DEATH AT 91

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22722, 7 May 1937, Page 13

DEATH AT 91

MR. GEORGE H. POWLEY VETERAN AUCKLANDER VARIED AND ACTIVE CAREER An Auckland resident who had known the city since the first decade of its existence, Mr. George Henry Powley, died at his home in Hamilton I'oad, Heme Bay, yesterday, aged 91. Born 011 the Tasman PeninsTila, near Ho hart, in 1815, Mr. Powlcv had a varied and active career. When his father, Sergeant Thomas Powlcv, of the !)6th Foot, retired, he brought his family to Auckland in 18-18. As a boy of 15, Mr. Powley joined the Navy with 11 others and became one of the crew of the H.M.S. Niger, a vessel which saw much service in the Maori War. One of his early memories was that soon after his enlistment he formed one of a delegation of youths from tho ship who presented to the then Governor, Colonel Gore Brown, several Maori flags captured by their comrades at the taking of Waireka Pa, Taranaki. Hunting African Slavers Going to England in the Niger, Mr. Powley was drafted to the ill-fated H.M.S. Orpheus, then fitting out for New Zealand, but she was ordered to North America, and he was put ashore. Tho next few years he spent in various naval craft engaged in combating the West African slave trade, then being carried on by semi-piratical vessels of many nations. Life off an unhealthy tropic coast eventually proved too much for him, and he was invalided out of the service in 1865.

After a short period in the employ of the London, Chatham and Dover Railway, he married jn London at the end of 1860 and embarked with his bride for Auckland. Here lie followed a variety of occupations, including those of gold digger at Thames, coastal seaman, warehouseman, clerk and storekeeper in the Northern Wairoa district.

In 1880 he bought a small clothing factory in Shortland Street, occupying part of the site of the present Auckland Club. He removed it to Victoria Street West 12 years later, and when he sold out in 1902 to Macky, Logan, Caldwell and Company ho had a modern plant and employed 200 hands. In the late sixties Mr. Powlev joined the Naval Volunteer Artillery, in which ho rose to the rank of lieutenant. During Te Kooti's rising he helped to garrison the redoubt at Tauranga for several months, the armament consisting of one muzzle-loading field gun. High Bank in Freemasonry A Freemason since the early seventies. .Mi-. Powlev resigned from the Irish Constitution with the rank of senior grand warden in 1890 on the formation of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand, and was one of the founders of Lodge Ara, No. 1, N.Z.C. He -held many high offices, including those of senior grand warden in 1891, deputygrand master in 1897, and first grand principal of the Supreme Grand Koval Arch Chapter of New Zealand from 1897 to 1898. In the Manchester Unity Oddfellows he was provincial grand master of Auckland in 187J5 and kept an active connection with the order for half a century. For 12 years he was president of the Auckland Masonic Institute and Club. Mr. Powlev is survived bv his wife, who is 90. The couple celebrated their diamond wedding in 192 G.