14 Facts About Robertson Stewart

Sir Robertson Huntly Stewart was a New Zealand industrialist and exporter.

Robertson Stewart is credited with starting to manufacture plastic goods in the country.

Robertson Stewart's parents separated when he was six, and Stewart and his younger brother Max remained with their mother.

Robertson Stewart attended Linwood North Primary School, Christchurch West High School, and one term at Christchurch Boys' High School until age 13, when scarlet fever caused him to leave school.

Robertson Stewart went to Bottle Lake Hospital in Burwood for treatment and recovered, but did not go back to school.

Robertson Stewart trained to become an electrical engineer through attending night school for five years.

Robertson Stewart imported a moulding machine to New Zealand and was the first to manufacture the material in the country.

Robertson Stewart was listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange in 1971 and at its height, employed 2,200 staff with an annual turnover of NZ$350 million.

Robertson Stewart established factories in many countries, including one in Malaysia in 1974.

Robertson Stewart was a Christchurch City Councillor from 1969 to 1972.

The replacement, known as the Robertson Stewart Fountain, was built in 1998 at a cost of NZ$700,000, with a NZ$200,000 contribution by Robertson Stewart and decorated with hundreds of tiles painted by Christchurch schoolchildren.

Demolition of the fountain began on 13 August 2007 and 13 young people were arrested in a protest over the demolition; Sir Robertson Stewart had died that morning.

Robertson Stewart's bequest part-funded the replacement sculpture, "Flour Power", on the condition that the installation be permanent, and that the land be known as Robertson Stewart Plaza.

Robertson Stewart was survived by his second wife, Adrienne, and five children.