Charles Gordon Dearing (9 March 1908 – 2 August 1962) was a New Zealand fencer who won a silver medal at the

1950 British Empire Games The 1950 British Empire Games was the fourth staging of what is now called the Commonwealth Games. It was held in Auckland, New Zealand between 4 and 11 February 1950, after a 12-year gap from the third edition of the games. The main venue was ...

Early life and family

Born in

Islington Islington () is a district in the north of Greater London, England, and part of the London Borough of Islington. It is a mainly residential district of Inner London, extending from Islington's High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the ar ...

, London, England, on 9 March 1908, Dearing was the son of Hannah Dearing (née Hards) and Joseph Stephen Dearing, a painter and decorator. The family emigrated from Britain in 1913, intending to settle in Argentina, but later moved to New Zealand. In 1933, Charles Dearing married Irene Alexandra Jeffs in Auckland, and they had one son, Rodney, born in Whangārei in 1938, who would go on to be the director of the Museum of Transport and Technology in Auckland. Charles and Irene Dearing divorced in 1943, and Charles married Rosa Joy Saxton. In 1940, Dearing graduated from Auckland University College with the degree of Bachelor of Commerce.

Fencing

In 1946, Dearing was runner-up in the men's individual foil competition at the New Zealand national fencing championships held in Auckland. The following year, he finished third in the same event at the national championships in Christchurch. Dearing represented New Zealand at the

in Auckland, alongside

Austen Gittos Austen John Gittos (13 November 1923 – 7 December 1986) was a New Zealand fencer who won a silver medal at the 1950 British Empire Games. Biography Born at Onehunga on 13 November 1923, Gittos was the son of Benjamin Frank Gittos and Gladys ...

Murray Gittos Murray Benjamin Gittos (4 January 1920 – 20 November 2014) was a New Zealand fencer, who won a silver medal at the 1950 British Empire Games. Early life and family Gittos was born on 4 January 1920, the elder son of Benjamin Frank Gittos an ...

and

Nathaniel Millar Nathaniel Malcolm Millar (10 May 1915 – 3 June 2011) was a New Zealand fencer who won a silver medal at the 1950 British Empire Games. Born in the Dunedin suburb of Roslyn on 10 May 1915, Millar was the son of Daisy Stewart Millar (née Car ...

in the men's team foil competition, winning the silver medal. Dearing also competed in the individual men's foil event, but did not progress after winning only one bout in the elimination pool.

Death

Dearing died on 2 August 1962, and his body was cremated at Purewa Crematorium, Auckland.

References

1908 births 1962 deaths People from Islington (district) Sportspeople from the London Borough of Islington English emigrants to New Zealand University of Auckland alumni New Zealand male foil fencers Fencers at the 1950 British Empire Games Commonwealth Games silver medallists for New Zealand Commonwealth Games medallists in fencing Medallists at the 1950 British Empire Games {{newZealand-fencing-bio-stub