charlottereah on Family Tree Circles

My name is Charlotte Reah (nee Edwards). My mother was Eva Topeora Edwards and her fathers name was Sol Whakahoro TeWhata born 1893. His parents on his marriage certificate to my grandmother Takiata Rangi Aruaru, was TeWhata TeWhata and his mother Heni TeWhata. My mother was from his second family along with James, Harata, Ned, Sol, Fred, Jimmy, Janie, Harry and Rangi. His first family were Queenie, David, Jack and Mary?

Jack, Sol, Janie, Rangi and Mary? are alive.

My grandfather worked on the Kauri gum when he first settled in Kerepeehi, Hauraki Plains. He and my grandmother Peti (Betty) raised all their children from that homestead. James was in the Maori Battallion and buried at Gallipoli.

My grandfather was known for his green fingers. During my childhood (nanadad) affectionately remembered by, always had a huge garden, huge orchard and constantly maintained the grounds around the homestead. The local people, Edmonds I remember always drove their tractor to the homestead to turn the soil on nanadads garden.

The garden stretched across the Hikaiiti property, Rangi Fraser property right up to Uncle Freds and Aunty Joys property. He built a shed beside the homestead to store potato and kumara under tea tree and hung his popcorn and onion to store. He was always immaculately tidy.

Nanadad read when he was relaxing. He had a full library of westerns. He and I would walk down to the casino to watch TV at Uncle Buff Rangi,s and Aunty Maata,s place (nee Baggs). He always waited for the Alfred Hitchcock movies to finish before we would walk home. Janie Pourau and Nick Thompson lived at the front of the casino.

He became a Jehovahs Witness 10 years before he passed away. Much loved grandfather.