{"id":1386,"date":"2013-09-27T01:02:08","date_gmt":"2013-09-27T00:02:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nzculturalgenealogymapping.wordpress.com\/?p=1386"},"modified":"2013-09-27T01:02:08","modified_gmt":"2013-09-27T00:02:08","slug":"remembering-peggy-ashton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/depotpress.co.nz\/2013\/09\/27\/remembering-peggy-ashton\/","title":{"rendered":"Remembering Peggy Ashton"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"peggy_tawari_95\"<\/a>Remembering Peggy Ashton on Suffrage Day: \u00a08th December 1920 \u2013 6th September 2013<\/p>\n

Peggy Ashton was a much loved Devonport local, one of those wonderful people who, through their involvement and commitment, give meaning to community. Peggy was a peace activist, she was part of the women\u2019s movement, a member of the Maori Women\u2019s Welfare League and she actively supported the development of the Awataha Marae on Auckland\u2019s North Shore.<\/p>\n

When Peggy died this month she was farewelled in our local funeral home by the people she had loved, supported, mentored and befriended, and her service was introduced by her friend Lawrence Carter. We have largely reproduced Lawrence\u2019s words because, in describing Peggy, they are a guide for how to live meaningfully in the world. In these times of increased urbanisation when communities seem an endangered species we often need to be reminded of how meaningful community comes about.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople come to funerals with a variety of emotions: we might feel grief, great sadness at our loss; or we might have some regret at something done, or not done.\u00a0 We may feel somehow inadequate to the occasion.\u00a0 All of these are natural responses; however I think we also now have an opportunity to think about and appreciate Peggy’s life as a whole, and to draw inspiration from it.\u00a0 And it was a remarkable life indeed.<\/p>\n

I met Peggy at the Quaker meeting she attended at Takapuna.\u00a0 In my mind I have a little list of people of whom I can say: “I am really glad I knew this person!”, and Peggy is on my list.\u00a0 She was for me a special person: kind, loving, and generous.\u00a0 When I think of Peggy I think “simple goodness”.\u00a0 She was absolutely devoted to her family, but her love spread far beyond them to so many people.\u00a0 She was genuinely interested in others, and was always ready to offer practical help.<\/p>\n

Peggy was a member of the Religious Society of Friends, or Quakers, and this was very important to her.\u00a0 Quakers believe that there is a divine essence, what they call “that of God”, in each person.\u00a0 Each person is therefore infinitely valuable.\u00a0 If there is that of God in you, it is unthinkable that I should do you harm.\u00a0 So Quakers are peace people: they refuse to fight or even prepare for war.\u00a0 They value simplicity, equality, and truth.\u00a0 There is a Quaker phrase: “speak truth to power”, and Peggy protested with others at the great issues of the day, such as the anti-nuclear campaign.\u00a0 But it was in the human contact that Peggy excelled.\u00a0 There is a Quaker advice: “let your life speak” – and Peggy did just that.\u00a0 She loved others, and expressed that love in practical action.\u201d Lawrence Carter<\/p>\n

\"peggy_1950_sml\"<\/a>

Peggy, hand tinted photograph, 1950<\/p><\/div>\n

Peggy\u2019s wisdom and way also describe a recipe for greater peace in the world. Her qualities are encapsulated in the profound words of the Tao Te Ching, by Lao Tzu, 6BC (translated by Ch\u2019u Ta Kao) below:<\/p>\n

Chapter 22<\/p>\n

‘Be humble, and you will remain entire.’
\nBe bent, and you will remain straight.
\nBe vacant, and you will remain full.
\nBe worn, and you will remain new.
\nShe who has little will receive.
\nShe who has much will be embarrassed.
\nTherefore the Sage keeps to One and becomes the standard for the world.
\nShe does not display herself; therefore she shines.
\nShe does not approve herself; therefore she is noted.
\nShe does not praise herself; therefore she has merit.
\nHe does not glory in himself; therefore he excels.
\nAnd because she does not compete; therefore no one in the world can compete with her.
\nThe ancient saying ‘Be humble and you will remain entire’ –
\nCan this be regarded as mere empty words?
\nIndeed she shall return home entire.<\/p>\n

– Linda Blincko, September 19, 2013<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Remembering Peggy Ashton on Suffrage Day: \u00a08th December 1920 \u2013 6th September 2013 Peggy Ashton was a much loved Devonport local, one of those wonderful people who, through their involvement and commitment, give meaning to community. Peggy was a peace…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3,1],"tags":[50,248,320,344,357,396,404,406],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/depotpress.co.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1386"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/depotpress.co.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/depotpress.co.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/depotpress.co.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/depotpress.co.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1386"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/depotpress.co.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1386\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/depotpress.co.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1386"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/depotpress.co.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1386"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/depotpress.co.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1386"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}