OBITUARY

New Zealand Tablet, 28 December 1911, Page 2648

OBITUARY

MR. A. HOPE BLAKE, CHRISTCHURCH.

(From our own correspondent.)

Very sincere sorrow is felt at . the death, which occurred shortly after midnight on last Sunday, of Mr. A. Hope Blake, in his seventy-first year. The late Mr. Blake was one of the oldest and most prominent Catholics of Christchurch, and was ever to the fore in all Church movements ; in fact no one could have been better known and appreciated in this regard. For long years he was associated in choir matters, and from the first opening of St. Mary's Church, Christchurch North, he had been one of the most valued members. He was, too, an active, zealous, and devoted member of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, having held the position of president of St. Mary's Conference ever since its inception, over fifteen years ago. Whilst assiduous in his attendance at the Society's Conference meetings, he rarely, if ever, missed one of the general meetings. The late Mr. Blake was a gifted writer, with descriptive powers above the ordinary ,and was for many years a widely read contributor to current literature. Always of a most genial disposition, he had a happy faculty of making and keeping friends. His life was an eventful one, his youthful days being spent in the most stirring times of New Zealand's history. From the Lyttelton Times I extract the following: Mr. Blake was born on the ship Slain's Castle when she was rounding the Cape of Good Hope on her way to the Dominion in 1840, and he landed in Wellington with his parents in the first month of the following year. His father came out to the new country under contract to the New Zealand Company, but in 1849 he decided to go to Lyttelton. On* the way down from Wellington he was drowned, and he left his wife with nine children to care for and to rear in a rough country.

She fought her battle bravely, and with the aid of her family, and encouraged by the kindness of the settlers, she succeeded admirably. In 1861 Mr. Hope Blake went to Napier and commenced in business as a baker. The outbreak of the Maori War found him in the Napier Militia, and he served at the battle of Oamarunui, an engagement that he afterwards simply but vividly described in his Sixty Years in New Zealand. After the quelling of the rising of the Hau Haus he returned to the bakehouse, and a year later he married, but he also took part in other campaigns against the rebellious Natives. In 1874 his fortunes carried him to Canterbury, and once more he set himself up in a bakery business and continued in charge of it until his death. Two years ago he completed and had published a thoroughly interesting and well written work en the early times in New Zealand, principally the North Island, given to the public under the title Sixty Years in New Zealand. In that modest literary effort Mr. Blake contributed ■ some capable sketches of Maori war scenes and many shrewd delineations of Maori character, coupled with a number of well-told anecdotes. Throughout his life Mr. Blake took an active interest in the Dominion's politics, being closely identified with the fortunes of what is now the Opposition Party, and right up to the time of his death he was a keen critic of the political situation. As a young man he was a first-class rifle shot, and for three years was provincial champion of Hawke's Bay. In music he found another sphere for earnest and enjoyable service, and from 1851 until the Sunday before his last illness he was a member of a church choir, either in Wellington, in Napier, or in Canterbury. Mr. Blake was a highly respected citizen, and a proud and worthy recipient of the Maori war medal. He leaves a widow and four sons.

A Requiem Mass for the repose of the soul of the deceased was celebrated by Very Rev. Dean Hills, S.M., V.G., at St. Mary's Church on last Wednesday morning in the presence of his Lordship the Bishop, who gave the absolution at the coffin. His Lordship, also addressed a few words to the large number of assembled mourners on the many services to the Church and consistent Catholic life of the deceased. A lengthy cortege followed the remains to the Linwood Cemetery, the Rev. Father Hoare, S.M., officiating at the interment. Whilst the coffin was being borne from the church the organist (Mrs. W. Croriin) played the 'Dead March' from ' Saul.'—R.l.P.

MR. PATRICK BROPHY, AUCKLAND.

(From our own correspondent.)

The demise of Mr. Patrick Brophy, of Victoria avenue, Mt. Eden, will be regretted by a very large circle of friends. The deceased was a native of Kilkenny, and arrived in New Zealand about fifty years ago, and engaged in mining in the early days of the Otago, West Coast, and Thames Goldfields. For the last twenty years he has resided at Mt. Eden, Auckland. Mr. Brophy was an active worker in Catholic Church matters, and was held in the highest esteem and regard by the clergy and laity. Feeling references to his death were made by the clergy at most of the Catholic churches on Sunday. Mrs. Brophy predeceased her husband about twenty years ago, and he leaves surviving him a daughter (Mrs. W. R. Stone). The remains were taken to St. Benedict's, where a Requiem Mass was celebrated on Tuesday morning by Rev. Father Carran. There were also present in the sanctuary Right Rev. Mgr. Gillan, V.G., and Rev. Father Golden. Monsignor Gillan addressed the large assemblage in the church, and in touching language referred to the many good qualities of the deceased, who had been a staunch supporter of St. Benedict's Church from its earliest days to the time of his death.' Every priest who had had charge of the parish had been indebted to the assistance and advice of Mr. Brophy. As the coffin was borne from the church, the ' Dead March' from ' Saul ' was played. The interment by the side of his predeceased wife took place in the Symond street cemetery. The last rites were 'performed'by Monsignor Gillan, assisted by Rev. Father Golden R.I.P. ' .