Maurice Carter (developer)
{{Short description|New Zealand property developer, philanthropist and politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Maurice Carter
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|CBE|size=100%}}
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| order = Deputy mayor of Christchurch
| office =
| term_start = 1983
| term_end = 1989
| predecessor = Rex Lester
| successor = Morgan Fahey
| birth_name = Maurice Rhodes Carter
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1917|07|01|df=y}}
| birth_place = Bradford, Yorkshire, England
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2011|05|09|1917|07|01|df=y}}
| death_place = Christchurch, New Zealand
| spouse = {{marriage|Merle Cunningham|1942|2008|end=d.}}
| children = 5
| relatives = David Carter (son)
Matt Doocey (grandson)
| occupation = Property developer
| known_for = Property development, philanthropy
}}
Maurice Rhodes Carter {{post-nominals|country=NZL|CBE|size=85%}} (1 July 1917 – 9 May 2011) was a New Zealand property developer, philanthropist and local politician.
Biography
Carter was born on 1 July 1917 in Bradford, Yorkshire, England.{{cite web |url=https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/Search/Search?Path=%2FqueryEntry.m%3Ftype%3Ddeaths |title=Death search: registration number 2011/11473 |website=Births, deaths & marriages online |publisher=Department of Internal Affairs |accessdate=13 August 2020}} He spent much of his youth in Kettlewell, and Kettlewell Lane in the Christchurch Central City is named after him.{{cite web |title=The Crossing |url= https://thecrossing.co.nz/information/about/ |publisher=The Crossing |accessdate=18 July 2020}} He was apprenticed as a carpenter and in 1936, he went with friends on an overseas experience to Argentina where they worked on a plantation. He emigrated to New Zealand in 1938. Although he enlisted for service in World War II, he did not go overseas as the army got him to work on army facilities in Burnham and Weedons. In 1946, he founded his construction company that he named The Carter Group. The company built many of the houses in the Christchurch suburbs of Bryndwr and Burnside and at the peak, the company built 100 houses per year.{{cite web |title=Bryndwr and Burnside |url= https://my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/bryndwr-and-burnside/ |publisher=Christchurch City Libraries |accessdate=18 July 2020}} Known for their quality, houses are still advertised as "Maurice Carter homes"{{cite web |last1=Pettet |first1=Alison |last2=Pettet |first2=Mike |title=35 Ashbourne Street, Burnside, Christchurch 8053 |url= https://www.totalrealty.co.nz/house-for-sale/35-ashbourne-street-burnside-trc19232 |publisher=Rotal Realty |accessdate=18 July 2020 |quote=Listed on 5 August 2019, which isn't visible on the page, though.}}{{cite web |last1=Toone |first1=Rebecca |title=A Maurice Carter Original – Ilam |url= https://rebeccatoone.raywhite.co.nz/christchurch-city/ilam/1529150/ |publisher=Ray White Group |accessdate=18 July 2020 |quote=Auctioned on 28 September 2016.}} years after his death.{{cite news |last1=Crean |first1=Mike |title=Maurice Carter leaves behind immense legacy |url= http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/4981210/Maurice-Carter-leaves-behind-immense-legacy |accessdate=18 July 2020 |work=The Press |date=11 May 2011}}
Carter was a local politician. An elected member of Christchurch City Council for 33 years (1956–1989), he was deputy mayor under Hamish Hay from 1983 to 1989. In addition, he held membership of the Christchurch Drainage Board (27 years, with 9 as chairman), the Regional Planning Authority and then the Canterbury United Council (both predecessors to the Canterbury Regional Council), and was then a member of the Canterbury Regional Council for six years (1989–1995).
Carter and his wife set up the Maurice Carter Charitable Trust in 1969;{{cite web |title=Maurice Carter Charitable Trust |url=https://www.bizdb.co.nz/company/9429042606154/ |publisher=BizDb |accessdate=18 July 2020}} their shops in Bryndwr were vested into this trust. The trust provides grants to a variety of causes.
Family and death
Carter met his wife-to-be—Merle Cunningham—at Burnham Military Camp, where she gave a concert to the troops.{{cite news |last1=Sachdeva |first1=Sam |last2=Crean |first2=Mike |title=Hundreds farewell 'city father' |url= http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/5002097/Hundreds-farewell-city-father |accessdate=18 July 2020 |work=The Press |date=14 May 2011}} On 28 August 1942, Carter and Cunningham were married at Sumner.{{cite news |title=Marriages |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19420915.2.4 |accessdate=18 July 2020 |work=The Press |volume=LXXVIII |issue=23743 |date=15 September 1942 |page=1}} They were to have five children.
Carter's son David is a National Party politician who has been a member of Parliament since 1994. He was the Speaker of the House from 2013 to 2017.{{cite web |title= Rt Hon David Carter |url= https://www.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/members-of-parliament/carter-david/ |publisher= New Zealand Parliament|accessdate= 18 July 2020|date= 15 May 2020}} Carter's son Philip and grandson Tim have taken over the Carter Group from him and both have served on Christchurch City Council. Carter's grandson Matt Doocey has been a member of Parliament, also for the National Party, since 2014.{{cite web |title= Matt Doocey|url= https://www.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/members-of-parliament/doocey-matt/ |publisher= New Zealand Parliament|accessdate= 18 July 2020|date= 15 May 2020}}
Merle Carter died in 2008. Maurice Carter died at Princess Margaret Hospital in Christchurch on 9 May 2011.{{cite news |title=Death Notice & Guest Book Preview for Maurice Rhodes Carter |url= https://notices.nzherald.co.nz/obituaries/nzherald-nz/obituary-preview.aspx?n=maurice-rhodes-carter&pid=150913572 |accessdate=18 July 2020 |work=The New Zealand Herald |date=10 May 2011}} He is buried at Bromley Cemetery.{{cite web |title=Christchurch City Council Cemeteries Database Results Summary |url=https://heritage.christchurchcitylibraries.com/Cemeteries/interment.asp?id=145250 |publisher=Christchurch City Council |accessdate=29 July 2020}}
Honours and awards
In the 1976 Queen's Birthday Honours, Carter was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, for services to local-body and community affairs.{{London Gazette |issue=46921 |date=12 June 1976 |page=8056 |supp=3}} In the 1992 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was promoted to Commander of the Order of the British Empire, again for services to local-body and community affairs.{{London Gazette |issue=52953 |date=13 June 1992 |page=29|supp=2 |nolink=yes}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carter, Maurice}}
Category:Real estate and property developers
Category:New Zealand Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
Category:Deputy mayors of Christchurch
Category:Christchurch City Councillors
Category:Canterbury regional councillors
Category:Burials at Bromley Cemetery
Category:Politicians from Bradford
Category:British emigrants to New Zealand