MR WILLIAM O'GORMAN.

Northern Advocate, 22 July 1916, Page 2

MR WILLIAM O'GORMAN.

A well-known resident of 'Whangarei, Mr William O'Go.rman, paesed away at his residence, Wrack street, early this morning. • Hewas in his 56th year and had been a.ilin~ for some months, so that the end was not unexpected. He leaves a daughter, in Whangarei,, who-has,: during her father's illness, taken sole charge of his business in Cameron street; and a wife and a son, who are at present in England. Mr o'Gor : man, although he was an Irishman, was considered one of the best Scotchmen in Whangarei, and had rendered most valuable services to the St. Society. He wfis born in Cork, but at eight years of age his father removed to Glasgow, where William was educated. Early in life he entered the leather trade and became proprietor of a leather business, for which he travelled very extensively on the continent. He visited America in. the middle oi his career, and made som c very profitable investments at Ls>s Angeles. He came to Whangarei about twelve years ago, and was in the employ of Mr D W. Jack for some time, before he opened a small business of his own in Cameron 'street.

He was at one time associated wjth the Whangarei Library Committee, and was reputed to have, a Xery intimate and extensive' known -le'djje 'of literature. He also had a fnott extraordinary memory, and knew not only authors, but their vorks, very thoroughly. Odd verses from unknown authors were often referred" to him for Identification, Hnd'ne would invariably place them at once. He was, also, widely cquainted with the art treasures, of Europe and knew by heart the hisr tory of the great musicians. Prior ;o an attack of typhoid in Rome, >vhich weakened his retentive powers, he was able to read a column of a newspaper, close the paper and repeat the contents of that column from memory. This was an extraordinary feat of recollection, which it will be remembered Morley Punshon, the great orator, was able to accomplish," even with a .column of advertising matter. Mr O'Gormon was a member of the Catholic communion, and the interment services will be conducted at the Otaika cemetery to-morrow by the Rev. Father Schoonhof, the funeral cortege leaving the house at >-.wo o'clock, under the direction of Mr J. McMahon. I