Biography contributed by Bernadette Siebert
Mary Ann was born 1866 in Warkworth, one of ten children of George Sheppard Warin and wife Margaret nee Carson. Both George and Margaret were separate, early immigrants to Auckland, marrying there in 1854. George farmed in Matakana for some years and then began a saddlery business in Warkworth.
When Mary Ann was 26, she married William Alexander McGregor in 1892 in Mahurangi. He was the son of Alexander and Charlotte McGregor, both from Nova Scotia, Canada. Captain Alexander founded the Northern Steamship Company. Son William trained as a marine engineer then superintended the building of ships for his father’s company.
They had three children:
- Alan Godfrey McGregor (1893–1927)
- Roy Matheson McGregor (1895–1961)
- Jessie Charlotte McGregor (1897–1950)
On his father's death William succeeded him as managing director of the company. William died in 1905, aged 45, in Tonga. In search of health William went on a month's trip to the Islands, his wife accompanying him. His death occurred shortly after he landed at Tonga. His body was brought back to Auckland where he was interred at Waikumete Cemetery with his parents.
Mary Ann continued to live in Auckland at various addresses around Herne Bay and Remuera. She outlived her husband and two of her children. She died in 1951 aged 84 and is buried at Waikumete Cemetery with her eldest son Alan, who died aged 33.
In her probate she had left her jewellery and personal effects to her daughter, 600 pounds to grandson Ross Spurdle, and the rest in three parts, one to daughter Jessie, two to son Roy in Sydney, and the third part to all the grandchildren equally. It was valued at 1500 pounds.
Mary Ann is the daughter of 378 M Warin
Sources
PAPERS PAST New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 13024, 15 November 1905, Page 3
PAPERS PAST Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 260, 31 October 1905, Page 3
Historical BDM
Archway probate
NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com)