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Rolfe Hattaway’s grave in Marton has a new headstone, with one of his works of art.
The family of a man who spent time at Lake Alice Hospital has just discovered his story, 50 years after his death.
Rolfe Hattaway spent more than half his life in institutions, but he also influenced the work of well-known New Zealand modernist artists Theo Schoon and Gordon Walters.
His family was unaware of his existence until the early 1990s, 20 years after his death when he was a patient in Lake Alice on October 6, 1970.
The search for his grave was not successful until 2017, when a Rangitīkei District Council staff member discovered that his name was misspelled in the records and found the final resting place at Mt View Cemetery, Marton.
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Paul Hattaway, from Sydney, Australia, and has been investigating the “intriguing, complex and tragic” life of his uncle.
Rolfe Hattaway was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1933 and was admitted to Auckland Mental Hospital in 1937 by his father and two doctors.
He made many drawings in 1949 and the artist Theo Scoon, who worked as an orderly at the hospital, preserved them.
Later, he and Gordon Walters used the images of Rolfe Hattaway in their own work.
Schoon left packets of pictures with friends. More than 200 were donated to the Auckland Art Gallery and remain in the gallery’s research library.
Rolfe Hattaway was admitted to Lake Alice Hospital, near Bulls, in 1958 and lived there until his death in 1970.
Paul Hattaway said that Rolfe’s existence remained a mystery for so long due to the extreme secrecy of Rolfe’s brothers.
“The reasons for the antipathy of Rolfe’s brothers are as unclear as [are] the reasons why it was institutionalized, but shame and prevailing cultural attitudes toward mental health and sexuality are likely to have played a role. “
It was still unknown why Rolfe Hattaway was permanently institutionalized when he was 30 years old.
Paul Hattaway said the tombstone was made for the 50th anniversary of Rolfe’s death and featured elements from his drawings and a line taken from one of his poems.
It said “You … you! – Sing me”.
Rolfe Hattaway’s Will Family will gather for a tombstone unveiling ceremony as soon as travel restrictions are eased.
