Hayton, Stuart

Thomas Stuart Dickson Hayton (known as Stuart) was the son of Ernest Colin and Lilian May Hayton. He was born in Hawera on 24 November 1910 and lived there until he came to New Plymouth to board at New Plymouth Boy’s High School in 1924. He married Mabel Anne Kerr in 1939.

During World War Two Stuart served as a Lieutenant with the 25^th Taranaki Battalion in Italy. His two brothers, Alan and Gilbert, and sister Lilian, also served during the war.  Gilbert, a distinguished RNZAF pilot, died in 1942 after first surviving the torpedoing of his ship and drifting in a lifeboat for nearly 40 days, only to die two days before the lifeboat was rescued. 

When Stuart returned home after the war, he took over EC Hayton and Co, a New Plymouth plumbing supply business established by his father.

Over the years Stuart served on many community groups and boards including the Taranaki Harbour Board for 25 years, nine of those as chairman, New Plymouth Toastmaster’s Club and Rotary. He was also a Justice of the Peace and a Freemason. He was awarded a Commander of the of the British Empire (CBE) in 1984.

Stuart died on 22 May 2011 at the age of 100.