Gwen Squire
Rix in 1938
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
Arthur William Squire
​
​
(m. 1945; died 1988)​
Sport
CountryNew Zealand
SportDiving
Achievements and titles
National finalsDiving champion (1936, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941)

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.

Early life and family

Born Alma Gwen Rix, Squire was born in Dunedin, New Zealand, 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. 1 2 "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. 1 2 "Alma Gwen Squire". BillionGraves. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
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