Percival Vincent Locke, death July 1911, Penang

The Late Dr. Locke. A GREAT LOSS TO MUNICIPAL LIFE IN PENANG. Record of His Career. Penang, July 13. At the meeting of the Municipal Commissioners this afternoon, a resolution of deep regret was passed at the death of Dr. Locke. The President, Mr. Peel, alluded sympathetically to deceased as an old inhabitant who possessed unequalled knowledge and great interest in local affairs. The loss of deceased's advice and cooperation in Municipal affairs would be greatly felt in Penang. Owing to Dr. Locke's death, Methodist's engagements at the coming Penang races are cancelled. The untimely death of Mr. Percival Vincent Locke, M.B., C.M., of Penang, which was briefly intimated in a telegram from our Penang correspondent yesterday, removes from the ranks of public workers in Penang a gentleman of exceptional merits, kindly energies, and widespread interests. Not only was he a professional man witih a very extensive practice, but he was also well-known as an active municipal administrator, an ardent sportsman and a keen stocck-breeder. Mr. Locke was born in Penang in 1869, of mixed parentage. His father was Mr. Alfred Percival Locke of the Indian Staff ; his mother was a Chinese lady of English education. Mr. Locke's education was started at the Penang Free School and continued at Raffles Institution, Singapore, at both of which he showed early aptitude. Winning a Queen's Scholarship in 1887, he was enabled to go to Europe and matriculated for the medical course at Edinburgh University, where he gained a scholarship in anatomy and physiology and finally graduated M.B., C.M. On his return to the East, in 1893, he was appointed Deputy Health Officer at Penang, and later came to Singapore as House Physician at the General Hospital. His stay there, however, was very short, for in 1894 he returned to Penang and established himself in private practice. Since that date his interests have increased and multiplied. He had served for several terms on the Penang Municipal Council, was a member of the Committee of the Penang Medical Association, and was one of the best-known members of the Penang Turf Club. His racing stud has from time to time included such well-known animals as Alden, the winner of the Governor's Cup in 1902 ; Flycatcher, Surprise, Mayblossom, Penelope, and Chevalier. His stock-breeding hobby led him to experiment very largely with crosses of Australian and Sumatran animals, from which mixture he secured excellent results. Mr. Locke was no less well-known as a large landed proprietor and as a man of considerable acumen in business matters. His death will cause general regret, for Penang has few citizens with the same untiring versatility as the late Mr. Locke. [The Straits Times, 14 July 1911, Page 7]