Obituaries Australia

Henry St John, n.d.

The late Mr. Henry St. John passed away peacefully at his residence, 'Norwood,' Port Macquarie, on Sunday, July 23rd, 1939. The deceased gentleman was a son of the late Mr. Frederick St. John, Surveyor General of Customs, and was born at Norwood, Sussex, England, in 1852. He was educated at St. John's College, Hurstpierpoint. Later on he desired to leave the land of roses, justice and freedom for the land of the 'Southern Cross' and its open spaces. On arriving in Sydney he spent some considerable time in the office of his friend, Colonel Chisholm. Later on he came to Port Macquarie to Doctor Neild to gain experience in the sugar industry, and from that on he transferred his attention to agriculture. The late Mr. St. John married Miss Jessie MacDonald, of Edinburgh, Scotland. There are seven children of the union, namely, the Reverend Canon F. de Porte St. John (Quirindi), the Rev. H. B. St. John (Gosford), Mr. Ambrose St John (Brisbane), Mrs. R. W. Wilson (Rollands Plains), and Misses Vi, Mary and Alma. The only surviving sister is Mrs. Tyrwhitt, R.N., and cousin of Admiral Sir Reginald Tyrwhitt, who was Naval A.D.C. to the late King George. In 1929 the deceased again returned to the land of his birth, and visited the family seat, the home of the Rt. Honourable Beauchamp, 16th Lord St. John of Bletsoe. The funeral took place on Tuesday morning at St. Thomas's Church, where the Reverend Canon L. E. J. Gray, assisted by the Reverend Canon F. de Porte St. John, officiated. The singing of the hymn, 'Lead Kindly Light' was particularly appropriate to the occasion, being composed by his very dear friend, Cardinal Newman, with whom he spent several months at the Oratory. Father Ambrose St. John and Canon Edward St. John were residents at the Oratory. The pall bearers were Messrs. John Downes, B. H. Pountney, W. Little, and Donald Wilson. — “The Port Macquarie News.”