Obituaries Australia

Obituary

MAJOR CHARLES CUNNINGHAM

Service at War

The death took place yesterday at the age of 74 years of Major Charles Stuart Cunningham of Egelebra Williams road South Yarra.

Major Cunningham who was a brother of Sir Edward Cunningham formerly Editor of The Argus was born in Hobart. As a boy he was employed in The Argus office aud after a period of service on the reporting staff he resigned to engage in shorthand work at the Law Courts and established the service still conducted by his successors under his name.

Although aged 50 years he enlisted for service at the outbreak of the Great War and served in Sir John Monash s brigade'. After service in Egypt he suffered a serious illness. When he recovered he was taken on the headquarters staff to organise and administer a postal service for the whole of the Air. On his return to Melbourne he was appointed to establish and control the repatriation system for Victoria. When this work was established he retired and resumed his work at the Law Courts.

In recent years he had confined his activities to business concerns in whicn he was interested. He was a director of several companies. In his younger days Major Cunningham was a keen oarsman. He was one of the selectors for and assisted in the coaching of the Australian eight-oared crew which won the Grand Challenge Cup at the Royal Henley on Thames Regatta in 1912. It later competed unsuccessfully at the Olympic Games regatta in Stockholm. He was the rowing contributoir to The Australasian for many years under the name of Tingle and he was captain of the Mercantile Rowing Club from 1889 to 1894. As a member of the club he won many championship and senior races. In 1890 he rowed No 7 in the Victorian crew, stroked by Mr Bob Nicholson which won the inter colonial boat race on the Panamatta River (NSW).

Major Cunningham was twice married. He leaves a widow, one son and three daughters, of whom Miss Margaret Cunningham, principal of Fintona School Balwyn is the eldest. Three of his brothers are living, Sir Edward (Melbourne) and Robert and Roland who are in London. Mrs Cunningham is widely known as an active and generous supporter of seveial charitable movements.

The funeral arrangements have been made by A. A. Sleight Pty Ltd. The funeral will leave Sleights Chapel St Kilda road at 3 p m to day for the Springvale Crematorium. A service by the Rev. J. Golder Burns, assisted by the Rev Hugh Kelly will begin at 2.45 p m.