Fr. John Leather, 0.P.
The Dominican Fathers at Haverstock Hill have lost by death a member of their community who for many years was associated with the London priory. In the early part of this year, Fr. John Leather, 0.P., became ill, and his friends learned with grief that a grave malady of the throat had been discovered. In spite of his suffering the sick priest continued with his work, and he celebrated Mass as recently as last Sunday week. On the following day he saw a specialist; on Wednesday, the 14th inst., he received the Last Sacraments; and on the 15th he died.
Fr. Leather was the survivor of two brothers who joined the Order. As a young man, not long ordained, he was appointed to Haverstock Hill and became assistant to the late Fr. Austin Rooke, at whose death he succeeded as parish priest, holding that office for a long period. He was one of the last of the London clergy to carry on the work begun by Cardinal Manning in the League of the Cross, the branch at St. Dominic's enduring after most of the other parochial centres of the League had come to an end.
From London, Fr. Leather went north. He was for some time prior at Pendleton, Salford, and his work will be remembered also at Newcastle-on-Tyne. There followed, in recent years, a period of service at the Novitiate House at Woodchester, after which Fr. John returned to Haverstock Hill, there to spend the remainder of his days. A short time ago he went as a pilgrim to Lourdes, where in 1922 he had been spiritual director and preacher to the pilgrimage from England led by the late Bishop Hanlon.
Last Friday evening Fr. Leather's body was taken to the priory church, where on Saturday a solemn requiem Mass was sung, followed by the funeral.
Sir Charles Clifford, Bt.
Sir Charles Clifford, who has died in New Zealand in his fifty-fourth year, was the third baronet of his line. He was unmarried, and the succession passes to his uncle, Walter Lovelace Clifford, a man of eighty-five. The baronetcy was created, in 1887, as a further honour to Sir Charles Clifford, already knighted, a former Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives.
Charles Lewis Clifford was the only son of Sir George Clifford by his second wife, Janet, daughter of Mr. J. Burnett, of Nelson, N.Z. He was educated at St. Patrick's College, Wellington, and at Stonyhurst. During the Great War he served as a lieutenant in the Lancashire Hussars Yeomanry, and was attached to the Lancashire Fusiliers in Macedonia and on the Western Front. He succeeded his father in the baronetcy eight years ago. During his latter years Sir Charles Clifford went in extensively for sheep farming.
The Hon. G. C. Pantin
A vessel leaving England next Monday is taking back to Trinidad the body of the Hon. George Cecil Pantin, whose death took place recently at Interlaken, Mr. Pantin came to this country, for a muchneeded holiday, in June last; later he visited Lourdes and Rome, going from Rome to Switzerland, whence the news of his illness and death came as an unexpected shock.
In George Pantin, Trinidad loses one of its leading Catholic citizens. A native of the island, he had there spent the greater part of his busy life of fifty-seven years. He practised as a solicitor and was the oldest surviving Notary Public in the colony. He was president of Trinidad's Catholic Social Union, treasurer to the Union of his old school, St. Mary's College, and latterly a Nominated Member of the Legislative Council. He served also on the Education Board and on many Government committees.