Mr. John Seymour Theobald was the only son of the late Mr. John Theobald, of Spratton Hall, Spratton, Northampton, England, and the eldest grandson of the late Mr. John Theobald, of Bedford Row, Stockwell. London, who was well known on the turf as the owner of the Stockwell stud, and left half a million of money at his death in 1849. His mother's father was Major-General Richard Augustus Seymour, Colonel of the 15th Hussars, and Governor of the Island of St. Lucia, W. Indies, where he was accidentally killed in 1817. Mr. Theobald's aunt on his mother's side was Lady Barlow, wife of Sir Robert Barlow, an Indian judge, and his only sister became the wife of Mr. John Gatehouse Raymond, of Shaftesbury, Dorset, whose son became the Rev John Story Raymond of Hemington Rectory, Bath. Mr Peter Thelluson, of Brodsworth Hall, Doncaster, was a first cousin of Mr. Theobald, on his father's side. Born in 1829, the subject of this notice was left fatherless when but five years old, and was educated at Boulogne, France, and in England, under the guardianship of his grandfather. He was married in 1857 to Miss Persis Barter, eldest daughter of the late Mr. Thomas Norris, of River View, Dunmanway, County Cork, Ireland, and resided in Ireland till 1883. In that year the family came to Lyttelton by the s.s. “Tongariro” on her first trip, and settled in Gloucester page 374 Street West, Christchurch, where they resided till Mr. Theobald's death on the 28th of August, 1895. For about five years Mr. Theobald was sidesman of Canterbury Cathedral, and was a well-known figure in connection with the Public Library, but had to resign both positions owing to ill-health. At his death he left a widow, two sons and one daughter, who is married to Mr. John Richard Belcher, of Kaiapoi Island; a third son having pre-deceased his father.