Roderick Braithwaite

Roderick Alastair Macdonnell Braithwaite (13 August 1901 – 3 April 1963) was a New Zealand politician. He was mayor of Hamilton from 1953 to 1959.

Roderick Braithwaite
24th Mayor of Hamilton
In office
1953–1959
Preceded byHarold David Caro
Succeeded byDenis Rogers
Personal details
Born
Roderick Alastair Macdonnell Braithwaite

(1901-08-13)13 August 1901
Dunedin, New Zealand
Died3 April 1963(1963-04-03) (aged 61)
Hamilton, New Zealand
Spouse(s)
Nora Kathleen Arey
​
(m. 1932)​
RelationsJoseph Braithwaite (father)
David Braithwaite (son)
John Braithwaite (brother)
Rewi Braithwaite (brother)
Warwick Braithwaite (brother)
Nicholas Braithwaite (nephew)
Rodric Braithwaite (nephew)

Early life and family

Braithwaite was born in Dunedin on 13 August 1901,[1] one of the youngest sons of Joseph Braithwaite, bookseller and later mayor of Dunedin, and his wife, Mary Ann Braithwaite (née Bellett). He was one of at least 16[2][3] and as many as 22 children,[4] born to the couple.

His brothers included John Braithwaite, who was convicted and executed for mutiny during World War I and pardoned by the New Zealand government in 2000;[2][3] Rewi Braithwaite, who played in New Zealand's first official international soccer match, against Australia in 1922;[5] and Warwick Braithwaite, who became an orchestral conductor.[4]

Braithwaite married Nora Kathleen Arey, the daughter of bookseller William Ewbank Arey, on 21 June 1932.[6][7]

Mayoralty

Braithwaite served two terms as mayor of Hamilton, from 1953 to 1959.[8] He called the first public meeting that led to the establishment of the Waikato Savings Bank in 1958, and served as the first chair of its board of trustees.[9]

Death and legacy

Braithwaite died on 3 April 1963, and was buried at Hamilton Park Cemetery.[10] His widow, Kathleen Braithwaite, served as a Hamilton city councillor between 1962 and 1974, including a period as deputy mayor,[8] and was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to the community in the 1963 Queen's Birthday Honours.[11] Their son, David Braithwaite, unsuccessfully stood for the Hamilton mayoralty in 1998, but was elected to that office in 2001.[8] He was defeated in his bid for re-election in 2004.[12]

References
  1. "Birth". Evening Star. 14 August 1901. p. 4. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  2. McGibbon, Ian. "Braithwaite, John". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  3. Gibb, John (25 April 2009). "Military scandal put to rights". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  4. "British composer arrives". Northern Star. 2 April 1947. p. 9. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  5. "1904–59". The ultimate New Zealand soccer website. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  6. "Marriage search registration number 1932/8514". Births, deaths & marriages online. Internal Affairs. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  7. "Obituary: Mr. William E. Arey". New Zealand Herald. 8 October 1935. p. 12. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  8. Aronson, Cathy (14 October 2001). "New Waikato mayor savours role reversal". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  9. "Trust Bank Waikato (1987–1996)". The Community Archive. Archives New Zealand. 2009. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
  10. "Cemetery search". Hamilton City Council. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  11. "No. 43012". The London Gazette. 8 June 1963. p. 4832.
  12. "Michael Redman becomes new Hamilton mayor". New Zealand Herald. 9 October 2004. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
Political offices
Preceded by
Harold David Caro		 Mayor of Hamilton
1953–1959		 Succeeded by
Denis Rogers
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