PIONEER’S DEATH

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 663, 17 January 1933, Page 7

PIONEER’S DEATH

Mr S. R. Webb, ex-Mayor of Lyttelton. ARRIVED' HERE IN 1858. The death has occurred of Mr Samuel Rollin Webb, of 51, Normans Road, Papanui, at the age of 84 years. Mr Webb was a well-known figure in Lyttelton in the early days, serving for many years as Mayor and Borough Councillor there. For the past twenty years he had been living in retirement at Papanui. Born at Ramsgate, Kent, in 1848, Mr Webb came to Lyttelton with his father, mother, three brothers and seven sisters in 1858, on the ship Regina. The family settled in the town and Mr Webb’s father took up business as a bootmaker. The boy had received some of his education in England, but attended a private school at Lyttelton and later went to the Lyttelton Public School. Upon leaving school, Mr Webb worked with his father at Brenchley Farm, Lyttelton, and then took up work with Mr Olliver, a Lyttelton baker. When his father died, Mr Webb took over his business and ran it for many years, while he also ow r ned a nursery on the hill above the old gaol and a milk-round. Xiong Service. Mr Webb was elected to the Lyttelton Borough Council in 1880, and remained a member almost continuously until 1915. He was Mayor in 1882, 1883, 1887, 1888, 1904, 1905, 1906 and 1907. It was as Mayor in 1883 that he laid the foundation stone at the Seamen’s Institute. He had been a Justice of the Peace for fifty years, being one of the first appointments here. In 1887 Mr Webb married Miss Sophie Dobrmann, also of Lyttelton, who, by a coincidence, came out to New Zealand as a baby on the same ship that had brought Mr Webb from England. They did not meet for many years, though they both lived in the port most of the time. Twenty years ago Mr Webb gave up business and came to live in Christchurch with his wife and family. On leaving Lyttelton he was presented with an illuminated address as a mark of respect from the citizens. Mr Webb was an ardent worker in the cause of temperance. While at Lyttelton he was a Sunday school teacher at the Methodist Church, and for many years he was a member of tlie executive of the British Empire Foreign Seamen’s Society. He was keenly interested in gardening. Mr Webb is survived by his widow r , four sons (Messrs P. R., E. N., H. D. and H. K. Webb), and two daughters (Misses A. I. and D. S. Webb). Mr E. N. Webb, the second son, is a civil engineer in India. He was a member of the Mawson Expedition to the South Pole and served with distinction with the Australian forces during the Great War.

Mr Edmund R, Wheeler.

The death is announced of Mr Edmund R. Wheeler, of Stoke Cottage, Sumner, at the age of ninety-one years. Mr Wheeler was born in Gloucestershire on October 27, 1842. For many years his family lived in Birmingham. He received his education at the King Edward Grammar School, Birmingham, and Edwin Arnold, who afterwards became Sir Edwin Arnold, writer of “ The Light of Asia ”, was the headmaster. . . As a student, Mr Wheeler distinguished himself by brilliant scholarship in Greek, Latin and French, and was at one time the dux of the school. As a young man of twenty years of age he came with his father and mother to Christchurch in the year 1863. Before leaving England he had interested himself in the latest methods of photography, and shortly after his arrival in Canterbury he set up a studio under the name of E. Wheeler and Son. He specialised in scenic photography, and became a leader in that class of work, as it affected New' Zealand scenery. In the year 1894 he published two volumes of New Zealand scenery, known as the “ Imperial Album of New Zealand Scenery”. About twenty years ago Mr Wheeler moved to Sumner, with Miss Wheeler, his only sister, and lived a more or less retired life, but he still retained the friendship and affection of a large number of Christchurch citizens connected with the Anglican Church. For a long period Mr Wheeler conducted the book review column for the “ Christchurch Times,” and up till the end of 1932 he continued to contribute occasional reviews. He was an enthusiastic book collector, having an extensive library, of which he w r as very proud. A few years ago he published a book of short stories called “ The Cabinet Secret He is survived by his sister, now in her ninety-fourth year, his only other relative being Mr H. C. Lane, of Spreydon. Both Mr and Miss Wheeler were deeply interested in musical matters, and were old members of the Royal Musical Society of Christchurch. Mr Wheeler’s home was known for its wonderful display of flow'ers and plants. His outstanding culture and good nature endeared him to a very wide circle of literary friends. Until three weeks ago he enjoyed the best of health, and w'as a conspicuous figure in Sumner.