Right Reverend Sir Paul Alfred REEVES

1932 - 2011  (78 years)

• Name	Paul Alfred REEVES
  Title	Right Reverend Sir
  Birth	06 Dec 1932	Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand   [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
  Gender	Male
  Occupation	From 1971 to 1979
  	Angican Bishop of Waiapu
  Occupation	From 1979 to 1985  [2, 3]
  	Anglican Bishop of Auckland
  Occupation	From 1980 to 1985  [6]
  	Archbishop & Primate of New Zealand
  Occupation	From 1985 to 1990  [2, 3]
  	Govenor General of New Zealand
  Death	14 Aug 2011	Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand   [4, 5, 7]
  Person ID	I5955	NZ Genealogy Project
  Last Modified	30 Jul 2018

  
  

  Family	Beverley Gwendolen WATKINS,   b. 10 Apr 1934, Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
  Marriage	11 Jul 1958	Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand   [1, 2]
  Children	+ 1. Living   2. Living   3. Living
  Family ID	F2058	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	31 Dec 2024

  
  

• Event Map		Birth - 06 Dec 1932 - Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand Marriage - 11 Jul 1958 - Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand Death - 14 Aug 2011 - Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

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• Notes

  BIOGRAPHY The Right Reverend and The Honourable Sir Paul Alfred Reeves ONZ, GCMG, GCVO, QSO, KStJ. Paul Reeves was born in 1932 in working-class Newtown, Wellington, where his father D?Arcy worked for the tramways. Mortgage payments on his parents? small house left little money to spare, but that did not prevent their son from excelling at Wellington College and at Victoria College (now University), where he earned a MA before going to St John?s Theological College in Auckland to train for the Anglican priesthood. Nineteen fifty-nine was a momentous year for Paul Reeves. He married Beverley Watkins, whom he had met at Victoria, resigned his Tokoroa curacy and travelled to Britain on an Oxford scholarship. After working in British parishes, in 1964 the family returned to New Zealand where Paul became vicar of Okato. There, in this small Taranaki community, he rediscovered his Maori heritage ? his mother, Hilda, whose Maori name was Pihemana, was Te Ati Awa from Taranaki ? his whanau, and New Zealand history. In 1971 he capped his rapid rise in the church by becoming Bishop of Waiapu, a diocese he rejuvenated while boosting Maori participation in church governance. In 1979 he became Bishop of Auckland, then Primate and Archbishop of New Zealand the following year. Five years later, Reeves returned to Newtown as governor-general. It had been a difficult decision for the couple, since it meant relinquishing careers they loved, but on 20 November 1985 Sir Paul became New Zealand?s first Maori governor-general. They brought a new atmosphere to Government House. "I've tried to hitch the house onto the life of the community", Sir Paul said in 1990, "so that it flows in and out", remembering a successful public open day and nights when 100 Maori camped in the ballroom. The 1980s were turbulent. In his church days, Sir Paul had supported progressive causes but now he had to deal with Labour?s market-driven reforms and ministers? views on Waitangi Day. He modelled his governorship on the role of a bishop: ?a bishop travels, a bishop stands alongside people and searches for a common ground?. He paid special attention to hard-hit rural and small town New Zealand. Although most of his predecessors had reduced their public role after leaving Government House, Sir Paul launched himself into another two decades of service at the very highest levels, starting with three years as Anglican Observer at the United Nations. Later, on behalf of the United Nations or the Commonwealth, he observed elections in Ghana and South Africa, helped write constitutions for Guyana and Fiji, and chaired the Nelson Mandela Trust. He earned wide respect throughout the Pacific. At home, Sir Paul continued his work for Maori, race relations and Treaty settlements. Amongst other things, he became Ahorangi of Te Rau Kahikatea, St John?s Maori theological college, chaired the Queen Elizabeth II National Trust and the Bioethics Council and helped to select judges for the new Supreme Court. He continued his lifelong commitment to education through visiting professorships and becoming chancellor of the Auckland University of Technology. In 2007 New Zealand awarded him its highest honour, membership of the Order of New Zealand. Sir Paul died in Auckland on 14 August 2011 after a short battle with cancer. He was survived by his wife, Beverley, Lady Reeves, and three daughters. Source: Paul Reeves, URL: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/people/paul-reeves, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), 21-Aug-2014.

