OBITUARY.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 June 1919, Page 3

OBITUARY.

I THOMAS M. INGRAM. ( We regret to record the dentil of an old and esteemed townsman, Thomas M. Ingram, who passed away last evening about 11 o’clock, after a brief illness of a couple, of days, deceased having been about as usual, though very frail of late. Deceased was born on June 16th, 1834 in Hayle, Cornwall, and'was therefore 85 years of age. He left his home in company with a brother and uncle, sailing from Liverpool in Dec 1854 in one of the famous Blackball liners, the James Baines, for the Australian gold-fields, filled with that spirit of adventure so characteristic of the old pioneers, and arrived in Melbourne after a smart pasSagc of 65 days in February 1855, He went to the diggings, but never settled on them, and worked at ono of his trades as a printer, at the Melbourne “Age,” also the Williams- ! town “Chronicle.” Went later to Bcecliwqytli and was overseer of the “Oven’s and Murray Advertiser” for a time. Then he went to Ballarat and started business as a hairdresser in its palmy days. Hearing of the gold discoveries in New Zealand, he determined to try his fortune there and arrived in Otago | in 1562, commencing a hairdressing and tobacconist business at Port Chalmers, J staying there about 4 years. Then went l from there to the West Coast arriving in Grcymouth in 1866 and started a hair dressing business in Boundary Street, doing well, but the roving spirit was too strong and lie decided to go back to Victoria, stopping 3 weeks in 1866, at Hokitika for a steamer. He arrived back ■ again in Ballarat and opened out in bus ; iness for a short period as a hairdresser, leaving that place for the Coast again and landing in Hokitika in 1868, follow-j ing his late occupation as a hairdresser j for over 50 years here, with the except- 1 ion of a trip homo to England to see his j brothers and sisters about 17 years ago! of about 8 months duration, arriving) back in Hokitika and remaining herej ever since, being a colonist of 64 years! last February. A widow and grown-up J family of two daughters, (Mrs Perfect 1 of Blackball, and Airs Taylor of Aga-! hero), and two sons, (Thomas, the well- j known hairdresser, and Archibald, mate! on the s.s. Paeroa), are left to mourn j their loss and they will have the sym- j paty of the community in their bereave- \ ment, !