Biography contributed by Bernadette Siebert
Agnes Ellen NEAL was born in 1870 in Auckland, the eldest of 12 children of Alfred and Mary Ann (nee Wilkin). Both her parents were born in England, married in 1866 in Cambridgeshire. Alfred had already been planning to join his brother in New Zealand, and one week later they sailed to New Zealand on the Winterthur. They settled in the bush in Waitakere, Auckland, where Agnes and five siblings were born. In 1874 Alfred inherited his brother’s property at Port Albert, and moved the family. A further eight children were born there.
Agnes married Mark Philips in 1892. Mark was one of the sons of Isaac and Ann Phillips, who lived most of their lives in the hills west of the Dome Valley where Isaac farmed. Most of Mark’s brothers and uncles were farmers in the wider Warkworth area.
Nine children were born;
- Twins, Daisy Linda (1893–1980) and Jasmine Ives (1893–1939)
- Hazel Mary (1895–1995)
- Cecil Wilkin (1897–1977)
- Alfred Henry (1899–1970)
- Isaac Roy (1901–1968)
- Edna May Ethel (1902–1968)
- Emily Myrtle (1905–1980)
- Doris Hessel (1907–1907)
- Leslie Mark (1909–1991)
Agnes was active in local affairs. For instance, in the 1912 Kaipara Flats Annual Show, she awarded 2nd place for both her Brown Loaf and Currant Loaf. She lived in the Dome Valley, all her married life, and died there in 1934 aged 63, having been in indifferent health for some time.
Mark lived on until 1950, when he died aged 88 years. They are buried together in the Warkworth Anglican Church Cemetery, but only Agnes has a headstone. Their infant daughter Doris, who died in 1907, is commemorated on her Phillips grandparents’ headstone in the same cemetery. Mark’s will left his estate, valued at 300 pounds to some of their children, omitting sons Alfred, Isaac and Leslie.
Agnes is the daughter of 24 Mary Ann NEAL
Sources
Mahurangi Matters_Issue 268_18 March 2015
PAPERS PAST Rodney and Otamatea Times, Waitemata and Kaipara Gazette, 10 April 1912, Page 4
PAPERS PAST Rodney and Otamatea Times, Waitemata and Kaipara Gazette, 20 November 1912, Page 5
PAPERS PAST Rodney and Otamatea Times, Waitemata and Kaipara Gazette, 28 February 1934, Page 3
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