EXLEY, MARY ANN nee RUDD

 

Mary Rudd was born in Yorkshire, England about 1856, the daughter of George and Alice nee Garth.� In 1877, she married Thomas Robert Exley at Markington, Yorkshire,�� and in 1880, followed him out to New Zealand, landing in Wellington, Thomas having arrived in 1879.

 

The couple resided firstly at Waverley and then Hawera until settling at Pihama on land bought at the first sale of� Waimate Plains land, held at Manaia on the 25 October 1880. Her eldest son Robert Exley was the first white child to be born on the Waimate Plains.

 

Later the couple moved to Kaponga, where Thomas was in business, but they returned to the land again on Normanby Road, Manaia and then to the South Road at Tokaora.� In 1910, Thomas and Mary retired to Waihi-Glover Road and finally to Fairfield Road.

 

Of a retiring nature, Mary did not figure in the public life of the community, although she was a staunch parishioner of St Mary's Anglican Church.

 

Mary Ann Exley died at Hawera on the 25 August 1949 aged 93 years and is buried at the Manaia cemetery.

 

SOURCES

Interview "Hawera Star" 5 June 1946

Obituary "Hawera Star" 1 Sep 1949