The death is announced with regret of Mr. Gavin Lindsay Campbell, a former well-known resident of Shanghai, which occurred on January 3 at Edinburgh.
Mr. Campbell was in his 58th year, having been born in February 1880 at Foulden, Berwickshire, where his father was minister of the parish. Educated at Stewart's College Edin burgh, he received his early business ming in a Glasgow insurance office. He came (out to Shanghai for Messrs. Butterfield & Swire in the autumn of 1903, and was a member of their insurance department for three years and then resigned to join the staff of Messrs: Gibb, Livingston & Ca. with whom he xas associated until 1928. After his retirement, he remained in Shanghai for a further seven years, during which period he was a member of the staff of the American Asiatic Underwriters Inc. He finally left China in August 1935, since when he had resided in Edinburgh.
Throughout his long fareer in Shanghai, Mr. Campbell enjoyed a high reputation for soundness of judgment and general business acumen among fire and marine insurance men and by all who came into contact with him. He was for many years a valued member of the Committee of the Shanghai Fire Insurance Association, of which he served for a period as chairman.
Outside business, Mr. Campbell had many interests. He became a member of the Committee of St. Andrew's Society at an early period of his residence in Shanghai, and was appointed Honorary Secretary in 1905 or 1906, holding the position for a number of years. He served on the Committee without a break until becoming President of the Society in 1919, in succession to the late Sir Everard Fraser.
Volunteering was one of Mr. Campbell's hobbies, He had served as a private in the Glasgow Highlanders for three years before coming to China, and on arrival in Shanghai he immediately became a member of the old Maxim Company, S.V.C., rising to a lieutenancy in the company. He remained a member until 1914 when, on the formation of the Shanghai Scottish Company, he transferred his allegiance, being given a commission as lieutenant under the command of Captain Colin H. Rutherford, on whose retiral he succeeded to the captaincy of the company. In 1919, ihe ranks were augmented by the joining-up of a number of new members, many of whom had taken part in the war. Feeling that it would bẹ for the company's good to have as its commanding officer one of these "returned warriors", Mr. Campbell decided to resign his command, and voluntarily reverted to the status of private, continuing his active asso= ciation with the unit until about 1927, During his early years in Shanghai Mr. Campbell was a keen member of the Rugger club, and until his departure from China he was always to be seen watching the games each Saturday.
For many years Mr. Campbell had a place among Shanghai's leading lawn bowlers. An original member of the Shanghai Lawn Bowls Club, founded in 1913, he became Captain in 1920 and Hon. President in 1925. He was the winner of the Club's singles championship in 1923. About a dozen years ago, he was selected to skip the Shanghai rink in an interport match against Hongkong, played on the SL.B.C/s green, and it was very largely owing to his individual prowess that Shanghai won the game in the final end. Possessing a congenial temperament, "Gavin" was held in the highest esteem by the members of the various bowling clubs and by all who knew him intimately in other than bowling circles.
He was a member of the Shanghai Club and Shanghai Race Club, serving on the committee of the former club for several years.
He is survived by Mrs. Campbell, a daughter and a son, the daughter being the wife of Mr. W. Fergus Johnston of Messrs, Butterfield Swire, Canton. The son, it is understood, is connected with the Edin~ burgh office of one of the Scottish banks.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.