French Polynesia

Death Of Tony Bambridge

He Helped To Keep French Polynesia French

Although the rain came down in torrents, some 2,000 people turned out in Tahiti on August 3 to take part in the funeral of Tony Bambridge, one of French

Polynesia’s leading citizens, who

died in Los Angeles on July 29 and whose body was flown to Tahiti for burial.

BAMBRIDGE (affectionately A known throughout Tahiti simply as Tony) was a staunch French patriot, who made a name for himself as a politician, businessman and philan thropist. News of his death was a signal for almost universal mourn ing in Tahiti.

French Polynesia’s Governor, Mr.

Aime Grimald, said in a tombside speech that Tony was “one of the great figures of this France of the Pacific”. And he certainly was, for twice in his career he played an im portant part in keeping French Polynesia French.

The first was in 1940, when he helped to rally the Tahitians to the Free French flag of General de Gaulle after the island had had a brief flirtation with a pro-Vichy Governor.

Eighteen years later, he organised

public opinion in favour of remaining in the French Union in the face of strong independence movement headed by the now exiled Leftist leader Pouvanaa a Oopa. (This was at the time when General de Gaulle held referendums in all French colonies to see whether they wished to stay in or leave the French Union.) In French Army Tony, who was born in Tahiti in 1895, was head of the island’s numer ous Bambridge family. He was a descendant of an English carpenter who settled in Tahiti in the early 19th century. His full name was Antony Pierre Tetuanui Pootahi Bambridge.

After a brief schooling, he worked for a while as a hairdresser and then became an apprentice cooper. He enlisted in the French Army in World War I, was wounded at Chemin des Dames, and returned to Papeete with a Croix de Guerre. In Papeete he established a shop called “Au Chemin des Dames”, and later became lessee of the Cinema Modeme, the first of the many picture theatres he was to control.

After getting in and out of debt, Tony collaborated in the production of several films, including White Shadows, Tabu and the first version of Mutiny on the Bounty.

In between times, he established plantations and developed an import business which became one of the most important in Papeete. In 1944, he extended his commercial empire by buying the assets of the old-estab lished firm of S. R. Maxwell & Co.

In 1948, he bought the Bambou Cinema and organised a film circuit in the districts of Tahiti and neigh bouring islands.

Helped The Lepers

From 1930 onwards, when he began free film shows for Tahiti’s leper colony at Orofara, Tony was one of Orofara’s best friends and benefactors. He was also responsible for numerous acts of kindness and generosity towards many other people in Tahiti.

In politics, Tony played an im portant part behind the scenes, and for a number of years after the war, he served as a member of the local Privy Council.

Tony was made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour in 1949 and an Officer of that order 10 years later.

Tony married Emilie Haereraaroa in 1920 and they had three children, Mathilda, Anthony and Rudy, all of whom survive.