Newspaper Article 1995 – HN man dies in 100th year

HN man dies in 100th year

A Havelock North man, Bert Wright, who would have been 100 on March 8, 1996, died on Sunday at Waiapu House, Havelock North.

Mr Wright was born in England, the youngest of seven children. But at the tender age of 18 months, his father died, forcing his mother to place her son in a charitable school, Ashford, where he spent his childhood and school days.

While at Ashford he joined the school brass band, mainly because band members were able to get away from the school to perform. Besides food was provided after every performance.

“Getting out of school was an opportunity not to be missed,” his son Norman Wright said.

He decided to take his music further, and at 14 he was accepted in to the School of Music and went on to become a fully-fledged Royal Marine bandsman.

At 17, he went to sea with the Royal Navy as a solo cornettist – and signaller. When war broke out in 1914 he was one of 1500 Marine Band members aboard 53 ships.

He remained with the Royal Navy for his 12-year “tour of duty”, turning 21 on board HMS Orion during the Battle of Jutland.

After the war, when he was 30, he emigrated to New Zealand sponsored by his brother who was already here.

He worked as a pit musician at the Gaiety Theatre in Napier, but no sooner had he started than he was made redundant as the “talkies” hit town.

“He was made obsolete by technology,” Norman Wright said.

In 1926 he married Myra, and in 1939 the couple moved to Havelock North where Bert set up a shoe repair business.

He also had a block of land at Paraparaumu, but was forced to return to Havelock North after an accident there.

When the Second World War broke out, he enlisted, but found he wasn’t eligible for overseas service. However, with his Navy experience, he was given the job of coastal watcher, “sitting on a hill at Waimarama watching and reporting on shipping movements”.

After the war, he attended a rehab programme, learning carpentry – a trade he continued for the rest of his working life.

“The biggest job he was involved with was the Awatoto phosphate works,” Norman Wright said.

“He was in from the start to the finish.”

When Mr Wright retired, he and Myra returned to England for a holiday travelling by ship. Myra died in 1985, and Bert remained at the family home until just three years ago.

He had two children, son Norman and daughter Alison, was grandad to seven grandchildren and had 14 great-grandchildren.