OBITUARY

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 495, 2 July 1932, Page 32 (Supplement)

OBITUARY

Thomas Powell. Mr Thomas Powell, who died at Oxford recently, was an early settler of Canterbury and of the Oxford district. Born in Radnorshire, Wales, in 1856, he came to New Zealand with his parents, landing at Lyttelton in December, 1863. In April of the following year the family went to Oxford. There was no public school, so Mr Powell attended a night school conducted by the Rev D. Dolamore in the Baptist Church. At an early age he went to work, and he engaged in contracting in the district till his marriage in 1882 l?b a daughter of the late Mr M’Kibbon, of Cust. Later he left Oxford and carried on farming at West Eyreton for fourteen years. He then took a block of the Springbank Estate, where he engaged successfully in wheat-growing. In 1911 he returned to Oxford and purchased a farm near his original homestead, where he resided for some years. He bought the homestead block of the Warren Estate, which he worked in conjunction with his home farm. In 1926 he sold his farm and retired to his late residence in High Street, Oxford. As a farmer he was noted fof efficiency, demanding the utmost care in every farm activity. His fences and gates and yards were a model of neatness, and everything was made to last. The same care was exercised over his teams. He was one of the oldest members of the Nil Desperandum Lodge of Oddfellows, having been a member for fifty-seven years. He was also a member of the Oxford County Council for several years. He leaves a widow’, four sons and six daughters. One son was killed in the Great War.

J. Jowett. Mr J. Jowett, who died recently, was born in 1879, and was educated' at the Sydenham School and later at Canterbury College. He is survived by his widow, one son and one daughter. His son has resided in South Kensington, New South Wales, for six years, and his widow and daughter reside in Christchurch. H. H. Knight. The late Mr Henry Hankinson Knight, whose funeral took place at the Papanui Cemetery on Thursday, was the fourth son of the late Mr Arthur Charles Knight, of Tikao and Island Bay, Banks Peninsula, and the late Mrs Knight, Mansfield Avenue. He was sixty-nine years of age. He was I born at Newlands, Christchurch, in 1863, and was educated at Mr Baker’s School, French Farm, also Ross’s Preparatory School ,and later at Christ’s College. On leaving school he went farming with his father on Banks Peninsula for some years, also in the North Island. Later he became a partner in the firm of J. M. Heywood and Co., Christchurch. After retiring from business he became a director of the New Zealand Farmers’ Co-operative Association. Mr Knight always took a keen interest in sport, being one of the members of the Christchurch Football Club when football was played in Cranmer Square, j He was also a very keen tennis and j golf enthusiast, being one of the original members of the St Albans Tennis Club and the Hagley Golf Club. Mrj Knight leaves a widow, a son, two daughters and a grandchild. Peter Wright. Mr Peter Wright, who died recently in Gisborne, was an old settler of Oxford, having commenced farming at his “ Riverdale ” farm in 1873. His first purchase was a small block of sixty acres, but by various addition it increased to about 600 acres and was one of the most productive farms in the district. The greater part of this farm is now held by Mr Charles Gamble. He was born in Nottingham, England, in 1849, and came to the colony with his parents in the ship Zealandia in 1859. While in the Oxford district he was a member of the Road Board and was one of the first to advocate the utilisation of waste water from the first waterrace constructed in 1883. About thirty years ago he took up a station, “ Kaipono,” in Motu, about sixty miles from Gisborne, which he carried on successfully till he retired into Gisborne eleven years ago. He leaves a family of nine, two sons and seven daughters. R. S. Turner. Mr Robert Spencer Turner, who died at Fisherton, Christchurch, was born at Harewood Road, Papanui, in 1855. He was taken by his parents to Woodend and began work as a blacksmith’s apprentice at Cust. Later he returned to Woodend and worked in the smithy of Mr James Little until 1887, when he moved to Amberley, starting business there on his own account and; travelling on a shoeing round as far north as Waipara. His ability as a farrier was widely recognised and horses were travelled long distances to his forge. Of Herculean build, he won laurels as an athlete and rifle shot, and later served as a member upon variotis sports bodies, rifle clubs, miniature rifle clubs, glee clubs, literary and debating societies and the Amberley Town Board. His inherent love of music was not to be denied and starting with little or no tuition he mastered music to the degree that he was for many years organist at the Woodend Wesleyan Church and afterwards choirmaster at Amberley. Leaving Amberley in 1910 Mr Turner came to Christchurch and resided there until his death. He leaves an adult family of one son and two daughters. His wife predeceased him by many years. The funeral, which took place at the Balcairn Cemetery, was largely attended.