Obituary: Graham Beavis

Graham Beavis

The NZ Refining Company's first superintendent (chief operating officer). Died aged 84

Graham Beavis was appointed to manage the start-up team for the Marsden Pt oil refinery in 1963. He led the refinery's technical operations until retirement in 1981.

Earlier, he had a long career with the Shell Oil Company, starting in Wellington and then on to Europe and the Middle East for nearly 20 years.

At its inception, the NZ Refining Company was at the leading edge of oil refinery operation and design. There were strict environmental controls as well as tight financial constraints.

As the new concept refinery took shape, Beavis oversaw negotiations with local authorities, environmental agencies, and unions. The refinery also pioneered the concept of a single site agreement for all union staff.

In later years, he oversaw the planning stages for the refinery expansion programme of the 1980s.

He was born in Wellington, in 1921, educated at Wellington College and Victoria University, from where he graduated with an MSc in chemistry, having completed a thesis on the extraction of vanadium and titanium from Taranaki ironsand. He was a founding amateur member of the NZ national orchestra (later the NZ Symphony Orchestra) playing in the double bass section.

Beavis started work in the laboratory of the Shell Oil Company in Wellington. In 1945, he worked in London, Scotland and Egypt with Shell International's refining division.

In 1954, he married Christchurch-born soprano Phyllis Mander, then based in London. They lived in Egypt until forced to leave during the Suez Crisis of 1956.

Beavis returned to New Zealand in 1963 to manage the start-up team for the NZ Refining Company, which began on-stream refining operations in 1964.

He took an active interest in community affairs in Whangarei and Auckland. He led the Whangarei Music Society, was a long-serving member of the Whangarei South Rotary Club, the Northland Society of Arts, and vestry member of Whangarei's Anglican Christ Church.

After moving to Auckland with Phyllis in 1984, he spent an active retirement serving on the Parnell Community Committee.

Beavis died suddenly after a stroke. He is survived by his wife, children John and Crystal, and grandchildren.