DIRECTOR'S DEATH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21717, 5 February 1934, Page 10

DIRECTOR'S DEATH

MR. W. A. BRISCOE MANY YEARS OF TRAVEL [by telegbaph OWN cobbespoxdent] CHKISTCHURCH, Sunday The chairman of directors of Messrs. Briscoe and Company, hardware merr chants, London, Mr. W. A. Briscoe, died suddenly front heart failure in Christchurch, in his 75th year. He was on his triennial tour of the firm's colonial branches, and was paying hi? 18th visit to New Zealand. Mr. Briscoe had been chairman of directors of the long-established company since 1900, and since then he had toured the world in the firm's interests. It was calculated that every 12th day of his life wa§ spent at sea. Bern in Staffordshire, England, iq 1860., Mr. Briscoe was educated at Har» row and at College, Oxford, and while at the university he took hii M.A. degree. After leaving he went at once into the London office of the com» pany, becoming chairman of directors at the age of 40. He made his home at Longjstowe Hall, Cambridge, and was I justice of the peace for Cambridgeshire, He \ras interested in many sports, paiv j ticularly tennis, in which he was at ons | time champion of the Queen's Club, j London. He was also a prominent oars» i man and cricketer and a keen hunts* | man. » | Sir. Briscoe wrote and publishe4 poems and plays, including "The'Ses j Maidens," which was performed at j Guild Hall, Cambridge, and another play, "Betsy Ann." He was the author of a book of war poems. He spent hit spans time in farming at Longstowe, tvhero his farm was conducted under his personal supervision. He arrived is New Zealand two weeks ago and had gone to Christchurch to visit the provincial branch of tho companv. Tlie deceased was married in 189? to Miss Annie Boughley, of Shropshire, who survives him. There are two soni and two daughters. The elder son it Captain R. G. Briscoe, M.C., vative M.P. for the county of Cambridgeshire since 1923, and the youngef son, Mr. Basil Briscoe, is a trainer al Newmarket for Miss Dorothy Paget'i well-known stables. The daughters ars Mrs. T. B. Bevan, who is visiting Auckland, and Mrs. M. A. Churton, of York' shire,