The Late Capt. Hadfield.

Manawatu Herald, 30 June 1892, Page 2

The Late Capt. Hadfield.

On May 4th, at noon, the remains of Captain Hadfield were laid in the tomb in the cemetery attached to St. Catharines Church, Ventnor. Only four weeks have passed since we recorded the burial of Miss Hadfield, the second daughter of the deceased, when her remains were laid by her mother in the vault, thus so soon reopened to receive her surviving parent who had followed her to the grave.

With the death of Capt. Hadfield has ended the oldest iamily name in the Undercliff. He was born, we believe, in the house now known as Coombe Wood, Bonchurch, and we have been told by Mr Hadfield,. his father, that he had hini3elf planted nearly every tree growing in Bonchurch, the greater part of which he then possessed.

At the early age of seventeen, Captain Hadfield entered the Army, but retired after fifteen year;.' service, and acquired the Highcliffe property, where he has since resided. Of his family of eight, but four survive, besides the youngest daughter above mentioned— the eldest daughter, wife of Dr Sharpnell ; and three sons in New Zealand, of which colony the youngest brother of Captain Hadfield is Primate. Two other younger brothers survive him, both Colonels one late of the Idian Army, the other of the Eoyal Marines.

Captain Hadfield was a man of considerable reading, and was especially a naturalist, many of his papers being published by the Association,^ and he^ was a valued contributor- to the 'Zoologist and other periodicals on ornithology, for many years. He was a gentleman par-excellence, and by all who were reckoned amongst his friends, his death will be a source of sorrow ; although at the age of full 85 years, the span of life had been more than usually prolonged. We may remark, however, that Captain " Hadfield's father attained his 93rd year, and, like his son, enjoyed all bis faculties until his death. — Home paper,