Rita Mary Kenwright December 1937 to May 2018
Rita Kenwright (9th December 9 1937 to 11th May 2011). A tribute to Rita.
St. Luke’s Church Havelock North NZ on 17th May 2018
I am intensely proud to have been the husband of Rita.
We grew up and played together, with a large group of friends which eventually led to courting, marriage a family and a wonderful life in England and New Zealand.
Rita was the core of our family; so kind, courteous and considerate to a fault, and never without a comforting word or captivating smile.
Everyone loved Rita – the lovely Rita as she was known after the Beatles song. “Lovely Rita the meter maid.” She was the love of my life.
In our teens I knew her as an adventurous girl full of spirit and a lover of outdoor activities. Her close friends were Jean Yule and Margaret Hand and they went to Bethal Mission Church close by.
Rita was an excellent ice skater and with her inseparable friend Jean, was off to Liverpool’s large ice rink each Saturday morning.
At Cowley Girl’s school she was a popular prefect, House Captain, Hockey and Netball captain.
Out of school Rita played tennis at the local club where we played together. Tennis was her favourite sport and she captained the ladies tennis team in the Liverpool league. She also loved Folk dancing and ballroom dancing
Her adventurous nature took Rita and Jean on many cycling adventures.
At 13 they decided to train for the “Big Trip”
First, they cycled from St. Helens to Liverpool and then down the Wirral peninsular as far as Chester---- (a good 70 miles).
After staying at a youth hostel for the weekend they cycled back.
I must note that all these trips were on heavy Rudge and Raleigh bicycles with three-speed Sturmey -Archer gears.
Next year was a cycle over the Pennines for a week at Scarborough on the Yorkshire Coast; Pushing the bicycles up the steep gradients on a trip of 130 miles one way.
Finally next year at 15; the big trip; down to London to see an Auntie who had a fish and chip shop. This was 200 miles (320 km) and took a week staying at youth hostels on the way.
A week spent in London and then it was 200 miles back home, the worst of the trip; Rita said, were the punctures. However, these two attractive young girls soon had attentive boys to help.
I said that she was incredibly brave. Rita’s response; as she rolled her eyes in a way as only she could; was to say: Foolhardy”.
As an active member of the 8-15 after church group; Rita went to Interlaken with them and was a lead actress their productions produced by Roy Hordley. She also joined the rock-climbing group; a strong athletic girl with the older boys and at 16 had her photo in the 1954 school magazine showing her abseiling down a rock face with the title “girls can do anything”.
A trip to Paris with her 6th form French class saw Rita showing the Parisians her model figure. Rita’s Auntie Elsie was a brilliant dressmaker and unable to have children, she looked upon Rita as a de-facto daughter and dressed Rita in the most amazing creations. Rita was always elegant even when pushing a pram. Aunt Elsie also made Rita’s beautiful wedding dress.
With her acting ability and personality Rita became an exceptional Primary school teacher and this eventually led to a change in my direction in my life.
At 15 I was a joiner and carpenter and then Builder for eleven years in the North of England’s extreme poor weather.
With only two weeks holiday a year in comparison to Rita’s school holidays; this meant that there was little time for travel. She encouraged and inspired me to go to College and University which I did and over this period she supported me even with two young children. What an amazing woman.
Looking back to when we were 18-year-old tennis partners we found that we found that we both had something special. ------------That was a love for travel which we did all the time
As 20-year-olds we became engaged in Switzerland. I had built our house and we married.
Soon we had two lovely children David & Diane. (Rita said she only ever wanted two; for she only had two hands and wanted to hold them both close)
Travel continued, first at Butlin’s holiday camps (The Hi-di-Hi years) and then with two incomes we were able to caravan in the Lake District, Wales, and Yorkshire and through Scotland up to Edinburgh and Inverness. We never did see the Loch Ness monster which disappointed the children.
Then there were package holidays to Spain, Majorca, the Canary Isles, New York and Yugoslavia.
Spain was a favourite for Rita for she had a passion for the sun for she never burned but turned to a beautiful tan- the envy of others. At home and overseas she loved being in the sun in her bikinis.
All this happened before David & Diane were 9 and 10 which was when we came to New Zealand.
They had a great grounding in the love of travel and seeing places
I was then a Lecturer in Physics at Padgate Teachers College and an advertisement in the paper caught our eye. Physics teachers wanted; Come and teach in New Zealand for three years and we will bring your family and household goods to NZ for £10. What an opportunity to travel across the world.
We were the last of the £10 Poms. This is something we never regretted and soon became NZ citizens.
So, we became established in Hawkes Bay and Rita became a favourite relief teacher and teacher at Havelock North, Karamu, Hastings Girls and especially Hastings Boys.
Rita had the exceptional ability to communicate and could go around a class and ask names then not forget them.
Rita loved the Hawkes Bay sun and except for lots more travel we never wanted to move from here,
She loved our walks and garden and trips to the sea, especially on the boardwalk at Napier. She loved all her friends at Probus and U3A and thoroughly enjoyed the Geology and Cherie Baker's Egyptology group.
Rita has always maintained her elegant slim looks and has been a good friend to all around her.
The growth and achievements of our wonderful children David and Diane was so special to Rita and then along came the lovely seven grandchildren.
Flying in from Auckland and Dunedin four have now joined those from Wellington and Havelock to be with us today.
Rita has left them a legacy where can inherit her love, attitudes, adventure and values.
Rita and I have always been together in whatever we did. As she wanted; Rita passed away quietly with me holding her hand.
A wonderful life together and one day we will be both back with our parents who lie at the Church were we and they worshipped and where we were married 56 years ago.
