Obituaries Australia

The news will be learned with general regret of the death of Dr. Erasmus Wren, who passed away at 9.30 o'clock, last night at his residence, "Aratong,", Fox-street. The deceased gentleman, who had nearly reached the venerable age of 90 years, having celebrated his 89th birthday last October, had been in failing health for some considerable time. Some few months ago he had a serious attack which it was thought at the time would result fatally. But he rallied from that attack. Within the past three or four weeks, however, he again appeared to be losing strength, and during the past four days he had been practically unconscious. Dr. Stoker had been in attendance upon Dr. Wren for some time, and did much to smoothen the last days of a brother member of the medical profession, whose spark of life had been flickering for many months. The end was, despite Dr. Wren's rapidly failing strength, not wholly expected, but in his frail condition it was known that his death could not be far off.

Dr. Wren was one of the best known residents of Wagga during nearly a third of a ceutury, and had been the family medical man of a very large number of families in this district. Although the deceased doctor did not take a prominent part in public affairs his personality was well known to everyone until late years, when owing to advancing age, he relinquished the practice of his profession. Born in England in the teens of last century, that is to say in October 1815, Dr. Wren lived in the reigns of no fewer than five British Sovereigns, namely, George III, George IV, William IV, Queen Victoria, and Edward VII. He took his first degree—that of Licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries, London—in 1837, the year in which Queen Victoria ascended the throne. Subsequently he became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, England, and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh. Coming to this part of the world as a young man, Dr. Wren first settled in Tasmania, where he practised his profession. Then coming to the mainland he resided at Deniliquin for some years, being in partnership with Dr. Joyes. In January, 1874, the deceased came to Wagga with his then young family, most of whom survive him, and since then, until recently, he actively carried on the practice of his profession, being for several years associated with the late Dr. O'Connor in connection with the work of the Wagga Hospital.

The late Dr .Wren, whose wife predeceased him by some years, had a large family, which comprised nine children, five daughters and four sons. One daughter is dead, and the other daughters are Mrs. Fenner, who has been her father's constant companion and devoted nurse for some time; Mrs. William Wren, whose husband is manager of Messrs, Tooth and Co.'s Kameruka Estate, near Bega; Mrs. Condon, of Sydney; and Mrs. Bcntley, wife of the manager of tho Lismore branch of the, Australian Joint Stock Bank. The sons were Mr. Walter Wren, who is a station owner; Mr. Harry Wren, a solicitor, formerly of Narandura; Mr. Erasmus Wren, and Mr. Frank Wren.

Dr. Wren who was a justice of the peacc for the State, was for many vears Government Medical Officer for the Wagga district. The funeral has been arranged for todav, and the cortege will start from the deceased's late residence at 3 p.m. for the Wagga Cemetery.