  
  

• Sources

  [S267] Andrew Bax, Pavitts, (http://www.pavitt.co.nz/index.html), none. [S278] Rex and Adriene Evans, Pavitt Family of Banks Peninsula, (Evagean Publishing, Auckland, New Zealand 1996). [S286] Auckland Cathedral of Holy Trinity Website, (The Selwyn Press, Auckland, New Zealand 2003), none. [S503] NZ BDM - Historical Records, (Department of Internal Affairs, Wellington, New Zealand). [S1134] Wikipedia - Paul Reeves. [S286] Auckland Cathedral of Holy Trinity Website, (The Selwyn Press, Auckland, New Zealand 2003), none. The Rt Revd Sir Paul Alfred Reeves GCMG, GCVO, QSO, KSt.J, MA, LTh. - Born in Wellington on 6 December 1932 of Maori and European descent to D'Arcy Lionel and Hilda Reeves, Sir Paul graduated BA (1955) and MA (1956) from Victoria University of Wellington. He then studied at Saint John's Theological College, Auckland, where he was granted LTh in 1958 and was ordained Deacon. In 1989 he was elected a Fellow of the College. As with many New Zealanders, sport was an integral part of his early life, and at school and University he played rugby, and at cricket was a useful slow left arm bowler. After his marriage to Beverley Gwendolen Watkins in 1959, and his ordination to the Priesthood in 1960, Sir Paul graduated with the degrees of BA (1961) and MA (1964) from Saint Peter's College, University of Oxford. The University has since granted him an Honorary DCL, while the College awarded him an Honorary Fellowship in 1981. He became a Trustee in 1994. Sir Paul had postings as Assistant Curate in Tokoroa, New Zealand; St. Mary the Virgin, Oxford; Kirkley St. Peter, Lowestoft, and St. Mary, Lewisham. Returning to New Zealand in 1964 he became Vicar of St. Paul's Church, Okato, a small country town at the foot of Mt Taranaki near New Plymouth. From 1966 he was Lecturer in Church History at St. John's College, Auckland, and became Director of Christian Education for the Diocese of Auckland in 1969. Ordained Bishop of Waiapu in 1971, Sir Paul also held the position of Chairperson of the Environmental Council 1974-1976. He received the Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal in 1977. In 1979 he became the eighth Bishop of Auckland, and in 1980 the Primate and Archbishop of New Zealand. In 1985 he retired as Archbishop to accept appointment as Governor-General (Head of State) of New Zealand, and was invested as Knight Batchelor (Kt), Knight of the Order of St John (KSt.J), and Knight Grand Cross of St Michael and St George (GCMG). The Queen created him Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) in 1986. The star and riband of the Order is shown at right. Completing his term in 1990, Sir Paul was awarded the Queen's Service Order for services to the people of New Zealand, and the following year was appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury as Anglican Observer at the United Nations in New York, a position he held for three years. During this period he was also Assisting Bishop in the Diocese of New York and was awarded Honorary Doctorates of Divinity (DD) by the General Theological Seminary, New York, and the Church Divinity School of the Pacific in San Francisco. A multiplicity of positions followed in 1994: Deputy Leader of the Commonwealth Observer group to South Africa; Chairperson of the Nelson Mandela Trust; Dean of Te Rau Kahikatea, Auckland, and Visiting Montague Burton Professor of International Relations at the University of Edinburgh, where he was awarded a Doctorate Honoris Causa. From 1995 - 1997 he was Chairperson of the Fiji Constitution Review Commission, assisting Fiji to return to the British Commonwealth. Sir Paul is a member of the United Nations Human Rights Commission at Geneva, and continues to be an officiating priest and an active member of the congregation at Holy Trinity Cathedral. [S789] Death Notice. REEVES, Bishop Sir Paul Alfred. - With deep sadness the Reeves Whanau announce the death of their husband, father and grandfather Paul. Former Anglican Bishop, Archbishop, Governor General and Chancellor of Auckland University of Technology. Husband to Beverley, father to Sarah, Bridget and Jane, father-in-law to Brian, Joe and Roger and grandfather to Roimata, Benjamin, Isabella, Sophia, Zachary and Willa. We give thanks for your life with us. The family wish to thank all of those who have been involved in his care in recent weeks. In lieu of flowers please give donations to either the Auckland City Mission, PO Box 5352 Wellesley Street, Auckland 1141 or the Anglican Trust for Women and Children. - NZ Herald 15 Aug 2011.