Hugh WALTON Obituary

Darling Louise. I visited my daughter Joanna recently. She is living in Suva as her husband is the head of ADB there at the moment. I asked her to take me for a nostalgic trip to Suva Point where you, Hugh and the children came back to me in a rush of love and memories. I tried to find you on my return but instead came across Hugh´s memoirs, which I found utterly delightful and the man I remembered came through those words with such clarity and emotion. It was a beautifully written piece and I missed you all the more! And then I discovered this death notice. Sending so very much love to you all for the loss of such a beautiful man, and for the joy of his existence. Love Caroline - from Suva all those years ago - Tough that was - now Bradshaw.

Hugh was a friend, flatmate and bricoleur worker/ collaborator when we lived at the old German Embassy in Mt. Vic In the 1970s.

He was always intelligent, funny, wise and determinedly honest or just determined.

He contributed to many of our enterprises - a Street directory of our own street "Claremont Grove" (because we didn't knwo our virtual CBD neighbours) , our regular cabaret sessions at the Chez Paris Cafe, being a bricoleur -, and probably the most well known - he helped plant the "Vacant lot of Cabbages" 1978. You can find out more about that by googling Te Papa "Vacanat lot of cabbages and see many of Justin Keen's fine photos on the planting day when we cut the wire fence, trucked in a pile of topsoil then planted 180 plants as an early interventionist work of art - against the zeitgeist of the male oligarchy business - including environmentally determined statements about saving our indigenous NZ Forests.

Remembering the fun times at Kavieng Fisheries College.

So sorry to hear of Hugh´s passing. Hugh became my close friend when we were both wearing 3-cornered pants. Recently, Hugh sent me these two photos of us working the West Australian rock lobster fishery in 77/78. I can tell from these photos, that on this day we were working the "Deep". Ie in about 100 fathoms, 35 miles off the coast. We would have got out of bed at 4am and returned to shore at sunset - exhausted!
My friend Hugh was a very kind and honest man, with a large view of life. We had a wonderful childhood and adolescence growing up in and around Blenheim - the Waltons, the Meikles, the Andrews and the Robinson´s sharing endless days in the sun and on the water. My condolences to all of you who are his family. His spirit will live on with you. Go well friend! Paul

From almost 50 years ago. Hugh and I had spent all night assembling a replica RIM-2 missile for an anti-nuclear demonstration in Cathedral Square, Christchurch. September 1976. Photo by Wallace Double.