Arthur Porritt, Baron Porritt
Jack Marshall | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Preceded by | The Lord Ballantrae | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Sir Denis Blundell | |||||||||||||||||||||||
2nd Chairman of the British Empire and Commonwealth Games Federation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 1950–1966 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Sir James Leigh-Wood | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Sir Alexander Ross | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal details | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Second World War
| 10 August 1900|||||||||||||||||||||||
Awards | Officer of the Legion of Merit (United States) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Sports career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 187 cm (6 ft 2 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 74 kg (163 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | Athletics | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Event | Sprint | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Sports achievements and titles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal best(s) | 100 yd – 9.8 (1923) 200 m – 21.5 (1925)[1][2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Early life
Porritt was born in
In 1920 Porritt began studying towards a medical degree at the University of Otago where he was a resident at Selwyn College and President of the Selwyn College Students' Association. In 1923 Porritt was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship, and he studied medicine from 1924 to 1926 at Magdalen College, Oxford.[4]
Sporting career
Porritt represented New Zealand at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, France,[5] where he won a bronze medal in the 100 metre dash;[1] the winner was Harold Abrahams (1899–1978). The race took place at 7 pm on 7 July 1924. Abrahams and Porritt dined together at 7 pm on 7 July every year thereafter, until Abrahams' death. The race was later immortalised in the film Chariots of Fire, but due to Porritt's modesty his name was changed to "Tom Watson".[6] He also won two qualifying races in the 200 m, but did not advance in the semi-final. Porritt was captain of the New Zealand team at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam but withdrew from the 100 m because of an injury.[1]
Porritt is only one of two people to have the rare honour of twice being the New Zealand flag bearer at Olympic Games, the other being Les Mills.[7]
After retirement from athletics, Porritt was New Zealand's team manager at the 1934 British Empire Games in London and 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin.[1] Porritt was the New Zealand member of the International Olympic Committee from 1934 until he was appointed governor-general in 1967.[8] He was the first President of the IOC Medical Commission and served from 1961 to 1967.
Porritt served as chairman of the British Empire and Commonwealth Games Federation from the 1950 Auckland games to the 1966 Kingston games.[9]
Medical and military career
Porritt became a house surgeon at
On 8 March 1940, Porritt was commissioned a
Porritt was King's Surgeon to
In 1955 Porritt was called to
Porritt was twice president of the Hunterian Society (once in 1951) and became president in 1960 of both the British Medical Association and the Royal College of Surgeons of England, the first person to hold the two positions simultaneously, and retained the presidency of the RCS until 1963.[6]
In 1966 Porritt was elected president for two years of the Royal Society of Medicine but served only one year before leaving for New Zealand.
Honours
Porritt was appointed an
Porritt was created a
Governor-General
In 1967 Porritt returned to New Zealand to be appointed by the Queen on the advice of Prime Minister Keith Holyoake as the 11th Governor-General of New Zealand, and the first to be born in New Zealand.[6] His term marked a turning point in the country's constitutional history: his successors have all been New Zealanders (although one of his predecessors, Lord Freyberg, moved to New Zealand when he was two).[23] An earlier Gallup poll for the Auckland Star newspaper found 43 per cent of respondents preferred Britons for the role, while 41 per cent favoured New Zealanders and 6 per cent candidates from other Commonwealth countries.[23] Newspapers at the time welcomed the appointment, the Greymouth Star saying that it was "an acknowledgement of New Zealand's maturity."[23]
Controversies
Prior to the
Later, Porritt's wife also created controversy, when she replied to a question on equal pay for women by stating: "Perhaps when New Zealand, like India and Israel, produces a woman prime minister it will be time to call a halt to the emancipation movement".[24]
At his last Waitangi Day speech in 1972, Porritt caused more controversy by stating that: "Maori-Pakeha relationships are being dealt with adequately through the biological process of intermarriage."[24]
At the end of his term in September 1972 Porritt returned to England.
Memorials
In
Freemasonry
Porritt was initiated in Oxford University's
During his term as Governor-General (1968–1971), Porritt served as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand.[25]
Death
Lord Porritt died in London at the age of 93 on 1 January 1994.[1] His wife died in 1998. His son is Jonathon Porritt, a well-known environmental activist.
Arms
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References
- ^ a b c d e "Arthur Porritt". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
- ^ Arthur Porritt. trackfield.brinkster.net
- ^ a b "No. 34830". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 April 1940. p. 2229.
- ^ Beaglehole, Diana. "Porritt, Arthur Espie". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 17 June 2017.
- ^ "Arthur Porritt". Olympedia. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Brett & Kate McKay (6 July 2010). "The Whole Man: 25 Men Who Cultivated Both Mind and Body". ArtofManliness.com. The Art of Manliness. Archived from the original on 9 July 2010. Retrieved 7 July 2010.
- ^ "Mark Todd best bet to carry NZ's flag again". stuff.co.nz. 22 April 2012. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
- ^ Tony Smith (17 March 2022). "Why the governor-general is New Zealand Olympic Committee patron and not a star athlete".
- ^ "The Story of The Commonwealth Games". Commonwealth Games Federation. Archived from the original on 16 April 2017. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
- ^ a b "No. 35908". The London Gazette (Supplement). 18 February 1943. p. 859.
- ^ "No. 36343". The London Gazette (Supplement). 18 February 1943. p. 461.
- ^ "No. 37660". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 July 1946. p. 3789.
- ^ "No. 40888". The London Gazette (Supplement). 25 September 1956. p. 5483.
- ISBN 1-904027-19-9
- ^ "No. 36917". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 February 1945. p. 670.
- ^ "No. 38122". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 November 1947. p. 5352.
- ^ "No. 38929". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 June 1950. p. 2778.
- ^ "No. 40960". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 1957. p. 5.
- ^ "No. 45110". The London Gazette. 29 May 1970. p. 6039.
- ^ "No. 40972". The London Gazette. 8 January 1957. p. 229.
- ^ "No. 42907". The London Gazette. 29 January 1963. p. 909.
- ^ "No. 45901". The London Gazette. 8 February 1973. p. 1797.
- ^ a b c McLean 2006, p. 277.
- ^ a b c McLean 2006, p. 281.
- ^ "Sir Arthur PORRITT, Bt, Grand Master". Grand Lodge of New Zealand. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
- ISBN 978-1-86953-007-5. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
Bibliography
- ISBN 1-877372-25-0.
External links
- Biography in Plarr's Lives of the Fellows Online
- "Arthur Porritt – No Ordinary Man" (biography by Graeme Woodfield) at the Wayback Machine (archived 24 September 2008)
- Arthur Porritt at the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame
- Arthur Porritt at the New Zealand Olympic Committee
- Arthur Porritt at Olympics.com
- Arthur Porritt at Olympic.org (archived)
- Arthur Porritt at Olympedia