DEATH OF MR. GRINDLAY

Taranaki Daily News, 28 October 1935, Page 8

DEATH OF MR. GRINDLAY

' WELL KNOWN CRICKETER. One of the best-known residents of Hawera, Mr. William Grindlay, died on Friday night. He was in the town in his usual health on Thursday but collapsed at his home on Friday and was taken to the hospital. Mr. Grindlay had lived in retirement at Hawera since 1919, having farmed at Otakeho since about 1900. In 1929 he paid a visit to Scotland after an absence of 49 years. He took a keen interest in the quality and marketing of New Zealand’s dairy produce and lost no opportunity of making himself familiar with conditions in England and in New Zealand. Mr. Grindlay was a familiar figure at cricket matches at Hawera. He had played the game at Adelaide in the latter part of last century as a contemporary of some of the greatest players of those days and was unexcelled as a wicketkeeper. He maintained the greatest interest in the game through the rest of his life, and did much to improve the standard of the game in South Taranaki. He was born in Faulkirk, Scotland, on April 4, 1857. At an early age he served in the Faulkirk iron foundry and later tn Glasgow and Edinburgh foundries. As a young man he left Scotland for Nev, Zealand, arriving at the Knappdale estate, near Gore, at an early age. He did not take too hindly to the then existing conditions and decided to go to Australia, settling for some time on one of the large sugar plantations. Still unsettled, his romantic spirit led him back again to Scotland, where he was engaged at his trade. That apparently did not satisfy him and again he decided to return to Australia, settling at Adelaide, where he was employed as one of the leading moulders in the Islington workshop. There he stayed for 14 years. While at Adelaide he married Miss Cassie Chiles, daughter of the late Samuel Chiles. Mr. Grindlay leaves a widow and an adult family of seven, the Rev. J. G. Grindlay, stationed at Okato, Messrs. S. Grindlay and Clarence Grindlay, Otakeho, W. Grinfllay, Hawera, Mrs. C. W Smith, Karamu, Mrs. J. Robertson, Hamilton, and Mrs. D. Morrison, StratThe funeral yesterday was attended by a large number of relatives and friends. The service at the graveside was conducted by the Rev. A. G. Irvine, assisted by the Rev. W. T. Hooper, Wellington. The pall-bearers were Messrs. W. Grindlay (son), C., Roy and Reginald Grindlay (grandsons), J. Nielsen and W. Fairweather. There were many floral tributes.