Gwen Rix

Alma Gwen Squire (née Rix, 1 April 1918 − 30 April 2000) was a New Zealand diver, who represented her country at the 1938 British Empire Games.

Gwen Squire
Personal information
Birth nameAlma Gwen Rix
Born(1918-04-01)1 April 1918
Dunedin, New Zealand
Died30 April 2000(2000-04-30) (aged 82)
Spouse(s)
Arthur William Squire
(m. 1945; died 1988)
Sport
CountryNew Zealand
SportDiving
Achievements and titles
National finalsDiving champion (1936, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941)

Early life and family

Born Alma Gwen Rix, Squire was born in Dunedin on 1 April 1918,[1] the daughter of Edwin Montague Rix and Ella Mable Rix (née Miller). Her father, a tramway motorman, died in 1925.[2] She was educated at King Edward Technical College, where she was an accomplished netball player.[3] On 26 December 1945, she married Arthur William Squire in Christchurch.[4]

Swimming and diving

Beginning her aquatic career as a swimmer, Rix competed at the 1931 junior amateur swimming championships in the 50 yards and 100 yards freestyle events.[5] The following year she was second in the breaststroke at the national junior championships.[6]

Rix began diving in 1934 and benefitted from coaching by Australian Harry Tickle when he toured New Zealand that same year.[6][7] At the 1935 national championships, Rix was second in the women's diving.[8][9] She went on to win the New Zealand national diving championship every year from 1936 to 1941, apart from 1937 when the event was not held.[10]

Considered unlucky by some not to have been selected for the 1936 Olympics,[11] Rix competed for New Zealand at the 1938 British Empire Games in Sydney, where she finished sixth in the women's 3 m springboard.[12]

Death

Squire died on 30 April 2000, and her ashes were buried at the Woodlawn Memorial Gardens in Christchurch.[13] Her husband had predeceased her in 1988.[13]

References
  1. "Death search: registration number 2000/9374". Births, deaths & marriages online. Department of Internal Affairs. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  2. "A tragic death: motorman's sudden demise". Otago Daily Times. 15 September 1925. p. 7. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  3. "Annual tourney". The Press. 24 July 1934. p. 17. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  4. "News for women". The Press. 26 December 1945. p. 2. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  5. "Swimming: junior and intermediate championships". The Press. 26 January 1931. p. 13. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  6. "Empians from New Zealand". The Labor Daily. 25 January 1938. p. 3. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  7. "Topical tattle: newsy news on sport". Dunstan Times. 7 January 1935. p. 3. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  8. "Topical tattle: newsy news on sport". Dunstan Times. 15 April 1935. p. 6. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  9. "Opinion in Auckland". New Zealand Herald. 18 December 1937. p. 15. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  10. McLintock, A.H., ed. (1966). "Swimming – national championships". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand. Wellington: Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  11. "Swimming". Evening Post. 28 March 1936. p. 24. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  12. "Gwen Rix". New Zealand Olympic Committee. 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  13. "Alma Gwen Squire". BillionGraves. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
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