Obituaries Australia

Mr. Spencer Atkinson Hall, who died at McLaren Vale on Monday, was well known in that district. Born near Willunga on May 21, 1861, he had lived most of his life in the south. His father died when he was quite young, and his mother afterwards married Mr. J. Martin, well known and respected in the Willunga district. Mr. Hall joined the staff of the Bank of Adelaide in Adelaide in 1882. After a few years in the head office he was appointed manager of the branch at Marree, where he married Miss Walsh, a resident of that district. In 1888 Mr. Hall was transferred to the Noarlunga branch, to which was attached an agency at Aldinga. Later, as McLaren Vale developed into a wine-growing district he opened an agency in that town, all three offices being attended by Mr. Hall alone. When the National Bank withdrew from Willunga in 1893, Mr. Hall opened an agency in that town. Soon afterwards, owing to its central situation, McLaren Vale was transformed into a branch, of which Noarlunga, Aldinga, and Willunga were agencies. Mrs. Hall died over 20 years ago, leaving two sons, Messrs. Alan and Conrad Hall. The latter a few weeks ago married a daughter of Mr. C. F. Wreford, the present manager of the bank at McLaren Vale. There are also two daughters, Mrs. H. P. Shaw and Miss Lola Hall. A few years later Mr. Hall married Miss Catherine Kay, a daughter of Mr. William Kay. Owing to indifferent health Mr. Hall retired from the bank's service in 1923, and purchased the well-known property "Tsong Gyiaou," at McLaren, where he lived until his death. Although living in retirement he took much interest in everything pertaining to the welfare of the district. He was president of the Willunga Agricultural Society, the Willunga Rifle Club, the McLaren Vale Poultry and Kennel Club, and the McLaren Vale Brass Band, and patron of the Southern Football Association and the Southern Farmers' Association.