"LARRY" MARKET.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10143, 3 May 1911, Page 1

"LARRY" MARKET.

Mr Lawrence Markey, familiarly known almost throughout New Zealand as "Larry" Markey, died yesterday in the Christchurch Hospital, aged seventy-eight. Mr Markey was one of the pioneers of New Zealand, a true tfype of the Irish sportsman who loved horses and the sport they provided for their own sake, and it was this love of horses and sport that led him to settle in Canterbury, at Kowai Pass, where he was a farmer and studniaster for forty years. Mr Markey was born in Carrickmacross, [ County Mouaghan, Ireland, in 1833. IHe cam© out to the Victorian golddiggings in 1853, but proceeded soon afterwards to Launceston, where his brothers joined him in. 1855. Subsequently he went back to Victoria, but landed finally in Canterbury about 1865, and settled down at Springfield. Mr Markey owned some of the finest horses ever bred in the district. He imported some stallions from Australia, including Messenger and Python, and a number of brood mares which have left their impress upon the thoroughbred stock 1 of the dominion. He bred and ran several siucccssful steeplechasers, notably Mousetrap, the winner of the Grand National in 1878; and was a particularly fine j of cross-coun-try horses, and, as he liked to say himself, of cross-country men. Mr Markey's integrity and love of straight running earned him a' wide circle of friends. He was a popular host, and was most kindly and hospitable to the needy sportsman or crcss-country rider, who always found 1 a welcome waiting at his door. Mr Markey was wedded to his Canterbury home, and to all the urging of his friends to return to Tasmania he replied that lie could not live three weeks without a horse. He was joined many years ago by his brother, Mr Patrick Markev", who was drowned in the Waimakariri River. Mr John Markey, another brother j of St Mary's, Tasmania, came over to New Zealand this year, and was with deceased at the end. Mr Markey was unmarried. He will be held in affectionate remembranco by a large circle of friends who had learnt to appre- J ciato his sterling character and kindly disposition.