Rex Kirton

Rex Kirton
QSO JP
10th Mayor of Upper Hutt
In office
1977–2001
Preceded byDoris Nicholson
Succeeded byWayne Guppy
Wellington Regional Councillor
In office
2001–2010
Personal details
Born
Rex Stratton Kirton

(1942-06-03)3 June 1942
Died4 June 2024(2024-06-04) (aged 82)
Upper Hutt, New Zealand
RelationsEarle Kirton (brother)

Rex Stratton Kirton QSO JP (3 June 1942 – 4 June 2024) was a New Zealand local-body politician in the Wellington Region. He was mayor of Upper Hutt for 24 years until 2001, and then served three terms on the Greater Wellington Regional Council.

Biography

Kirton was born on 3 June 1942.[1] He was educated at St Joseph's School, Upper Hutt,[2] and St Patrick's College, Silverstream from 1955 to 1959, where he was captain of the 1st XV rugby team and tennis champion.[3] He later studied at Victoria University of Wellington and the University of Otago, and worked in England as an accountant.[2]

His father, Bill, had worked in banking, then moved to Upper Hutt where he ran a general store in the 1940s, later buying farmland in Whitemans Valley[2][4] where Rex, while mayor, lived and farmed.

Kirton served as vice-president of Wellington Cricket and president of the Wellington Rugby Union.[5]

Kirton died in Upper Hutt on 4 June 2024.[6]

Local government

Kirton was first elected mayor of Upper Hutt in 1977. When he retired from this role in 2001, he was the longest-serving mayor in New Zealand at that time.[7][8][9] In 2001, Kirton stood as the Upper Hutt representative on the Wellington Regional Council. He served three terms until 2010 when he was beaten by Paul Swain.[10] In 2007, he had been returned unopposed.[11] He was chairman of the regional council's parks, forests and utilities committee.[12]

In 1990, Kirton received the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal.[13] In the 1997 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order, for public services.[14] Kirton Drive, the main street in the suburb of Riverstone Terraces, is named after him.[15]

References

  1. ^ "With love we remember Rex Stratton Kirton QSO" (PDF). Gee & Hickton Funeral Directors. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "Rex Kirton". Upper Hutt City Library. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  3. ^ "St Patrick's Silverstream". www.stream.school.nz. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  4. ^ "Rex Kirton". Elections 2010. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  5. ^ "Rugby; Wellington Rugby Union president Rex Kirton and Wellington development XV coach Wayne Guppy". Upper Hutt City Library. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  6. ^ "Rex Kirton obituary". The Post. 8 June 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  7. ^ "History of Our City : Mayors". Upper Hutt City Council. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  8. ^ "Deputy mayor takes Wellington". TV One. 13 October 2001. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  9. ^ "Rex Kirton Not Seeking Re-Election". scoop.co.nz. 2006. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
  10. ^ Williams, Colin (12 October 2010). "Swain wins Kirton's seat". Upper Hutt Leader. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  11. ^ "Greater Wellington Regional Council – Upper Hutt Constituency". Elections 2010. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  12. ^ "Wind turbine ban for Battle Hill". The Dominion Post. 23 January 2009. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  13. ^ Taylor, Alister; Coddington, Deborah (1994). Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand. Auckland: New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa. p. 218. ISBN 0-908578-34-2.
  14. ^ "New Year honours list 1997". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 1996. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
  15. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 February 2013. Retrieved 6 September 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
Political offices
Preceded by Mayor of Upper Hutt
1977–2001 		Succeeded by