Macabre Souvenir

A knife with a springbok foot handle is a fittingly exotic reminder of the globetrotting adventures of William Stewart Lochhead. Lochhead was born in Dunedin in 1880, trained as an engineer and served as a signaller during the South African War (1899-1902). This is when he probably picked up this rather macabre souvenir. After the war he was involved in mining operations in Nigeria and Brazil before joining up again during World War One. He served in engineering units before the Navy. Eventually Lochhead appears to have settled down. He fathered three children with his wife Lillian and spent the last years of his life living in New Plymouth. He died in May 1957 and eventually items from his estate were donated to Taranaki Museum including diaries, photographs, militaria. Also among the collection are a camel saddle and whips, an African sword and the cumbersome wood and canvas folding chair that he took with him on his travels.