Phyllis Isabell (Williams) Dawe (1911 - 1990)

Born 7 Jan 1911 in Foxton, Manawatu-Wanganui, New Zealand

Ancestors

Wife of Cyril Thomas Dawe — married 27 Aug 1932 in Putaruru, New Zealand

Descendants

Died 20 Apr 1990 at age 79 in Tokoroa, South Waikato, Waikato, New Zealand

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Linda Prole [send private message]

Biography

Phyllis was born in 1911. She was the daughter of Joseph Nicholas Williams and Harriett Louisa Barnett.

She was born in Foxton in the Manawatu, but the family soon moved to a large farm in Pukeatua in the Waikato where her father was Manager. Her father walked out on the family while some of the children were still quite young. No doubt her brothers had to take over a lot of the farm duties, as well as hired labour.

At the age of 21 she married 20 year old Cyril Dawe who had recently emigrated from England, on 27 August 1932 in Putaruru, Waikato. Cyril was working on the Arapuni Dam project not far out of Putaruru.

Phyllis and Cyril went on to have at least twelve children (two of whom were stillborn).

While living in Arapuni a polio epidemic broke out and their daughter Kathleen contracted polio at 18 months of age, necessitating a 3 year stay in Waikato Hospital.

In the 1938 NZ Electoral Rolls she and Cyril were recorded in Putaruru, where Cyril was a labourer.

In 1939 the family moved to Mount Maunganui where her husband Cyril was apprenticed to Bernard Judd, a radio and television retailer in Devonport Rd, Tauranga, as an electronics technician.

September 1939 marked the beginning of World War II. In 1940 the family moved to Tauranga and lived in Morris Street (now 13th Avenue).

Times were hard when rationing was introduced. There was the ever present fear that the Japanese would land on New Zealand shores. Tragically her brother Sydney was killed in action in Italy on 17 March 1944.

In the 1954 NZ Electoral Rolls she was living with her husband in Harris Street, Te Puke, where Cyril was a Radiotrician.

Phyllis and Cyril separated in about 1955 when their youngest child Thomas was only about 2 years of age.

In 1963 she was still living at Harris Street, Te Puke. Also in the household was her son William, who was in the printing trade.

She passed away on 20 April 1990 at the age of 79 and was cremated. Her ashes were scattered in McLoughlin Park, Te Puke under the Tree of Remembrance.

Sources

• Family Resources

• NZ BDM Historical Birth Records: Registration No: 1911/2596 | Family Name: Williams | Given Name(s): Phyllis Isabell | Parents: Louisa Harriett & Joseph Nicholas | https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz

• NZ BDM Historical Marriage Records: Registration No: 1932/5798 | Bride's Given Name(s): Phyllis Isabell | Bride's Family Name: Williams | Groom's Given Name(s): Cyril Thomas | Groom's Family Name: Dawe | https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz

• NZ BDM Historical Death Records: Registration No: 1990/41220 | Family Name: Dawe | Given Name(s): Phyllis Isabell | Date of Birth: 7 January 1911 | https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz