Obituaries Australia

Further to the brief announcement last month of the tragic death in a car accident of Mr. Percy Cecil Kensit, of Aubyn Vale, Narrawa, N.S.W., it was no surprise to those who were his friends to know that he died as he had lived—doing a kindness. With all his quiet demeanour, courtesy, and ever-ready smile he had a great strength of character and determination, fixed to a standard of the highest integrity in every phase of his social and business dealings. He indeed was an individualist, who set an example to others, and it was characteristic of him to offer on that fateful day of 5th November to drive some of the station employees into Crookwell. The accident occurred on the way home, just near the station entrance at a sharp bend in the creek, the bank of which had been washed away in the previous year's flood.

Percy Kensit was born at Woodford, Narrawa, in 1888. He was one of the family of six sons and six daughters of the late Henry Kensit, J.P., who came to Australia in 1846 and took up Woodford in the late '60s. He was a brother of Mrs. John Ferry, the Ferrys being a distinguished family of weavers, with interests in the woollen mills of France, Belgium, and Holland. Last year marked the celebration by the Ferry family of the 110th anniversary of their firm's silk spinning industry, which produces the most exquisite craftsmanship devoted very largely at times to the manufacture of Royal Robes. Those used by King Edward VII at his Coronation were made by the Ferrys, as indeed were many others required by the monarchies of Europe. During one of his visits to England the late Mr. Kensit was presented by the Guild of Cloth Weavers with a complete set of English Coinage minted in gold.

After serving with the 53rd Infantry Battalion, A.I.F., on the Somme and elsewhere in the 1914-18 World War he and his brother Sidney V. settled down to build up a valuable wool growing flock based on Coonong blood and a large commercial herd of cattle, favouring for the latter the Devon-Shorthorn cross, as expounded to their father by James Marsden, from whom Henry Kensit had purchased Aubyn Vale in 1905. P. C. and S. V. Kensit's Aubyn Vale Stud of Devons became very well known from its inception in 1934 until during the last war, when man power troubles brought showing to an end. It is still doing good business, however, with its stud cattle.

Between them the Kensit brothers put together over 20,000 acres in the Narrawa-Crookwell district and also had Sylvia Vale, near Crookwell and Rock Lodge at Cooma. Percy Kensit was a conscientious member of the Masonic Club, and for many years was a member of the Crookwell A. & P. Society, the Crookwell Picnic Race Club, and the R.S.L. Some evidence of the esteem in which he was held was seen at the combined military and masonic funeral service accorded to him at Narrawa.

The late Mr. Kensit loved horses and expressed his sportsmanship in breeding and racing thoroughbreds in partnership with his brother, Sid, or with his wife. These horses included Star Bloom, Blue Lilac, Man of Law, Moondale, Hinges, Rail Sled, etc.

Mrs. Kensit, who survives her husband, with their 17 year old daughter Barbara, was Miss Dulcie Booth, of Narrawa. Only three weeks before his own death Percy Kensit's brother-in-law William Kelly, of Corringle, had passed away. His five brothers survive him, being William Kensit, of Baan Baa; Harry, of Sydney; Sidney, of Reidsdale; Frederick, of Llandillo; and George, who resides in the old family home of Woodford. Three of his sisters are living and three predeceased him. The latter were Mrs. Wm. Kelly, of Rugby; Mrs. G. Gay, of Boorowa; and Mrs. Mary Sheppard, of Wheeo Homestead. The surviving sisters are Mrs. John Gay, of Wheeo; Mrs. Frank Brown, of Wheeo; and Mrs. A. H. Wheelwright, of Rosedale, Rugby.