Soke Peter Morton
Inducted into the A.M.A.H.O.F/W.K.U.H.O.F. for 1997
MOST DISTINGUISHED MARTIAL ARTIST OF THE YEAR FOR AUSTRALASIA
DISTINGUISHED BOARD MEMBER SOKESHIP COUNCIL
Shihan Morton was born in Queanbeyan on 7 September 1932. His interests in martial arts actually began as a young 14 year old practicing Kodokan Judo with Hank Geritz at the Canberra YMCA. He was to continue learning judo from Sensei Geritz until 1952 when Maurie Butt started teaching Shihan Morton Australian Jujitsu. During the 1950s Shihan Morton also renewed his school boy fascination with boxing, and despite his 40-odd fights, felt that jujitsu was not about maiming or injuring someone, unlike that of boxing.
1958 saw Shihan Morton having his own jujitsu school at the Canberra Police Boys Club and in 1960 he successfully gained his 1st Dan black belt, followed by being invited to affiliate his school with Jishukan Honbu. Over the next 14 years Shihan Morton was to grade further, gaining his 5th Dan in 1974. In 1980, after 34 years of hard work, self discipline and hours of training, Shihan Morton was to receive a great honour of receiving his 6th Dan black belt at the headquarters of Jishukan Honbu, Japan, by Soke Suho Sugita, 10th Dan black belt.
Shihan Morton’s love of rugby has also earned him many proud moments over the years as both an international player, trainer and coach and consequently his knowledge and expertise has been recognised by the Australian Institute of Sport where he acts as an adviser. The Australian Rugby Union’s coaching panel have included a section prepared by Peter on correct falling in their coaching manual. His associations and connections with nearly every sporting body in Queanbeyan and the A.C.T. is phenomenal.
Despite his involvement with other sports, Shihan Morton continued with his jujitsu club always trying to perfect the art, experimenting with and developing new techniques; devising training methods using his wide knowledge of anatomy and massage techniques. When Shihan Morton’s master died in the early 90’s he felt it was time to leave the fold of Jishukan, and in 1991 he received his 7th Dan in Australia under the Australian Ju-jitsu Society. He also holds an international martial arts society teacher certificate, a rarity throughout the world, and is also a 4th Dan in Kyshido.
Due to his services to youth, physical fitness and sport over his many years of sporting involvement, Shihan Morton was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) of Queen Elizabeth II by the Governor General at Government House. A further honour was to be bestowed on him in 1995 by way of the Advance Australia Award, along with other honored citizens including the late Fred Hollows.
The Peter Morton Academy of Self Defence now has a student base of 2000 spread throughout 20 branches across Australia, including Shihan Morton’s own dojo at Bateman’s Bay where he is actively instructing and is held in very high esteem by a11 club members. There are 150 instructors, with regular seminars being conducted to ensure that the style stays true to his old master.
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