OBITUARY.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20222, 5 February 1934, Page 9

OBITUARY.

Death of English Business Man. Mr William Arthur Briscoe, chairman of directors of Briscoe and Co., j Ltd„ who was on a tour of inspection of the firm’s branches in New Zealand, died suddenly in Christchurch on Saturday, at the age of seventy-four years. Mr Briscoe was educated at Harrow and Brasenose College, Oxford, where he gained the degree of Master of Arts, He resided at Longs to we Hall, Cambridgeshire, and was a Justice of the Peace. , r . Briscoe and Co., Ltd., one of the largest hardware firms in Great Britain, has branches in Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch. Dunedin, Timaru and Invercargill, and Mr Briscoe, who had been chairman of directors for thirty years, had made eighteen business trips to Australia and New Zealand during the last forty years. He arrived in the Dominion only a fortnight ago to inspect the company’s branches. Mr Briscoe’s interests were by no means confined to his business. He was a noted litterateur, and had written a number of plays and poems. K The Sea Maiden” was performed in the Guildhall, Cambridge, and a poem, entitled “ Betsy Ann,” attracted attention. He also published a collection of war poems. Besides being interested in shooting and hunting, Mr Briscoe was a good tennis player, and also performed well at lawn tennis. In addition to his business, he managed his farm property at Longstowe Hall. Mr Briscoe is survived by his widow, whose maiden name was Miss Boughey, and two sons and daughters. The eldest son, Captain R. G. Briscoe, M.C., M.P., is the member for Cambridgeshire, and has held the seat in the Conservative interest since 1923. The youngest son, Mr Basil Briscoe, is trainer for Miss Dorothy Paget, the well-know T n English racehorse owner. Mrs T. P. M. Bevan and Mrs M. A. Churton, of Yorkshire, are the two daughters. Mr Bevan, who came out to New Zealand with Mr Briscoe, will reside in Auckland, and assist Mr A. G. Graham, managing director of the company in New Zealand. Mr J. P. Macneil, of Melbourne, a director of Briscoe and Co., who is visiting Christchurch, received, a cable yesterday informing him that his father, Mr A. Macneil, chairman of the dominions board of the company, had been killed in a motor accident. Mr Macneil’s family was well known in Dunedin, where he was educated at the Otago Boys’ High School and Otago University. Other members of Mr A. MacneiPs family are the Rev A. R. Macneil, chaplain of Scots College, Melbourne; Mr A. D. Macneil, of Rand, New South Wales; Mrs D. F. Flockart, of Melbourne; and Miss E. J. Macneil. John A. Lennie. Mr John A. Lennie, the eldest son of the late James A. Lennie, one of the early horticulturists of Southland, who arrived at the Bluff in 1862, in the first direct passenger ship from Glasgow, died suddenly in Invercargill yesterday, at the age of sixty-six. The late Mr Lennie, who was a brother of Mr T. D. Lennie, of Christchurch, had enjoyed the best of health until recently, when he was overtaken by illness. He was in Christchurch with his daughter on a holiday just before Christmas. He was the Government Horticultural Officer for Southland, and associated himself very actively with Presbyterian Church work in the suburb of Waikiwi, where he lived. His wife died about three months ago, and he leaves a son and a daughter. .