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Christ’s College
- 2014 In Memoriam
4878
Aged 88
David
Mayhew Manson
David, the son of Alan and Martha Manson, was
brought up in Christchurch on the Cashmere
Hills. He attended Christ’s College in Condell’s
House from 1939 to 1943.
His love of the sea and ships led him into the
Merchant Navy with Shaw Savill Line, serving in
many of the convoys crossing the Atlantic and
Mediterranean. During his time at sea he became
a highly decorated teenager. His medals included
the 1939-1945 Operational Star, The Atlantic Star,
Pacific Star and War Medal 1939-1945. David
came ashore after the war, continuing with Shaw
Savill Line in their Wellington and Christchurch
offices.
In 1954 he married Rosemary Fay Mulligan (Fay)
and they had two children, Victoria and Crichton.
In 1969 the family moved to Auckland and David
became General Manager of Geo. Thompson and
Co., and then Managing Director of Scholefield
Goodman and Sons in 1976. He took early
retirement in 1983 to look after Fay who died in
1984. In 1987 he remarried, to Diana Fulton, and
after a busy retirement life together in Auckland,
they moved back to Christchurch.
David loved his cricket and was an active
member of the Old Collegian Cricket Club
in Christchurch. He also belonged to Round
Table (charter member), Rotary Newmarket
and Remuera, Probus Clubs in Auckland and
Christchurch, and in his retirement he took up
bowls. David was a police volunteer in Sumner
for 10 years and also a volunteer for the Lyttelton
Torpedo Museum. Many Saturday mornings were
spent on the sideline, watching grandchildren in
their respective sports.
David died in Akaroa on 5 September 2014.
Akaroa had become home while awaiting a
rebuild of his home on Mt Pleasant following the
22 February 2011 earthquake. Sadly he missed
the completion date by one month.
David is survived by his wife Diana, Diana’s sons,
Philip and Nigel Vine, daughter Victoria, son
Crichton, and five grandchildren.