Obituaries Australia

The death took place in Mudgee on Tuesday last of the Venerable Archdeacon Ephraim Dunstan, at the advanced age of 73 years.

Deceased was a native of Wilberforce (Hawkesbury district), and was a son of the late Tristram Dunstan, who died five years ago at the great age of 94 years. The late Archdeacon obtained his M.A. degree at Sydney University when about the age of 22 years. After passing through the Moore College course he entered the Anglican ministry, his first parish being Forbes, which at that time was very large and unwieldly. The deceased, however, was a man of extraordinary energy, and he did a vast amount of work in this district in the spiritual uplifting of the people. He was also a man of unbounded generosity, and it is related of him that he once gave the boots he was wearing to a tramp whom he met on the roadside without any covering for his feet. His scholarly attainments were also well known, and he educated and trained many candidates for the ministry. After leaving Forbes, where he was rector for many years, Mr Dunstan went to O'Connell. He then became locum tenens at St. David's, Surry Hills, and was afterwards made Archdeacon of Mudgee. This position he held from 1903 till 1911, when owing to failing health he re-signed from active service in the ministry. He was also a Canon of All Saints' Cathedral, Bathurst, and until recently Vicar-General. He was held in such high esteem by the people of Mudgee that when he resigned he was granted an honorarium of £100 a year whilst he lived. His place at Mudgee was filled by his brother, Rev. W. J. Dunstan, who was also rector at Forbes for 17 years, and with whom he was staying at the time of his death. As a matter of fact, the whole of the deceased's brothers who are clergymen, have at one time or another been ministers at Forbes. In addition to the Rev. W. J. Dunstan, recently made a Canon, other brothers are the Rev. C. C. Dunstan, Rector of Bondi, and the Rev. Tristram Dunstan, Diocese Commissioner. It is safe to say that in their sad hour of trouble the bereaved brothers and five sisters have the sympathy of their host of Forbes friends.