Maker: Pat Vincent

Panel number: 21

Petition Sheet Number: 9

Person honouring: Mary Louisa Eady

Relationship to makers: None

Mary Louisa Eady (nee Roberts) and her husband founded a remarkable dynasty whose activities ensured that the Eady name has remained synonymous with music and light entertainment in Auckland for more than 100 years.

Mary was born in Camberwell, England on 21 May 1829 and worked as a governess/teacher before her marriage to William Eady, a butcher, in 1851. Mary, William, and their sons Arthur, William Thomas and Lewis came to New Zealand in 1865 on the Andrew Jackson. Mary kept a diary on board the ship, and writes of the inedible food and deteriorating conditions during the voyage.

The family settled in Auckland and were active members of the Beresford Street Congregational Church where Mary was a church organist. Both Mary and William sang in choirs in Auckland.

Like many women who signed the petition Mary was a member of the Women’s Temperance Movement. Her daughter-in-law, Rosina Eady, signed the same of the petition.

Mary’s love of music was inherited by her descendants who ran rival music stores in Auckland. Over the years there have been six ‘Eady’ music businesses in competition with each other. Mary’s great-great-grandson Alan John Lewis Eady (known as John Eady) owns the music business Lewis Eady Ltd in Epsom.

Mary died on the 8th January 1898 and according to her family it was after several weeks of suffering, borne with Christian patience and resignation. She is buried in Purewa Cemetery, Meadowbank Auckland.

Panel materials: Purple linen purchased to represent one of the suffrage colours.  Curtain material for leaves provided by Vinnies Re Sew. Old lace, tape for the border, music tape, beads and silver embroidery thread.