Peggy a day after her birthday with her four birthday cards from left: Minister For Seniors Ginny Anderson, Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro, King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla, and Prime Minister Chris Hipkins.
Peggy a day after her birthday with her four birthday cards from left: Minister For Seniors Ginny Anderson, Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro, King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla, and Prime Minister Chris Hipkins.
Peggy Edgington cannot believe she has turned 100, but she has birthday cards from King Charles and Prime Minister Chris Hipkins to prove it. In fact, she has more than that because in her mailbox also came cards from Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro and Minister For Seniors Ginny Andersen.
Sunday, April 16, was a huge day for Peggy because 20 visitors – mostly family and some from overseas - came to share her special day. Her two children Francie and Geoff were there and several grandchildren, the eldest Graeme from Newcastle, Australia.
At afternoon tea the celebrations began with the presentation of the cards followed by lunch and the blowing out of candles on two cakes – the family’s traditional chocolate cake which Francie always makes sporting three candles and another with 100, all burning – a mission to light and to blow out. Peggy managed the first and had help with the others.
Peggy had a wonderful time and withstood all the attention like the trouper she is.
Born in North London on April 16, 1923 to Florence and Bill Hacker, who was an ornamental stone mason by trade, Peggy went to school and after a good education, she began working in advertising for a print company that produced magazines like the very popular Picture Post, as well as the Farmer’s Weekly and World Review.
It was an enjoyable life with frequent company and union functions where she met Harry, her husband-to-be, a photo engraver by trade for the print media and piano player by passion – both their families have been good friends as well.
The Spike Milligan connection - the band of brothers in and out of uniform.
In 1939, Harry was called up to the army and he served as a gunner in Italy and North Africa where he met another musician more famous for his comedy - Spike Milligan of The Goons. While serving in the war Harry and Spike became good friends playing as a quartet, Harry on piano and Spike on the trumpet.
Upon release from the army in 1945 Peggy and Harry married, Spike attended the wedding and the relationship with him continued strongly, Spike being called “Uncle Spike” by Francie who was born in 1947, and Geoffrey born in 1950.
While Peggy raised the children and Harry returned to newspaper work, the family moved to Woodgreen in London where they bought a house.
Forced to work nights Harry, decided a better life beckoned and in 1963 an ex-army friend living in Martinborough, New Zealand enticed them to visit.
Peggy recalls it was a traumatic experience coming from London to a town that barely existed via the Rimutaka Hill Rd.
After three months, the family moved to Berhampore in Wellington where Harry used his photo engraving skills for the Dominion-Post and Evening Post and Peggy worked in the office of the Electricity Department.
After two years the family decided to return to London where they lived with Harry’s mum. Daughter Francie returned to New Zealand to marry Rod and a year later had her son Graeme.
With a daughter and grandson in New Zealand, after five years Peggy and Harry decided to return to Wellington and settled in Wadestown. Harry continued as a photo engraver and both retired at 60.
An accident in which Harry broke his neck, but partially recovered, caused the couple to move to flatter land in Stokes Valley where Harry exchanged hundreds of letters with Spike and other well-known personalities like John Clark before he became Fred Dagg.
Spike wrote back and Peggy has a large box of his letters written often in whimsical style by him. They even visited Spike when he came to stay at a residence in New South Wales. When Harry died in 1993 Spike put an obituary in the Dominion for him.
NB The Ying Tong Song was written by Spike Milligan for The Goon Show, a 1950s British radio comedy starring Milligan, Peter Sellers, and Harry Secombe, and grew out of a play with the Edgington name.
Peggy stayed on in Stokes Valley until 2018 when she was invited to live with her daughter Francie in Dannevirke, where she currently resides.
Understandably at 100 Peggy has forgotten a lot, but Francie was keen to recall her earlier and recent life.
Over her 100 years, Peggy’s body has taken a pounding with a heart attack, hysterectomy, breast cancer, and several broken bones including her hip last year. After hearing how tough she was the surgeons replaced her hip at 99 and she walks fine!
Lovingly cared for by Francie and her wonderful Lavender Blue Care ladies Peggy, is pretty keen on television and really enjoyed seeing her family, particularly her son Geoff who had originally stayed in England.
His son Oliver (Peggy’s grandson) is the director of the Daily Telegraph in London. The Edgington family continues to be involved in media.
