Paul Tebbutt describes Jerry Charters as a “real character” who loved his adopted hometown of Lyttelton.
“One of Jerry’s favourite things to do was to sit at his cottage, perched halfway up the hill, looking down on the ships and tugs in the Port,” Paul says.
Jerry was born in England and, from his teenage years, was always drawn to a life at sea. He joined the merchant navy shortly after leaving formative education and, through many dedicated years of training, worked his way up to the position of Chief Engineer.
“He told some fairly tall stories about his time in the navy,” Paul remembers.
Jerry first visited New Zealand in the 1970s on the merchant ships. When he left the navy, he settled in New Zealand.
Paul met Jerry about 35 years ago in a Lyttelton pub.
“I just got talking to him and that was the beginning of a long friendship. We used to meet, walk the dog, and have a couple of pints together. We were good friends. Jerry got on well with my wife Sonia too. He used to come around about once a week for a coffee and chat.”
Jerry worked for Pacifica Shipping Company as an engineer and as engineer on the tugboats. His interest in the Port never diminished – in retirement he used to sit at home with his binoculars, keeping an eye on the comings and goings at the Port.
Paul remembers Jerry as someone who took friendship seriously and was generous to the people and causes he believed in.
“Jerry would give you the shirt off his back if he thought you deserved it. He used to talk about the charities he supported – the Red Cross, Salvation Army, St John, and the Westpac Rescue Helicopters.”
Paul and Sonia were a little surprised when they found out Jerry had left gifts in his will to four charities.
“We were always on at him to spend money on himself, but that just wasn’t who he was. Instead, there were certain charities he thought were really worthwhile.”
The gift in will Jerry left to the Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust has been invested in a scholarship to provide advanced training to aeromedical crews across Canterbury and the West Coast. The Jerry Charters Scholarship for Aeromedical Advancement will provide clinicians working on the Westpac Rescue Helicopters opportunities for specialist training and professional development which otherwise would not have been possible.
“I think Jerry would be very humble about having a scholarship named after him, but secretly he would be so pleased that his gift and legacy is being recognised in such a way.”
Jerry (Jeremy) Charters died on 1 April 2025. He was 80 years old.
