Obituary CAPT. A. H. DAVEY

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31001, 5 March 1966, Page 24

Obituary CAPT. A. H. DAVEY

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, Mar. 4.

Captain Arthur Henry Davey, former master of the Awatea, died in Auckland this week. He was 87. He retired from the Union Steam Ship Company, Ltd., in 1940. The Awatea, which was on the trans-Tasanan run before the war, was later sunk in the Mediterranean by enemy action. Captain Davey was one of the most colourful sea personalities of his time. He had a large greyhound atj tached to the foremast of the Awatea to indicate that. his ship was the greyhound of the Tasman. He would never admit to racing his ship, but in an unofficial race from Auckland to Sydney in 1938, his exploit in beating one of his rivals, the old Mariposa, made headlines in New Zealand and Australia. He was born in Dunedin and first went to sea in the barque Onyx. He gained his master’s certificate in 1903. His first command was the Kini in 1911, and he was captain of at least 23 ships. During World War I he served in the Persian Gulf in the Katoa. He is survived by one son. MR G. TOLLERTON A veteran theatrical agent who promoted Vera Lynn’s first New Zealand tour in 1963, Mr G. Tollerton, died recently at Surfers’ Paradise. Australia. He was 66. Mr Tollerton retired last year because of ill health after 40 years of theatre work. Mr Tollerton, who was born at Grantham, Lincolnshire, came to New Zealand in 1914. He began his theatrical career as a magician in the 19205. Since then he had worked as a ventriloquist, comedian, compere, promoter, tour manager and agent. In 1920 Mr Tollerton became a foundation member of the New Zealand Society of Magicians. He was editor of New Zealand’s first publication on magic, “Te Tohunga,” in 1925. Mr Tollerton is survived by his wife and daughter.