Death of Mr. 'Dick’ Laycock

Well-Known Solomon Is. Planter

Prom Our Own Correspondent HONIARA, April 21.

WITH the death of Mr. R. C. (Dick) Laycock on May 16, at his planta tion, Papari, Ysabel, BSI has lost one of its really old identities and one of those few remaining pioneers who know the Protectorate like the palms of their hands and have done their share towards its development.

Mr. Laycock’s Islands career dated frqm about 1905, when he arrived in the Group as a tall young man to take a job in the late Billy Pop’s workshop at Aola, Guadal canal. Two years later, he opened up a store at Balusuna, not far along the coast, gradually expanding his activities until he was in a position to start the big store in Tulagi which was to be later the basis of Messrs. W. R. Carpenters’ in terests in the Solomons.

The sudden drop in the copra price at the end of World War I hit Mr. Laycock hard, but, undefeated, he set to work and firmly rebuilt his fortunes. One of his secrets was an immense popularity among his boys—indeed, hundreds of Solomon Islanders knew of “Dick” almost as a sort of tradition—and another his capacity for hard work.

He had a brother who joined him in the Protectorate and lost his life during a recruiting expedition on Makira.

Devoted to boats, Mr. Laycock owned, during 40 years, a succession of craft too numerous to recall. His lugger, “Joan,” was used, under command of the late Gordon Train, to evacuate Chinese from Choiseul at the onset of the Japanese in vasion, and remained in war-time Government service after the civilian evacuation of the Solomons.

Mr. Laycock returned to the Protec torate after the Pacific war in the epic trip made by Southern Cross early in 1946; and, of the thirteen former resi dents battered and tossed on that un lucky journey, he was the only one to return to anything resembling his former possessions. He found his house still standing, the “Joan” was waiting, and so were his stores and bags of shell, which his devoted boss-boy had taken inland and securely hidden. Sadly enough, this faithful servant died just before his master’s return.

Mr. Laycock’s death came as' a great shock to all his friends in the Protec torate. Although in indifferent health for some time, he had visited Honiara a few days before and cheerily fraternised with local identities. He died, alone, at Papari, shortly after he returned home and was buried near his coconut palms.

Mr. Laycock was a correspondent of the Pacific Islands Monthly almost from its first issue, 20 years ago. His pungent, well written articles, based on sound common sense, received much favourable comment.