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William Grovenor (1831–1908)

On Tuesday morning, 26th ult., Mr. William Grovenor, J.P., the honoured head of an honoured family in Gunning district, passed away. His end came very suddenly; he, with his youngest son, Leo, was superintending some work in one of the paddocks at Stangrove, when he suddenly fell forward unconscious, and though Leo, leaving Mr. G. Noble to support his father, raced for medical aid, which promptly arrived, it was of no avail— the soul had fled. Mr. Grovenor was born at Wilberforce in 1831, but came back with his parents at an early age to Gunning; there he spent the rest of his life and there he died, loved and respected by all, for it may be truly said he had not a single enemy; his blameless life, his cheerful smiling face, his readiness to rejoice in the joys and sympathise in the sorrow of others, and his promptness in, and happy knack of checking all uncharitableness, made it impossible for any to do otherwise than regard him with affection, and constituted a character as beautiful as it was rare. For many years the deceased gentleman carried on the milling business in Gunning, now carried on by Mr. Line, of Goulburn, but of late had resided on his nice little property of 'Stangrove,' about a mile from the town, which property was to the dear old man the apple of his eye, and he was never happier then when showing a visitor over it. He was a model churchman, rarely absent from Mass, and seldom allowing more than a week, and never more than a month, to pass without receiving Holy Communion; he gave generously to the original church, the presbytery, the convent, and lastly, to the beautiful little church at Gunning, and where his name may be seen among those of other generous supporters, on a tablet. The funeral took place on the 27th ultimo, and notwithstanding the shortness of the notice, and inability of some (among them his dear old friend, Father John Dwyer, of Tumut) to attend, was very large and representative. The pupils of the convent school marched in front of the hearse, and the chief mourners were his widow, his brother Richard, of Newtown, and his seven sons, James (City Bank, Goulburn), Chas. H. F. (Victoria House, Gunning), Ernest A. (Melbourne), Archie (Yass), Stanley (Sydney), with Stirling and Leo (Gunning). The Rev. Father O'Shaughnessy officiated at the grave, and on Sunday, 31st ult., made touching reference to his deceased friend, expressing his earnest hope that, on the occasion of his Month's Memory, 25th June, the people would show their love and respect for him, and their desire for his eternal happiness, by their presence at Mass and at the Altar rails.

Original publication

Citation details

'Grovenor, William (1831–1908)', Obituaries Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/grovenor-william-24612/text33290, accessed 19 March 2024.

© Copyright Obituaries Australia, 2010-2024

Life Summary [details]

Birth

26 December, 1831
Wilberforce, New South Wales, Australia

Death

26 May, 1908 (aged 76)
Gunning, New South Wales, Australia

Cause of Death

heart disease

Cultural Heritage

Includes subject's nationality; their parents' nationality; the countries in which they spent a significant part of their childhood, and their self-identity.

Religious Influence

Includes the religion in which subjects were raised, have chosen themselves, attendance at religious schools and/or religious funeral rites; Atheism and Agnosticism have been included.

Occupation