Insert in the Otago Witness.16/6/1925

Thomas Gawn

An old respected resident of Balclutha, in the person of Mr Thomas Gawn, passed away on Tuesday morning about 4 o’clock. Deceased, who was in his 79^th year, had been ailing for some time and had been confined to bed for nearly two years. He had been a resident in Balclutha for nearly 50 years and up until 9 years ago followed his occupation of saddler and harness maker, and was well known in the farming community of the district. He was born in Ireland and was the 4^th son of the late John Gawn, farmer, of Halftown, Co. Antrim and served his apprenticeship to the trade of saddler in Belfast. Afterwards he came to New Zealand in the ship Schleswig Bride, which arrived at Port Chalmers in 1868 and for some time Mr Gawn was employed at his trade in Dunedin. Later he started in business on his own account at Outram and then went to Balclutha. It is worthy of note that Mr Gawn was a second cousin of the late Field Marshall Sir Henry Wilson, who was murdered by Sinn Feiners in London in July of 1922. Mrs Gawn predeceased her husband, passing away in September 1922. A grown up family of four survives him.