Faith and fatherhood drove Wainui stalwart
Bryan Watt community worker b April 15, 1937 d May 16, 2021
Bryan Watt loved a beer, rugby and a good time. It would be unfair, however, to imply that a man who had 29 kids, and 33 grandchildren, and who spent a lifetime serving the community, was a larrikin.
Known to all as Wattie, he died recently at home holding the hand of Ann, his cherished wife of 62 years.
A deep commitment to Catholicism underpinned everything he did, as did love for his wife and family.
The couple spent their entire marriage in the same house in the Lower Hutt suburb of Wainuiomata, where Watt fathered 17 children and fostered another 12.
As one of the biggest families in New Zealand, the Watts attracted plenty of media interest.
They featured in a 1979 New Zealand television documentary entitled The Deep End, in which a reporter lived with them for a week. At the time, there were 14 children, and the Watts spent about $80 a week making ends meet.
Bryan Christie Russell Watt was born in Dunedin in 1937. He attended Roxburgh District High School where his son,
Gerard, said he was something of a larrikin.
‘‘His teachers inferred he probably had too much fun, needing two attempts to obtain his School Certificate.’’
College instilled a love of sport. He enjoyed boxing and cricket, but rugby was his lifetime passion.
In his third year at college, he met his future wife, Ann Stenhouse. After two years of flirting, the couple started courting in 1956. This coincided with his leap into the workforce as a teenaged cadet.
He joined the Ministry of Works and started a 37-year career in the public sector.
Transferring to Wellington to follow Ann, who was pursuing a career as a nurse, they married in 1959.
At a time when large families were common, their initial intention was modest. ‘‘When we were starry-eyed teenagers we aimed to have about six children. We had our first two children, and then there was a three-year break, so we decided to foster some children, and we relaxed a bit and had more children of our own,’’ he said years later.
His career with the Ministry of Works led to senior roles and in 1987 he was involved in selling off state assets. Unhappy with the privatisation of the mining industry, he retired in 1992.
Rather than putting up his feet,
however, he dedicated the rest of his life to looking after his ever-growing family and serving the community.
He clocked up over 60 years with the Citizens Advice Bureau, always taking an interest in helping young people.
With his background in senior management he was particularly skilled at giving financial advice.
His role of budgetary adviser was to teach young people budgeting skills, but he went well beyond the call of duty. He became a mentor and friend to the people he helped. In some cases he battled just to keep them out of prison.
He was involved in the teaching of Catholicism, and with Ann visited the needy, delivering food parcels and advice.
Daughter Maria Potter said he always had a soft spot for families with young children that were struggling.
‘‘He went over and above to make sure they were okay, even if it meant dipping into his own pocket.’’
Even before retiring, he spent a lot of time helping the community. In 1978, he was awarded a Civic Award ‘‘in recognition of loyal and devoted service to Wainuiomata in the field of youth and social welfare’’.
Rugby was a big part of his life and he played until he was 35, and then was on the Wainuiomata Rugby Football Club committee for over 20 years, with roles as secretary, club captain and president.
An inaugural member of the WAGS – the Wainui Ale Guzzlers Society – he hoped it would help keep former players in the club. When he died, he was the club’s longest-serving life member.
As well as schoolboy and college rugby, he coached softball and was on the committee of the local athletics club.
The Wellington Rugby Union recognised the way he was able to relate to young people, and for a number of years he was involved with the Wellington U21 and U19 teams.
Gerard, the ninth child, said his father enjoyed life and helping people.
In April 2019, his parents celebrated 60 years of marriage by renewing their vows at St Patrick’s Church.
At that time Gerard said he had grown up in a family where the children did not have ‘‘flash new toys’’ but he was always aware of the wide family network and how special his parents were.
‘‘My parents are very giving, and for any families that for a number of reasons couldn’t care for their own kids, Mum and Dad took them into their care,’’ he said.
He fondly recalled the family having a caravan parked out front to help with the overflow from their four-bedroom house.
The many tributes, included one from the rugby club, which nicely summed up his life.
’’Wattie had a sharp wit, devout faith and a genuine love of people.’’
Gerard says he was lucky to have such a unique character for a father, who made him laugh right to the end.
‘‘The funeral notice announced, ‘In lieu of flowers, please send us beer’, which was a nod to Bryan ‘Wattie’ Watt’s cheeky sense of humour.’’ –