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Humphrey Rainey
Biography
BiographyFrom Colin Williams’s obituary in the January 13, 2016 ‘Leader’.
The Lower Hutt-born Rainey came to live and work in the burgeoning town of Upper Hutt in the early 1950s after study at Otago University and work at Wellington and Hutt Hospitals as an anaesthetic registrar.
In Dunedin he had met Patricia, a trained nurse with whom he was to share 65 married years. The couple set up medical practice in Pine Ave in 1952, in a converted garage in their "little brick house" on the site of today's Angus and Burrell car business.
Rainey then formed a partnership with Dr Denys Heginbotham and, later, Dr Bill Ackroyd. In 1956 the trio bought land opposite St Joseph's Church for Trinity House; a purpose-built health centre. This, the town’s first group practice, provided many services previously not available to locals. A day surgery was put in place and visiting ENT, obstetric and gynaecologist specialists worked regular days. "It was very innovative and very, very popular," Pat Rainey said.
For 40 years Rainey was a visiting anaesthetist at Hutt Hospital, and in the 1990s he worked several months-longh postings as a GP and anaesthetist in Niue and Western Samoa for the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. His later years were with part-time work at Lower Hutt's Ropata Medical Centre, a practice he was long associated with.
He fully retired from medical life in 2014.
In the late 1960s Rainey became involved in the development of Upper Hutt's marae. Pat Rainey had already been active in the city's Ma-wai-hakona Maori Association which had set out on fundraising for an urban marae and community centre. Rainey attended a club meeting and, on the back of his professional vision for money raising, was voted chair for a committee dedicated to the task. A major push came with a 1970 Queen Carnival, a two month campaign including a community ball, a sponsored walk and other events which culminated in a 70 float procession before 15,000 onlookers and the naming of the Carnival Princess. More than $27,000 was raised towards the project's estimated $50,000 cost.
Rainey was elected Orongomai president in 1972, replacing Tom Johnson. He was to remain in the position till the marae's 1976 opening and for many years afterward. His contribution on the Upper Valley Marae Community Centre Committee and as Orongomai president was recognised with an OBE Queen's Birthday honour for services to the Maori community.
A prolific athlete in his college and university years, Rainey also made a national contribution in rugby. After retiring from the Upper Hutt seniors because of the risk of more serious injuries compromising his professional life, he took up refereeing. He progressed to first-class level officiating and in 1971 was whistle man for the notorious Canterbury-British Lions clash, which resulted in serious injuries to three visiting players.
Rainey was a long-time board member of the Alcohol Liquor Advisory Council and was also chairman of the Medical Assurance Society.
The Lower Hutt-born Rainey came to live and work in the burgeoning town of Upper Hutt in the early 1950s after study at Otago University and work at Wellington and Hutt Hospitals as an anaesthetic registrar.
In Dunedin he had met Patricia, a trained nurse with whom he was to share 65 married years. The couple set up medical practice in Pine Ave in 1952, in a converted garage in their "little brick house" on the site of today's Angus and Burrell car business.
Rainey then formed a partnership with Dr Denys Heginbotham and, later, Dr Bill Ackroyd. In 1956 the trio bought land opposite St Joseph's Church for Trinity House; a purpose-built health centre. This, the town’s first group practice, provided many services previously not available to locals. A day surgery was put in place and visiting ENT, obstetric and gynaecologist specialists worked regular days. "It was very innovative and very, very popular," Pat Rainey said.
For 40 years Rainey was a visiting anaesthetist at Hutt Hospital, and in the 1990s he worked several months-longh postings as a GP and anaesthetist in Niue and Western Samoa for the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. His later years were with part-time work at Lower Hutt's Ropata Medical Centre, a practice he was long associated with.
He fully retired from medical life in 2014.
In the late 1960s Rainey became involved in the development of Upper Hutt's marae. Pat Rainey had already been active in the city's Ma-wai-hakona Maori Association which had set out on fundraising for an urban marae and community centre. Rainey attended a club meeting and, on the back of his professional vision for money raising, was voted chair for a committee dedicated to the task. A major push came with a 1970 Queen Carnival, a two month campaign including a community ball, a sponsored walk and other events which culminated in a 70 float procession before 15,000 onlookers and the naming of the Carnival Princess. More than $27,000 was raised towards the project's estimated $50,000 cost.
Rainey was elected Orongomai president in 1972, replacing Tom Johnson. He was to remain in the position till the marae's 1976 opening and for many years afterward. His contribution on the Upper Valley Marae Community Centre Committee and as Orongomai president was recognised with an OBE Queen's Birthday honour for services to the Maori community.
A prolific athlete in his college and university years, Rainey also made a national contribution in rugby. After retiring from the Upper Hutt seniors because of the risk of more serious injuries compromising his professional life, he took up refereeing. He progressed to first-class level officiating and in 1971 was whistle man for the notorious Canterbury-British Lions clash, which resulted in serious injuries to three visiting players.
Rainey was a long-time board member of the Alcohol Liquor Advisory Council and was also chairman of the Medical Assurance Society.
Details
Also Known AsHumphDate of BirthCa. 1926Place of BirthLower HuttDate of Death24th December 2015Place of DeathSilverstreamPlace of ResidenceSilverstreamSexMaleEthnicityEuropean
Date of BirthCa. 1926Place of BirthLower HuttDate of Death24th December 2015Place of DeathSilverstreamPlace of ResidenceSilverstreamSexMaleEthnicityEuropeanMarriage
WifePatDateCa. 1950
DateCa. 1950Connections
OrganisationOrongomai Marae
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Humphrey Rainey (Ca. 1950). Upper Hutt Libraries, accessed 01/08/2026, https://uhcl.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/24829