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NAME:
Meeri Beazley
BORN:
27 Aug 1915
MARRIED:
25 Dec 1932 aged 17
DIED:
14 Jul 1991 aged 75
Meeri (Dolly) Beazley
Meeri (Dolly) Beazley
Dolly was born while the family still lived in Omanaia. She started her formal education there. Later, the family moved to Pakotai where Gampa (Alfred) built the kauri homestead that still stands today.
Dolly married Pereene (Percy) Eriha Kiriwi-Greaves on Christmas Day 1932 at the homestead in Pakotai. She was given in marriage by her Uncle, Bill Royal Pou. Her father refused to do this because they were married in the Anglican faith instead of Ratana to which the family belonged. They were attended by Sophie Cherrington, nee Pou, and Charlie Greaves.
(new) Percy and Dolly Greaves
Pereene 'Percy' Eriha Kiriwi-Greaves
Pereene 'Percy' Eriha Kiriwi-Greaves
Percy was the son of Eriha and Maata Kiriwi of Parapara, near Taipa. He belonged to the tribe of Ngati Tara.
Many generations before the Mamaru landed at Taipa this area was visited by Kupe, his wife Kura-maro-tini and daughter and members of his crew. Their canoe, Matahoura, had journeyed around Murimotu. They then rested for a period at Te Toe in the Pawarengarenga Harbour. From there they paddled past Karikari until they came to the southern end of Tokerau Beach, so named because it was the place of a hundred fishing grounds. The skids which had been used to haul Matahoura on to the beach were planted on a nearby headland where some of them are still growing to this day. Some of the local stories say that Kupe left this area to make further explorations, but returned to this area before finally returning to Hawaiki.
After they were married, Percy and Dolly lived in the Mangakahia area and worked at the Tongue Oil Plantation in Awarua; He was the foreman and she ran a boarding house. While they resided there, their first four children were born. Wiriariaki, the eldest, died in infancy and is buried in Pakotai. With three children under the age of four years (Tom, Harry and Thelma) a wheelbarrow was used as a pram.
On 13 March 1937 the family moved further north to Parapara where they built the family homestead and raised their family.
In all, Percy and Dolly had 13 children
Wiriariaki Kiriwi-Greaves,
Charles Thomas Percy Greaves (Tom)
Haehae Te Ahuahu Greaves (Harry)
Thelma Olive Greaves
Margaret Rose Greaves, (Kewpie)
William Michael Neville Greaves (Bill)
Eriha Pereene Greaves (Eric)
Maata Greaves (Nan)
Timoti Kiriwi-Greaves
Peter Robert Greaves, (Wita)
Skinner Arena Greaves (Atti)
Maryanne Greaves
Findlay Greaves (Fin)
Unfortunately 2 of the children died as babies
Wiriariaki Kiriwi-Greaves, d. 26 Mar 1933, (Age 4 months, 20 days)
Timoti Kiriwi-Greaves, d. 24 Mar 1943 (Age 8 months, 0 days)
Dolly worked hard, very very hard. There was always food, everything was home cooked. She was always at home when the children came home from school. The wood range would be burning and something would be cooking, everything was really homely. She ran the house, she pulled things together.
The Parapara Homestead
She tended large gardens. Vegetables were never bought. She had a garden right up until the day she died. There was also a large orchard with peaches, apples, figs, grapes, plumbs, lemons and later oranges..
She made pickles and chutney with the veges. Things like peas and beans were frozen and used during the winter months. Kumara and potatoes were stored for the winter also. During the autumn, she preserved many dozen bottles of peaches, pears and apples. She made beautiful jam from peaches, blackberries, figs and grapes.
She took an active part in community affairs. She worked hard for the marae, school and especially the church. She taught Sunday School and at the time of her death, she was the treasurer for the church.
Although she was whakama to admit it, she didn’t know how to weave flax when she arrived in Parapara. She would confide later in life that when someone was weaving, she would watch and when she got home, she would practice in private. On her own admission, her first efforts were only pipi kits, but in time, she became quite an expert. Her good friend Aunty Flu taught her the finer points of kete making.
Material things didn't mean much to Dolly, but she liked to keep up with with the times as far as electrical appliances were concerned. She had all the mod cons. Later she regretted getting rid of her wood stove as even in modern times, there were advantages of having one. e.g. lower electricity bills and warmth in the winter.
She loved the sea. Fishing was a passion. She also loved to collect other kaimoana and she had her own special way of preparing these for the table.
The family used to have a few milking cows and for a time, the cream was sent away to the factory but later Dolly used the cream to make butter and from this, she made the apple pies for which she was quite famous for.
Like her mother Ani, she was an expert seamstress. When the children were young and needed new clothing, she would run it up at night and when they woke, it would be ready to wear.
Dolly used scraps to make an assortment of things but especially tare tare blankets. Before the electric machine, she had an old treadle machine. However, most of the things that the children wore were second hand.
She was a very thrifty person. When husband Percy retired and the children left home, she got her own money. She provided well for the home and moko she cared for but she still managed to put a little away for a rainy day.
Percy and Dolly lived out their lives in the Parapara homestead with their 2nd eldest son Tom, who never married. When Percy passed away, it was Dolly and Tom. When Dolly passed away, Tom stayed there by himself. And when Tom passed away, Dolly's moko Hikitia and her family moved in to look after the homestead.
Dolly was a devoted mother, nan and gradnan and we will all testify to that. Each one of us loved and respected her. She didn't ask for much, she was a giver. She doted on each and everyone of us. While she was with us, we all thought that she was an angel on earth, and now that she has gone, we think that she is an angel in heaven.
Peerene 'Percy' Greaves passed away on 17 August 1972 aged 72 years. Meeri ‘Dolly’ Greaves passed away on 14 July 1991 aged 75 years. They are both buried in Takapuna Urupa, Parapara.
E te Atua kaha rawa, te tino whakawhetai atu nei ki a koe mo tou pai, me tou mahi aroha ki a motou. E whakapai atu ana matou ki a koe. Amine
Editorial Notes
Editorial Notes
There is no accreditation given to the author(s) of the original panui in the Reunion Book. It has since been updated using memoirs by her daughter Thelma Priestley (nee Greaves).
Any corrections, additional information or pictures relevant to this whanau chapter or whakapapa can be submitted (see contacts)
Meeri Memorial Notices (click on pic)
Meeri Chapter Whakapapa
Meeri Chapter Whakapapa
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To go to Meeri's Whakapapa
(new) Meeri, Percy (in background) and moko Roma
daughter Margaret, Meeri, moko Sheryl and daughter Thelma
sons Bill, Eric, Atti, Fin, Harry and Tom
(new) daughter Maata 'Nan' Hita (nee Greaves)
(new) Tamariki of Percy and Dolly Greaves
(new) son Eric 'Mr G' Greaves
(new) Meeri Headstone
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