Walter John Moffatt was born in Nelson on 5 October 1856, the son of Harry Louis Moffatt (wharfinger at Motueka) and his wife Theresa Brown.
Walter was a coachbuilder by trade, serving his time in Nelson and Motueka. He followed his occupation in Fielding, Palmerston North and Marton, before returning to Motueka in 1886, to set up his own business.
On 24 May 1890, Walter married Fanny Tasker and they raised a family of two sons and one daughter.
Whilst in Motueka, Walter was on the Motueka Road Board when they broke away from the Waimea County Council and set up the Motueka Borough Council.
Walter retired from business and moved from Motueka to Nelson in October 1907. In 1915 he stood for and became a Nelson City Councillor. In 1927 he contested the Mayoralty, defeating the sitting Mayor William Lock. He was the Mayor when the new Trafalgar St Bridge was opened.
In 1935, due to ill health, Walter did not stand for Mayor, but remained on the Council. That same year he was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal.
He was involved with a number of community organisations. In 1900 he was among those who sought to establish a volunteer Corps in Motueka. He was chair of the Motueka School Committee and in 1909 elected to the Nelson City School Committee, An Ancient Order of Foresters friendly society member. He was a member of the Motueka Fruit growers Co-operative Association, a representative for the Huia Rugby Football Club on the Nelson Rugby Union, a member of the Nelson Debating Society and the Nelson Provincial Scottish Society.
He was named as one of the founders of the Nelson Advancement Society in 1914 and was also noted as being one of the main drivers behind the establishment of Motueka High School.
Walter died at home at 11 Trafalgar Street on 14 May 1938 aged 71. His home was where Club Italia now stands. Fanny died on 23 June 1958.
By Dianne Scott
Source - Historic Stories from Nelson’s Wakapuaka Cemetery Facebook. Every effort has been made to provide accurate information, the author does not guarantee the content.
