[3] He received his education at St Leo's High School.
In the early 1890s he competed as a cyclist winning the 25 Mile Championship of New Zealand in 1891.
His father had set up a coach business that supplied the West Coast from Christchurch.
A good athlete in his youth, his interest changed to trotting later on.
[7] He contested the 1929 Christchurch mayoralty but was beaten by the incumbent, Rev John Archer.