Optometrist, sportsman, leader in community
Eric Harold Grocott, QSO, 1906-1999
On March 8 1971 the Waikato Times ran an article titled Second retirement will be his last – the subject matter was the retirement of Eric H Grocott from service with the Waikato division of the Cancer Society. He had worked for eight years as the secretary-organiser for the branch, during which time he had spoken to more than 90,000 people and travelled more than 27,000 km per year.
The first time Grocott retired was from his practice as an optometrist. That was in 1961.
He followed in his father Harold’s footsteps by training to be an optometrist. Eric left for studies in London in September 1927, returned a year later and within two weeks advertised as “London Qualified Consulting Optician FSMC, FBOA, Fellow of Institute Ophthalmic Opt’ions (England)”.
That is: a Fellow of the Spectacle Makers Company (England) and Fellow of Ophthalmic Opticians of England, and later: Fellow of the British Optical Association (London).
Eric and Harold were based at Grocotts Buildings (scheduled under the Operative District Plan) in Victoria St but in the late 1920s-30s also offered their optometry services in Matamata, Huntly, Cambridge, Te Awamutu and later, Waihī, usually fortnightly on set days.
A lengthy advertorial published in the Waikato Times on June 1 1932, “Are we doomed to wear spectacles?” elaborates on the need for wearing specs, and which “with the modern trend of with their dainty and attractive styles, do not detract from the appearance of the wearer”.
And of course, at Grocotts there was “a range of spectacles to suit all tastes and individual requirements”.
After Harold retired in 1930, Eric took over the optometry business. He was vice-president of the Waikato Optical Association in 1939.
Eric H Grocott Limited was incorporated on May 13 1954 as a NZ Limited Company, and operated for 42 years until its dissolution on August 12 1996.
Eric and Harold were involved with the Sunshine League at Waikato Hospital, both on the committee in 1930, Harold having been the president or secretary previously.
The Sunshine League was established in 1922 with the aim of assisting hospital staff in providing additional comforts for patients. Eric was a keen sportsman, particularly amateur athletics and swimming. He played a lot of golf, an interest he shared with his wife Frances (nee Barclay) who he married in 1931.
Eric was not only the president of the Hamilton Amateur Athletic and Cycle Club, he actively participated. In 1932 his prowess in the high jump was noted, “in going to 5ft 4in, and with training should easily be capable of reaching 5ft 8in or 9in, as he has a particularly easy style”.
In November 1937, as secretary of the Hamilton branch of the National Committee of Swimming and Life-saving, he noted the serious lack of swimming ability among children, and advocated for tepid baths to be built.
The committee had called for applications from children from Standard 3 upwards who required swimming tuition and, he said, “Imagine our dismay when on compiling our lists we found that 661 children from 11 schools were keenly seeking instruction”.
Eric and Frances divorced in February 1944. At the end of 1944 Eric married again, to Margaret Benton – they were both involved with the Hamilton Swimming Club.
Margaret (Pat) taught children how to swim,andattheopeningofthebathsat Hamilton East School in December 1944, she gave a demonstration of the latest methods of teaching, having trained squads of boys and girls for the purpose.
Grocott was involved not just with sports organisations, he played bridge, was a member (and often the local chairperson) of Rotary, Hamilton City Pakeke Lions, the YMCA, the Crippled Children’s Society (later CCS) and the Hamilton Amateur Operatic Society. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1969. In 1979 Grocott was made a Companion of The Queen’s Service Order for Community Service (QSO) – clearly well-deserved. After a full and busy life, Eric Grocott died peacefully in his sleep in 1999, aged 92.
He was survived by his five children and 12 grandchildren. In keeping with his involvement with the CCS, the family requested that in lieu of flowers donations be made to CCS Waikato.