Samuel James Blair
Chief Petty Officer
Died 8 November 1925 aged 67 at Queenscliff (Argus newspaper 9 Nov 1925)
Date of Birth - November 1862 (from Certificate of Service)
Father Abraham BLAIR
Mother Mary ERSKINE
details courtesy of Geoffrey Bensley
The Fay Trophy for Rifle Shooting
Apart from the existence of this trophy, nothing else is known about this competition. Given the large dragon on the item and the Chinese hallmark,
it is likely that this item was acquired in China by the Victorian Naval Contingent that fought in China during the Boxer Rebellion
from July 1900 until May 1901. Most likely the item was brought back to Victoria and used as a trophy for the Fay competition the following year.
Fay Trophy for rifle shooting
Won by Samuel for the third time in 1902
Donated to the Seaworks Maritime Museum by CPO Blair's Great Great Grandson, Ben Bishoff in 2024.
Photographed courtesy of Seaworks Maritime Museum in Williamstown.
Fay Trophy
won by
S. Blair C.P.O.
Three times in Succession
Scores 65 + 65 + 62
H.M.V.S Cerberus
Nov. 1902
WH stands for Wang Hing whose company was active in Hong Kong, Canton (Guangzhou) and Shanghai between 1854 and 1925.
The Chinese character indicates the name of the artisan who worked on the item and 90 indicates that the silverplate is 90% silver.
ACCIDENT AT NAVAL DEPOT.
On Wednesday forenoon a painful accident occurred at the Torpedo Depot to Mr. Samuel Blair, engineroorm artificer, aged 50. The injured man was engaged in burnishing a brass plate when some of the mechanism in use collapsed, striking him hard in the face, breaking his spectacles and inflicting numerous cuts. He was taken to Dr Ester's surgery in Douglas Parade, who extracted the broken pieces of glass and sewed up the cuts. After which he was taken to his home off Dover road, near Steredore street. Previously the patient had suffered the loss of one eye through accident. The injured man is a brother of Chief Gunner Blair.
The Williamstown Chronicle, 24 December 1910
FISHERMAN FOUND DEAD.
Samuel James Blair, fisherman, aged 67, was yesterday afternoon found dead in his cottage, Bridge street Queenscliff. The discovery was made by Mr. Blair's son, who called at his father's cottage about 3 o'clock The man was found lying on the floor, near his bed, in his night attire and had apparently been dead for hours. It is believed that Mr. Blair collapsed when going to bed on Saturday night.
The Argus, 9 November 1925
Brother of Gunner John Erskine Blair (Victorian Navy)
| 