Rex Kirton Explained

Rex Kirton
Order:10th
Office:Mayor of Upper Hutt
Term Start:1977
Term End:2001
Predecessor:Doris Nicholson
Successor:Wayne Guppy
Office2:Wellington Regional Councillor
Term Start2:2001
Term End2:2010
Birth Name:Rex Stratton Kirton
Birth Date:3 June 1942
Death Place:Upper Hutt, New Zealand
Relations:Earle Kirton (brother)

Rex Stratton Kirton (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.

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[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]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: With love we remember Rex Stratton Kirton QSO . Gee & Hickton Funeral Directors . 18 June 2024.
  2. Web site: Rex Kirton . 6 June 2024 . Upper Hutt City Library . en.
  3. Web site: St Patrick's Silverstream . 6 June 2024 . www.stream.school.nz.
  4. Web site: Rex Kirton . 16 October 2011 . Elections 2010.
  5. Web site: Rugby; Wellington Rugby Union president Rex Kirton and Wellington development XV coach Wayne Guppy . 6 June 2024 . Upper Hutt City Library . en.
  6. News: Rex Kirton obituary . 8 June 2024 . . 8 June 2024.
  7. Web site: History of Our City : Mayors. Upper Hutt City Council. 15 October 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20111002012151/http://www.upperhuttcity.com/page/307/Mayors.boss. 2 October 2011.
  8. News: Deputy mayor takes Wellington. 15 October 2011. TV One. 13 October 2001.
  9. Web site: Rex Kirton Not Seeking Re-Election. scoop.co.nz . 2006 . 24 October 2011.
  10. News: Williams. Colin. Swain wins Kirton's seat. 16 October 2011. Upper Hutt Leader. 12 October 2010.
  11. Web site: Greater Wellington Regional Council – Upper Hutt Constituency . Elections 2010. 16 October 2011.
  12. News: Wind turbine ban for Battle Hill. 16 October 2011. The Dominion Post. 23 January 2009.
  13. Book: Taylor . Alister . Coddington . Deborah . Alister Taylor . Deborah Coddington . Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand . 1994 . New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa . Auckland . 0-908578-34-2 . 218.
  14. Web site: New Year honours list 1997 . 31 December 1996 . Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet . 15 December 2019.
  15. Web site: Archived copy . 6 September 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130208045035/http://upperhuttcity.com/store/doc/StreetNameIndex.pdf . 8 February 2013 .

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