Arthur Porritt

Arthur Porritt visiting a war veterans home, 1969

Arthur Porritt's coat of arms

Arthur Espie Porritt, Baron Porritt , GCMG , GCVO , CBE (born August 10, 1900 in Wanganui , † January 1, 1994 in London ) was a New Zealand doctor, politician and athlete . He won a bronze medal in the 100-meter run at the 1924 Summer Olympics and was Governor General of New Zealand from 1967 to 1972 .

biography

Porritt's mother died in 1914 and his father soon went to Europe to fight in the First World War . Porritt began studying medicine at the University of Otago in 1920 . In 1923 he was awarded a Rhodes scholarship and continued his studies from 1924 to 1926 at Magdalen College of Oxford University continued.

The talented athlete represented New Zealand at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris . There he won the bronze medal in the 100-meter run. Although he won two preliminary heats over 200 meters, he was eliminated with a fifth place in the semi-finals. The 100-meter race was the key scene in the 1981 film " The Winner's Hour ". Because of Porritt's modesty, the bronze medal winner was replaced by the fictional character "Tom Watson" in the film. Porritt traveled to the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam , but was unable to take part in the 100-meter run due to an injury.

After retiring from athletics, Porritt was team principal of the New Zealand team at the British Empire Games in London in 1934 and the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin . From 1934 to 1967 he was a member of the International Olympic Committee. (IOC). He was also the first President of the Medical Commission of the IOC from 1961 to 1967.

From 1926 he worked as a surgeon at St Mary's Hospital in London and in the same year he became the family doctor of the Duke of York, who was later crowned King of Britain as Edward VIII . From 1952 to 1967 he was also the family doctor of Queen Elizabeth II. In 1950 he was made Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George and in 1963 received the hereditary title of Baronet , of Hampstead in the County of London. In 1973 he was raised to a life peer as Baron Porritt , of Wanganui in New Zealand and of Hampstead in Greater London .

During World War II , Porritt was a brigadier in the Royal Army Medical Corps . He served in France until after the Battle of Dunkirk , then in Egypt ; he was also involved in Operation Neptune in Normandy . In 1960, Porritt became President of the British Medical Association and the Royal College of Surgeons. In 1967 Porritt was appointed Governor General of New Zealand . He was the first governor to be born in New Zealand. After his tenure ended in 1972, he returned to Great Britain.

He died in London on New Years Day 1994 at the age of 93. His son Jonathon Porritt is a well-known environmental activist and inherited him as 2nd Baronet.

literature

• HHG Eastcott : Obituary: Lord Porritt . In: Independet . January 4, 1992 (English, online [accessed August 14, 2019]).

Individual evidence

1. ↑ HONORS AND AWARDS . In: The London Gazette . Issue: 42907 , January 19, 1963, p.  909 (English, online [PDF; 99 kB ; accessed on August 14, 2019]).
2. ^ HHG Eastcott : Obituary: Lord Porritt . In: Independet . January 4, 1992 (English, online [accessed August 14, 2019]).

Web links

• Arthur Porritt in the database of Sports-Reference (English; archived from the original )