|
 Francis Joseph “Frank” Marshall was born in Banbury, England, in 1860 and was educated at Bedford.
He was the third of eight children born to Joseph and Mary Anne
Marshall. In 1888 he married Jane Turnbull, the eldest of eight
children born to John and Jane Turnbull. Jane and Frank did not have a
family. Frank had been raised to country life and developed an aptitude
for stock management. It was through this interest that contact was
made with Messrs T and S Morrin for the management of stock on
Lockerbie estate. After ten years under his management stock numbers
there had increased from 1300 sheep and a few cattle to more than
20,000 sheep and a corresponding number of cattle.
Lot 12 and Lot 68 in Studholm Street are two of many local properties
with past association with Mr Marshall. Mr James Harp”s title (19/10)
initially dated 1st January 1880 was transferred to Mr James Rowe,
butcher, in October 1886, his having been in occupancy since 1883. In
October 1887 the title was registered in Mr Marshall’s name, and the
butcher developed into one of the best of its kind in the Waikato. In
September 1918 the business was transferred to Mr H B Hopkins. Lot 68,
directly opposite Lot 12, was registered in Mr Marshall’s name in
November 1905. The National Bank leased its premises from November 1919
until their own building was completed in Thames Street in 1924.
Mr Marshall was involved ina wide range of local interests which
included the Morrinsville School Committee; Chamber of Commerce; the
Morrinsville Agricultural and Pastoral Society – he was its president
from its inception in 1919 through to 1922; the local Hunt Club and the
Waikato Hunt Club; the Thames Valley Rifle Club and the Defence Rifle
Club; the Piako Mounted Rifles (he was Lieutenant); the Cricket Club,
Bowling Club, Hockey Club, Tennis Club, and was an active member of the
Anglican Church and its warden for a period.
He was known as an astute judge of horseflesh and held wide-ranging
interests in this are and not only owned race horses in New Zealand but
also in Sydney, Australia. His racing colours of black and white
stripes were often seen first past the post. He represented horse
racing on the New Zealand Sports Protection League.
In 1907 he had been a member of the the Morrinsville Improvement
Committee and was elected to the inaugural Town Board the following
year and then returned each year through to September 1918, he not
standing as a candidate then due to doubt as to his eligibility through
having entered into business with the Board.
He had offered the Board fifty-eight acres for a Recreation Ground
after the decision was made not to proceed with a Native Land Reserve.
The Board had accepted and financial arrangements were made.
However, in May 1921 Mr Marshall became the first Mayor of Morrinsville Borough – through to 1923.
Little is recorded of Mrs Marshall’s interests though she must have
been a stalwart for the Plunket Society for in 1936 she was made a Life
Member of Morrinsville’s Branch in recognition of her services since
its formation in 1919.
Frank died at Falmouth Street, Murray’s Bay, Auckland, in 1943.
This biography was published by the Morrinsville Historical Society in
2008 in “Beyond the Landing. The Centennial of the Establishment of the
Morrinsville Town Board in 1908.” It is copyrighted to the Morrinsville
Historical Society.
The book also notes “that John Turnbull came in 1873 to manage William
Innes Taylor’s Te Au-o-Waikato block that stretched from the
neighbourhood of the Topehahae Stream to Kiwitahi.” Karaka Bay was part
of the Taylor farm, where John had previously worked.
|
