Timothy John Daniel LYNCH [957]

  General Notes:

1912/6283 NZ Birth Lynch Timothy John Daniel, Emily Jane, Timothy (old fiche folio 2090 registration district, Stratford)
1983/37475 NZ Death Lynch Timothy John Daniel; 29 February 1912 dob

Obituary
MR TIM LYNCH [picture inserted]
A TRUE SPORTSMAN IN THE WIDEST SENSE OF THE WORD
"Tim was a true sportsman in the widest sense of the word."
The death occurred recently in Auckland, of Timothy John Daniel Lynch, a resident of the Matamata district for 40 years.

During his life in the district, Tim's contributions to the world of sport were second to none.
The words spoken by his friend of many years, Mr Doug Johnston, were a fine tribute to his support, encouragement and enthusiasm, both as a competitor and an administrator.

Tim was born in Stratford on February 29, 1912 and spent his boyhood at school in Auckland.
In 1925 he came to Matamata with his widowed mother, who later married Mr Mick Kaveney, Matamata's only stationer at that time, and his sister Eileen (Mrs Doug Cannell).

Farm work was the way of life in Tim's early years and Tim took any job available, mainly in the Hinuera district.

INFLUENCE:
His happiest years were spent working for and with Pike and Elizabeth Johnston whose philosophy and courage in adversity had a lasting influence on Tim.

He went from farm work to factory work, in both Te Poi and Waharoa factories and sport became synonymous with his way of life.

A sporting "natural", Tim took up tennis in the summer.
His winter game was rugby. As a member of the Hinuera club he worked through the grades to become a Matamata Sub-Union representative playing in both the Peace and Findlay Cups from 1933 to 1936.

With a shift to Aucklandto find work in 1936, with the economy still struggling after the depression, he changed codes to rugby league - a matter of expediency in his job search which saw him spend the years until 1940 working on the wharves.

Tim enlisted in early 1940 and was soon on his way to the Middle East in the 24th Battalion.
A regular player in the Battalion team he returned to rugby on his arrival home from war service in 1943.

With the support and assistance of Dr Jim Mackereth, Tim purchased a farm at the foot of the Kaimais in Te Poi when in 1945, he married Miss Mavis Molesworth of Matamata.
His 20 years on the farm saw his interest in sport flourish to the benefit of the entire Matamata district.

Tennis first claimed his interest and with his enthusiastic support and assistance the Te Poi Tennis Club, which had been in recess, was re-established.

CORINTHIAN:
In 1946 Tim convened a meeting of rugby enthusiasts, which Dr Mackereth chaired, and the Corinthian Club was born.

Tim's idea was that games should be played with the proceeds to assist injured players.
His idea was formed with his old friend Pike Johnston in mind.

As a young coach in the early thirties, Pike had been called into his team as a replacement - a few minutes later he was carried from the field on a stretcher with a spinal injury that took him through the next 40 years of limited and painful activity with a courage and fortitude that impressed all who knew him.

The success of the Corinthian venture saw Pike and his wife and family established in a state house in much improved circumstances and with the loyal support of rugby enthusiasts over the ensuing years of his life.

Time took to bowls at the Rewa Bowling Cloub in the early fifties and went through the administrative ranks to become president in 1963.

It was then that another Tim Lynch "brainstorm" took off like a rocket and the Matamata District Combined Clubs Tournament of the Waikato - was started.

And although Tim never claimed a club title, he certainly had many credits to his name on a higher level.

In 1962 he was three in the team with Doug Johnston, Jack Somerville and Merve Lansdown which won the Waikato Easter Fours and in the same year, played three in a team with Trevor Roband, Mark Madill and John Simpson which won the National RSA Fours at Napier.

In 1974 Tim teamed up with Doug Johnston, Merv Lansdown and Nev Bishop to win the Taranaki Open Fours, the largest tournament on the New Zealand outdoor bowls programme. Four years earlier the same team had been runner up in the tournament - the first time they entered it.

In 1977 the same team of friends, Doug, Tim, Merv and Nev, won the tournament Tim had instigated - the Matamata District Combined Clubs Fours.

And last year Tim skipped his Mairangi Bay team to victory in the prestigious Auckland Executive Fours Tournament.

Golf was another love and as a member of the Matamata Golf Club he is credited with a record that would be hard to beat.

As a "beginner" playing off a 24 handicap, the limit handicap in those days, Tim did a 79 off the stick for a 55 nett!

Tim left Matamata, to retire in Auckland in 1965, with a cabinet full of trophies, a handicap of four and the Lynch Cup, for four ball best ball competitions, one of the premiere events on the Matamata Golf Club calendar.

He continued his golfing interests in Auckland at the North Shore Golf Club and was in fact playing golf the day his final illness struck him.

FAMILY MAN
Tim was a loving and caring family man, who enjoyed a happy partnership with his wife Mavis and the company and interest of his children, Clare, Tim junior, Michael and Kerry.

Perhaps some of the words spoken by Doug Johnston at Tim's funeral service best summed up Tim "A man so lovable and diverse in nature".

TYPICAL
"It was typical of the man that he did not seek high office in sporting administration, equally typical that he could formulate good ideas, enthuse others with them and then quietly work in the background to bring them to fruition," said Doug.

"Tim's knowledge of sport was encyclopaedic - many an argument was settled by referring the question to TJ.

"Yes, Tim was a true sportsman in the widest sense of the word."
We will all recall his wonderful sense of humour - who will ever forget that sly, quizzical grin coming over his face to preface a witticism, usually of Irish vintage, and often so surprising and unconventional?

Tim is survived by his wife, one daughter and three sons.

  Other Records

• Baptism: transcription, 1912, Stratford Catholic Church, Taranaki, New Zealand.

• NZ Electoral Rolls 1853-1981: farmer, 1963, Tauranga Rd, Te Poi, Waikato, NZ.

• Tim Lynch (JSimpson MMadill TLynch TRoband): Bowles Championship, 1963, Napier.

• Timothy John Daniel Lynch: Corinth Football Club, 1970, Matamata, New Zealand.

• NZ Electoral Rolls 1853-1981: retired, 1981, 1/43 Kitchener Rd, North Shore, Auckland.

• Obituary: Newspaper pg1, 1983, Auckland.

• Obituary: Newspaper pg2, 1983, Auckland.

Timothy married Mavis Nassau MOLESWORTH [958] [MRIN: 316], daughter of Cyril Dover Nassau MOLESWORTH [19286] and Una Maude WRIGHT [19288], on 30 Jun 1945 in St Andrews Presbyterian Church, Matamata, New Zealand. (Mavis Nassau MOLESWORTH [958] was born on 24 Apr 1924 and died on 12 Nov 2009 in Auckland, New Zealand.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Tim & Mavis Lynch: Wedding, 1945, Matamata, New Zealand. (Image Courtesy of Clare Lynch)

  Marriage Notes:

New Zealand Herals, Volume 82, Issue 25266, 28 July 1945
Marriage Notice:
LYNCH — MOLESWORTH.— On June 30, at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Matamala, by the Rev. I. S. Williamson, Mavis, younger daughter of Mr and the late Mrs C. D). Molesworth, Matamata, to Timothy John, only son of Mrs M. Kaveney, Matamata.