John Morrissey (rugby union)

Peter John Morrissey (18 July 1939 – 24 July 2013) was a New Zealand rugby union player, businessman and philanthropist.

John Morrissey
Birth namePeter John Morrissey
Date of birth(1939-07-18)18 July 1939
Place of birthChristchurch, New Zealand
Date of death24 July 2013(2013-07-24) (aged 74)
Place of deathChristchurch, New Zealand
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight72 kg (159 lb)
SchoolChristchurch Boys' High School
Occupation(s)Businessman
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
1960?–62
1963–64		 Canterbury
Otago		 ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1962 New Zealand 3 (6)

Early life

Born in Christchurch in 1939, Morrissey got his first after-school job at the age of nine, working for a local harness-racing trainer. He was educated at Christchurch Boys' High School from 1953 to 1957, and played for the school's 1st XV rugby team, scoring three tries against Otago Boys' High School in the curtain-raiser to the third test between the All Blacks and South Africa in 1956 at Lancaster Park. After he left school, Morrissey first worked as an office boy for Wright Stephenson.[1]

In 1959, Morrissey broke 49 seconds for 440 yards and represented Canterbury at the national athletics championships.[1]

Rugby union

A wing, Morrissey was selected for Canterbury B in 1959,[1] and went on to represent Canterbury and Otago at provincial level. He was a member of the New Zealand national side in 1962, playing three test matches against Australia.[2]

Business career and philanthropy

Morrissey was appointed branch manager of A.M. Satterthwaite in Dunedin in 1963, and chief executive of Edmonds Group in Christchurch in about 1969. In 1985 he established Eltec Industrial Electronics with Christchurch electronics engineer Dennis Chapman. The company became Swichtec Power Systems in 1994 and eventually grew to employ over 400 staff.[1] It was sold to British complay BTR plc in 1998.[3] Morrissey retired as Swichtec chief executive at the beginning of 2000.[4] In about 2002, he invested in the Lochlea charolais stud near Lake Ellesmere, south of Christchurch.[5]

In 2004, Morrissey appeared on the National Business Review "rich list", with an estimated worth, mostly in property, of NZ$30 million.[6]

Morrissey was involved with the Hohepa Foundation, which provides accommodation and support to people with intellectual disabilities, as a donor, fundraiser, board member and chairman. One of the trust's residential homes was named "Bev Morrissey House", in honour of Morrissey's wife of 48 years who died in 2007.[1][7] Morrissey also donated $600,000 for the construction of a 700-seat grandstand at his old school, Christchurch Boys' High.[8]

Morrissey died at his home in Christchurch on 24 July 2013.[9]

References
  1. Crean, Mike (November 2013). "John Morrissey 1953–57" (PDF). Christchurch High School Old Boys' Association Newsletter: 32. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2014. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
  2. Viney, Kathy; Williams, Defyd. "John Morrissey". New Zealand Rugby Museum. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
  3. Birss, Neill (20 August 1998). "UK firm snaps up Swichtec in deal worth $141.8 million". The Press. p. 21.
  4. "Appointments". Management. February 2000. p. 6.
  5. Cronshaw, Tim (30 January 2004). "Charolais family bucks trents". The Press. p. 10.
  6. "Rich list – new entrants". National Business Review. 2 July 2004.
  7. Eberhard, Raymond (4 August 2010). "Bootstraps to boardoom" (PDF). Southern View News. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 February 2015. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  8. "The John Morrissey Grandstand gift" (PDF). Christchurch High School Old Boys' Association Newsletter: 28. April 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  9. "Peter Morrissey death". The Press. 26 July 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
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