Isaac William Lovelock

PASSING OF A PIONEER.

LATE MR I. W. LOVELOCK. EARLY SETTLER OF MANAWATU. Tho fast decreasing band of pioneers of tho Aianawatu lost yet another of its members yesterday by the death of Air Isaac William Lovelock, which occurred at his late residence, Rangitikei line, shortly after two o'clock. The deceased gentleman, who can be numbered as one of the earliest residents of that rural area, was born at Wellington 79 years ago, his brother having had tho distinction of being the first white child born in Wellington within the confines of what is now tho city proper. His parents had originally come out to the colony by the sailing ship Bolton, from Aiaidstone, Kent., Wellington being reached in the month of Alay, 1840. At that period the Empire City was but a struggling village, and by arrangement with the shipping authorities the new settlers were allowed to remain on board pending tho erection of their rude homes on snore. Naturally the whares were of the crudest, Air Lovelock, senr, erecting his home of ti tree with roof thatched with fiax, and it was there that the senior adult member of tho family was born the following month. Mr 1. W. Lovelock was born some seven years later. He secured his schooling at tho Finamore private school, but even after entering upon the more strenuous pursuits of lire he continued his studies at a night school. His first occupation was as a fellow worker of fiis brother-in-law, Air W." Tonks, who sull resides at VVelllington, at the brick works,, but with tho passing years he was engaged in reclamation work and, indeed, assisted in the first work of this nature to bo undertaken on the waterfront, while he also undertook contracting work, carting metal for the WellingtonPetone railway lino. A man of many parts, ho also filled the rolo of tally clerk on the construction work of the old Government buildings, while he brought four shipments of horses from Tasmania to New Zealand, many of tlje mares going to form the foundation of the stud stocks of the South Island. In this work ho had the proud record of never losing an animal on the voyage, despite the difficulties under which he laboured in the davs of sailing craft In 1873 he made his first acquaintance with this district, having, in company with Air Pudney, of Petone, secured tho contract for tho formation of the main road which even today connects Sandon with Carnarvon. Apparently realising the future 'pros-, pects of this district, Air Lovelock returned in' the year 1878 and purchased the farm property on Rangitikei Line at the price of £ll per acre, and which is to-day a tribute of his labours, for with' advancing years he refused all offers to sell.

In those early days Palmerston North was but a village with narrow roads threading tho countryside and to divert from off tho actual road was to become bogged in deep mud. Native trees ran riot in the Square, which was threaded with sheep and cattle tracks, while in the centre was the railway station, post office and goods shed, all in one small building. It speaks something for tho generous spirit which pervaded the inhabitants of those days when, despite the paucity of their numbers, Mr and Mrs Lovelock found, on their arrival, five carts awaiting them, they having been placed at their disposal for the transportation of their household chattels. The farm property itself was set in a small clearing of native bush, yet to-day little indicates the unceasing labour entailed in converting that bush strewn area intoVtlie smiling countryside of to-day. '

The deceased gentleman was the first supplier and, indeed, was for a period, the only supplier at Skerman’s Silverley’s dairy factory, but in the succeeding years' the value of tho industry was fully realised and a company was formed for the purpose of establishing a factory, but the earliest of the suppliers had to bo content with the acceptance of 2jd per gallon for their milk, which was but small reward for the difficulties of transport. Mr Lovelock was a practical farmer and enjoyed a wide reputation as 1 a breeder of horses and pigs and in tho years gone by his name was prominently associated with his Berkshire pigs gaining for their breeder innumerable prizes. Despite the many calls demanded of him on tho farm, Mr Lovelock for 20 years sat on the committee of tho Newbury school, while he had held membership in the Foresters' Lodge for a period of 50 years. Failing health made itself apparent about twelve months ago, and in October ’ast he sought medical advice. An inward disease precluded any hope of his ultimate recovery, but he faced the outcome most philosophically and was of a contented mind right up to the end. Within a fortnight of his death he was out and about, > and it was only ten days ago that he was compelled to tako to his bed, where death overtook him peacefully, bringing to a close a long and particularly active career.

There are left to mourn their loss a widow and family of eight sons and four daughters, tho members being Messrs W. I. Lovelock fAwapuni), F. E. B. Lovelock (“Waverley Island,” Eureka, Waikato), H. C. Lovelock (Grey street), D. J. Lovolock (Church street), G. it. Lovolock (“Onepuhi,” Marton), L. L. Lovelock (Fitzherbert street), A. C. Lovelock (Woodville) and H. D. Lovelock (Newbury), and Mesdaraes W. J. Brogden (Fitzherbert street), A. J. Will (Rongotea), J. W. Oliver (Woodville) and H. J. Matthews (Kopane). One son, Levi, died during tho war period in Featherston Camp.» Mesdames W. Tonks, of Wellington, and D. Thomas of Carterton, are sisters of the deceased. There are also 32 grandchildren. The sympathy of a wide circle of friends will bo extended to Mrs Lovelock and family in tho severe loss they have sustained.

Obituary The death . occurred at .Palmerstin North on Wednesday of Mr. Isaac William Lovelock, one of the e-rly settlers of the Manawatu. The late Mr. Lovelock was born in Wellington, 79 years "ago, his parents having arrived here in May, 1840, in the ship Bolton. His brother., is said Jo have been the first white child born within the confines of what is now Wellington City proper. Educated at the Finamore private school, and at a night school, he later worked with his brother-in-law, Mr. W. Tonics, at the latter's brick works, and afterwards astisted in some of'the first reclamation work donj here. Apart from acting as contractor for the carting of the metal for the Wellington-Petone-railway line,'he was also tally clerk on the construction work of the Government Buildings, while he also brought, without losing an animal, four shipments of horses from Tasmania to New Zealand. In 1873, with "Mr. Pudney, of Petone, he secured the contract for the formation of the main road between Sandon and Carnarvon, and five years later l.e purchased for £11 an acre a farm property on the Rangitikei Line. Mr. Lovelock was a practical farmer and en joyed a wide reputation as a breeder of horses and pigs. He was a member of the Foresters' Lodge for 50 years. The late Mr. Lovelock is survived by a widow and family of eight sons and four daughters. One son died during the war at Featherston Camp.