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Harold Fred Griffin     (1899 - 1992)

Harold Fred Griffin was born 28 Jul 1899 at Eltham, Taranaki, the third child of Arthur and Helena Griffin, who farmed on the Upper Mangawhero Road. Harold started his schooling at Riverlea school and in 1913 when his father moved to Inaha, went to the Tokaora School. He would hand milk before and after school and found work when he left school days behind, on dairy farms in the area. In 1923 when he was 24 he and his younger brother Alf were able to buy a farm property on the Lower Normandy Road,  Kaupokanui, for 130 Pound an acre. They later split the farm, retaining 75 acres (30 hectares) each.

Harold married Edith May Shaw who was born 26 Jun 1906 in New Plymouth. Her father was Benjamin George Shaw and her mother Edith Gladys Putt. Their marriage on 23rd June 1926 was at St Cuthbert's Church, Manaia. They moved to Tauranga about 1935 and on the occasion of their Golden Wedding Anniversary  celebrations, the local paper wrote: 

"Living in sheds, new houses but always on a farm was the early part of married life for Harold and Edith Griffin. Harold dedicated his working life to breaking in land from scrub, fern and gorse and in all he has now cleared about 1100 acres with little help.

Mr Griffin was once called the King of Tauriko. Apparently the locals were so impressed by his effective methods of breaking in the land and the speed that he did it, they proclaimed him King.

"I used to burn it off, swamp plough it, then put in a temporary crop. If you sowed it with grass immediately, the gorse came up again and you had a devil of a job to clear it."

He is aged 77, when most men are retired but Mr Griffin still goes down to one of his farms at the back of Taupo to clear the ragwort.

The couple were married at Manaia Taranaki and came to Tauranga 41 years ago.

Mrs Griffin (70) has been active in both the Women's Division of Federated Farmers and Country Women's Institute as well as the league of Mother's Group. She enjoyed crocheting and knitting during the spare time she had between bringing up 8 children. Celebrating with them Golden Wedding at Queens Birthday Weekend were present many of their 34 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren".

Edith died 08 Sep 1985 aged 79 years in Tauranga Hospital, Bay of Plenty and Harold died 15 May 1992 aged 92 years in Waihi Rest Home, Athenree, Waihi. He and Edith are buried at Pyes Pa Cemetery, Tauranga D03.21

Their children:
1: Benjamin Arthur Adlam Griffin b: Manaia married 
Dorothy (Dot) Mae Longley daughter of Charles Harold and Mabel Longley in Hamilton. Their three daughters are Cheryl Ann, Raewyn Janice and Vicky Maree Griffin.

Ben remarried to Ivy Nora Sparkes

2: Edith Gladys Griffin (b: 06 Mar 1929 Taranaki; d: 06 May 2013 at Brisbane) She married 18 May 1950 to Malcolm Campbell Sheffield at Tauranga (b: 25 Jun 1930; d: 2014) They had four children Lorraine Anne, Shona Ruth, Andrea Denise and Paul Malcolm Sheffield 

3: Eva Amelia Griffin (b: 12 Jun 1930 in Tauranga; d: 22 Aug 2003 in Palmerston Nth) mar: 1 Dec 1953 in Tauranga to Vivian Rowland Larson. Viv and Eva's family are Glenn Rowland, Karen May  and Errol Lawrence Larson

4: Margaret Joy* Griffin (b: 15 Oct 1931; Joy died 18 Jan 2003 in Waipuna Hospice, Tauranga.) She mar; Rex Stanley Jackson on 14 Mar 1956 in Tauranga. Their family Kenneth George, Warren Robert Leslie, David Andrew, Royce Vernon and Donna Joy  Jackson. 

5: Harold Edwin Griffin b: Taranaki married Rae Helen Anderton They have four children - Diane Heather, Brian Kevin, Patricia Faye and Derek Michael Griffin.
Harold remarried  Elizabeth Lilian Telford at Tauranga - her parents James Telford and Lilian Jane nee Buchanan

6: Gordon Clarence Griffin b:Tauranga married Beverley Anne Morrissey at Tauranga. Their family - Brent Allan, Lindsay Andrew, Sandra Lee, Alister Gordon; Roger Ian and Nigel Ross Griffin

7: Maisie Elizabeth Griffin b: Tauranga married Colin Carter in Tauranga. The Carter family are David Colin, Donald Alan, Tony John, Terrance Morris and Melissa Joy Carter. 

8: Glenys Gaynor Griffin b: Tauranga married William James (Jim) Thomson at Tauranga, son of William and Florence Grace Thompson. Their daughters are - Brenda May, Deborah Grace, Susanne Gaynor and Lisa-Maree Thomson