End of year sale! Shop now

David Hartley and Gerald Lomas Endowment Fund

When Gerald Lomas and David Hartley sat down to review their sixty-four years together, they knew they wanted to leave a gift that would be both enduring and make a difference to the charities they have supported over their years in New Zealand.

Gerry grew up near the Bristol docks, and David in Leeds, during the depression and the war years that impacted their collective outlook on life. They met when they were both conscripted to the Armed Forces in post-war Britain and remained a committed couple until Gerry passed away in October 2023.

Gerry was a teacher, very interested in theatre, speech, and drama. He was a scholar, until his last days, learning languages and thirsty for knowledge on all fronts. Wherever he went he enrolled for further education to better his own knowledge and to increase his capacity to teach others. He achieved his Doctorate towards the end of his teaching career from the University of Auckland. He travelled widely as an examiner for Royal Schools in speech and drama and met and made many friends all over the world.  Gerry was also besotted with armory, researching, and designing coats of arms, and learning the back story of the ancestors in order to craft the perfect symbols to represent a modern-day family. His calligraphy skills were much admired, and each Christmas or birthday special friends received handmade, and hand drawn calligraphic cards. He enjoyed local theatrical productions with Theatre Whakatane, visiting artists and performances of the Edgecumbe Choir.

David spent his working days juggling pots and pans as a chef. He and Gerry ran their own café for a time in Rippon, Yorkshire, before emigrating to Australia, where David took up several different roles cooking for the rich and famous. Upon arriving in Auckland David secured a position with the well renown French Café in Auckland. Many restaurant reviews support his attention to detail and his culinary flair and finesse. His lunches were legendary and apparently he cooked whitebait like no other. David also took up corporate catering, until he decided once and for all to hang up his apron and settle into retirement.

The Marriage Equality Act which passed into law in 2013, finally allowed Gerry and David to legally commit to the partnership they began in 1959. It was a milestone in a relationship that was tested at times by the confines of society.  In their retirement Gerry and David chose to leave the city behind them and retire to Whakatane, where they have lived and enjoyed a quieter pace of life over the past ten years.

Their generous legacy will benefit ten charities who all provide essential support within our communities of the Eastern Bay.

 

This product has been added to your cart

CHECKOUT