OBITUARY

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10313, 24 January 1927, Page 5

OBITUARY

MR HENRY DUSTAN VAVASOL BLENHEIM, Jan. 22. . The death is announced of Henry Dustan Vavasour, of Ugbrooke station, one of Marlborough's most highly esteemed citizens. Mr Vavasour, lor about ten days, had been confined to his bed. Mr Vavasour was born at Hazelwood Castle in Yorkshire in 1850, and a few days ago celebrated his 77th birthday. He was a descendant or the Stourtons, who were noblemen of the Saxon kingdom hundreds of years before the Conquest. The present head of the house is Lord Mowbray, of Segrave and Stourton, and he is premier baron of England. The late Mr Vavasour was the third son of Sir William Vavasour, one of New Zealand's pioneers, being associated with tlie Cliffords and Sir Frederick Weld in sheepfarming ventures. Young Vavasour drove from Wellington to Warekaka station, Wairarapa, the first mob of sheep landed in New Zealand. The deceased gentlemun was educated at Oseott College, near Birmingham, and later studied farming. in 1871 he came out to- New Zealand via America, and .proceeded to Elaxbourne, and was engaged in slieepfarming there for two years, in 1873 he was appointed temporary manager and looked after the station for eighteen months, and later took up land in Taranaki, where he resided till 1880. While there lie was chairman and secretary of the Tatnraiwaka Road Board, a member of the -New Plymouth Harbor Board, member of the first Taranaki County Council, and also secretary of the Agricultural Society. In 1889 Mr Vavasour came to Elaxbourne, where be was manager for twelve months. Then lie went to Southland, and returned in 1882 as permanent manager of Elaxbourne, a position lie held lor fifteen years. 1n*1897 he purchased part of the Vernon run and Ugbrooke, selling tlie former subsequently. The late Mr Vavasour married in 188/ at Blenheim Miss uertha Mary Redwood, daughter of the late Mr lbomas Redwood, of Burleigh, and niece of Archbishop Redwood, 'lucre were twelve children. The eldest son, George, was killed at Passchendale, tlie second son Rollo also died in active service in France and a daughter died at school in England. Ihe surviving members of the family are Mrs lan Johnston (Wellington), Madame ' avasour, of the Sacred Heart Convent, Sydney; Mrs F. P. Reid (Blenheim), Messrs E. J. Vavasour (Fairlie), Francis N. Vavasour, of the Jesuit Seminary, Roehampton, England- Gerald Vavasour, now in Canada, and H. H. and John and Philip Vavasour, of Ugbrooke. During his residence in Marlborough the late Mr Vavasour was associated with the following local bodies : Awatere Rabbit Board, Awatere Road Board, Marlborough Racine Club (president for eighteen years) and Marlborough Sheepowners’ ’Union (president seventeen years.) He also was president of the Farmers’ Union and the Marlborough A. and P. Association, and was on the directorate of the Vairau Freezing Company, which initiated the frozen meat industry in Marlborough, and which was succeeded by the Christchurch Meat Company. Mr Vavasour was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1877, and held a commission till his death. —P.A.