeral will take placo at the Kelvin Grove cemetery at 1.30 o’clock this afternoon.