A Grave Discovery

 In New Zealand, and probably all around the world, there are people who get satisfaction from finding out who is buried in unmarked graves, particularly in churchyards. It was one of these intrepid super sleuths, in a tiny place called Awhitu Central, in Manukau Heads, West Auckland, who came upon the final resting place of  Miriam Paltridge, the wife of a local lighthouse keeper. She had been buried there since 1888. Upon making further inquiries, she discovered that Miriam Paltridge was in fact our Maori maiden, Miriama Potiki. How I wish Mum were around to learn this.

This discovery in 2012 resulted in three families making contact, again through the internet, and, since then, we, the descendants of Miriama's three partners, have united at Awhitu three times. She now has a beautiful kauri headstone, a new concrete slab and railing, and dozens of people who acknowledge her as their ancestor. 

            Miriama's original plaque                                                          Her new kauri headstone

                                                       
           The Manukau Heads lighthouse

                                                                                                                                                                

                                                                   Some of the extended family