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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: 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. 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 |