To Rita, My eternal Love. Norris
St. Luke’s Church Havelock North NZ on 17th May 2018
I am intensely proud to have been the husband of Rita.
We grew up and played together, with a large group of friends which eventually led to courting, marriage a family and a wonderful life in England and New Zealand.
Rita was the core of our family; so kind, courteous and considerate to a fault, and never without a comforting word or captivating smile.
Everyone loved Rita – the lovely Rita as she was known after the Beatles song. “Lovely Rita the meter maid.” She was the love of my life.
In our teens I knew her as an adventurous girl full of spirit and a lover of outdoor activities. Her close friends were Jean Yule and Margaret Hand and they went to Bethal Mission Church close by.
Rita was an excellent ice skater and with her inseparable friend Jean, was off to Liverpool’s large ice rink each Saturday morning.
At Cowley Girl’s school she was a popular prefect, House Captain, Hockey and Netball captain.
Out of school Rita played tennis at the local club where we played together. Tennis was her favourite sport and she captained the ladies tennis team in the Liverpool league. She also loved Folk dancing and ballroom dancing
Her adventurous nature took Rita and Jean on many cycling adventures.
At 13 they decided to train for the “Big Trip”
First, they cycled from St. Helens to Liverpool and then down the Wirral peninsular as far as Chester---- (a good 70 miles).
After staying at a youth hostel for the weekend they cycled back.
I must note that all these trips were on heavy Rudge and Raleigh bicycles with three-speed Sturmey -Archer gears.
Next year was a cycle over the Pennines for a week at Scarborough on the Yorkshire Coast; Pushing the bicycles up the steep gradients on a trip of 130 miles one way.
Finally next year at 15; the big trip; down to London to see an Auntie who had a fish and chip shop. This was 200 miles (320 km) and took a week staying at youth hostels on the way.
A week spent in London and then it was 200 miles back home, the worst of the trip; Rita said, were the punctures. However, these two attractive young girls soon had attentive boys to help.
I said that she was incredibly brave. Rita’s response; as she rolled her eyes in a way as only she could; was to say: Foolhardy”.
As an active member of the 8-15 after church group; Rita went to Interlaken with them and was a lead actress their productions produced by Roy Hordley. She also joined the rock-climbing group; a strong athletic girl with the older boys and at 16 had her photo in the 1954 school magazine showing her abseiling down a rock face with the title “girls can do anything”.
A trip to Paris with her 6th form French class saw Rita showing the Parisians her model figure. Rita’s Auntie Elsie was a brilliant dressmaker and unable to have children, she looked upon Rita as a de-facto daughter and dressed Rita in the most amazing creations. Rita was always elegant even when pushing a pram. Aunt Elsie also made Rita’s beautiful wedding dress.
With her acting ability and personality Rita became an exceptional Primary school teacher and this eventually led to a change in my direction in my life.
At 15 I was a joiner and carpenter and then Builder for eleven years in the North of England’s extreme poor weather.
With only two weeks holiday a year in comparison to Rita’s school holidays; this meant that there was little time for travel. She encouraged and inspired me to go to College and University which I did and over this period she supported me even with two young children. What an amazing woman.
Looking back to when we were 18-year-old tennis partners we found that we found that we both had something special. ------------That was a love for travel which we did all the time
As 20-year-olds we became engaged in Switzerland. I had built our house and we married.
Soon we had two lovely children David & Diane. (Rita said she only ever wanted two; for she only had two hands and wanted to hold them both close)
Travel continued, first at Butlin’s holiday camps (The Hi-di-Hi years) and then with two incomes we were able to caravan in the Lake District, Wales, and Yorkshire and through Scotland up to Edinburgh and Inverness. We never did see the Loch Ness monster which disappointed the children.
Then there were package holidays to Spain, Majorca, the Canary Isles, New York and Yugoslavia.
Spain was a favourite for Rita for she had a passion for the sun for she never burned but turned to a beautiful tan- the envy of others. At home and overseas she loved being in the sun in her bikinis.
All this happened before David & Diane were 9 and 10 which was when we came to New Zealand.
They had a great grounding in the love of travel and seeing places
I was then a Lecturer in Physics at Padgate Teachers College and an advertisement in the paper caught our eye. Physics teachers wanted; Come and teach in New Zealand for three years and we will bring your family and household goods to NZ for £10. What an opportunity to travel across the world.
We were the last of the £10 Poms. This is something we never regretted and soon became NZ citizens.
So, we became established in Hawkes Bay and Rita became a favourite relief teacher and teacher at Havelock North, Karamu, Hastings Girls and especially Hastings Boys.
Rita had the exceptional ability to communicate and could go around a class and ask names then not forget them.
Rita loved the Hawkes Bay sun and except for lots more travel we never wanted to move from here,
She loved our walks and garden and trips to the sea, especially on the boardwalk at Napier. She loved all her friends at Probus and U3A and thoroughly enjoyed the Geology and Cherie Baker's Egyptology group.
Rita has always maintained her elegant slim looks and has been a good friend to all around her.
The growth and achievements of our wonderful children David and Diane was so special to Rita and then along came the lovely seven grandchildren.
Flying in from Auckland and Dunedin four have now joined those from Wellington and Havelock to be with us today.
Rita has left them a legacy where can inherit her love, attitudes, adventure and values.
Rita and I have always been together in whatever we did. As she wanted; Rita passed away quietly with me holding her hand.
A wonderful life together and one day we will be both back with our parents who lie at the Church were we and they worshipped and where we were married 56 years ago.
To Rita, My eternal Love. Norris
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