Newspaper Article 1947 – Obituary – Mr Oswald Nelson

Obituary

Mr. Oswald Nelson

The death occurred yesterday of Mr. Oswald Nelson, a well-known sheep-farmer and sportsman of “Mangapapa,” Mangateretere, and fifth son of the late Mr. William Nelson, founder of Tomoana freezing works. He was aged 79 years and occupied a prominent place in the rural life of the community.

Born at Kenilworth, in the County of Warwick, England, he came to New Zealand in 1841 and had spent his life in Hawke’s Bay. [This sentence refers to his father, William Nelson, who was born in 1843 and came to New Zealand in 1863 – HBKB]. For many years he farmed at Mangateretere part of the original property acquired by his father and his uncle, the late Mr. Fred Nelson, in the ‘sixties. It was here that for some years the Hawke’s Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Society held its annual shows. Subsequently the property was subdivided and later part of it again came into the possession of Mr. Oswald Nelson, and his wife.

He was known throughout the district for his keen interest, knowledge and understanding of horses and dogs.  A skilful rider, he was an ardent huntsman and participated in many exciting steeplechase and hunt meetings. He was a hard riding and skilled polo player in his younger days, being a prominent member of the Hawke’s Bay Polo Club when it was well known throughout New Zealand.  He not only represented this province, but gained national honours as a polo player.

From his boyhood days he was well known for his intense interest in rabbit dogs and for more than half a century he was rarely seen without his pack.

Apart from the Hunt he was a well-known racehorse owner and among his best-known and most successful horses were Emotion, Hunting Cat, Passion Fruit, Passion Flower, Rimamatene, Jonjula and Jazz Boy.

He was a successful and prominent competitor in the horse events at the Hawke’s Bay and other agricultural and pastoral shows.  He was a member of the County Club, Hastings, and a former member of the Hastings Club.

He married in Hastings in 1908 [1906] Miss Gladys Sunderland, a daughter of the late Mr. G. L. Sutherland, well known in Hawke’s Bay and Poverty Bay as a sheepfarmer and an executive member of the staff of Nelson Bros. Ltd.

He leaves two sons, Messrs. Richard Benson Nelson and William Oswald Nelson, and one daughter, Miss Dora Nelson.  Two other daughters, Mesdames Ronald Pattullo, Maraekakaho, and Archer, Tasmania, died some years ago.  There is also left two brothers, Messrs. W. H. Nelson, Woodville, and George Nelson, Havelock North, and two sisters, Mesdames J. E. Lane, Havelock North, and Hector Smith Korokipo.

The funeral will leave his late residence, Mangateretere, at 2 p.m. tomorrow for the Havelock North Cemetery.