Len Keys
Leonard John Keys (3 August 1880 – 1958) was a New Zealand lawn bowls player who competed for his country at the 1934 British Empire Games. However, he is more notable as a businessman and one of the pioneers of passenger bus services in Auckland.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Leonard John Keys |
| Born | 3 August 1880 Patea, New Zealand |
| Died | 26 January 1958 (aged 77) Auckland, New Zealand |
| Occupation | Grocer Bus operator |
| Spouse(s) | Sarah Margery McMaster
(m. 1903) |
| Sport | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Sport | Lawn bowls |
| Club | Auckland Bowling Club |
| Achievements and titles | |
| National finals | Fours champion (1932) |
Early life and family
Born in Patea on 3 August 1880, Keys was the son of Harriet Jane Keys (née Watson) and John Edward Keys.[1] He grew up in the Thames area, before serving an apprenticeship as a grocer in Auckland.[2] In 1903, he married Sarah Margery McMaster, and the couple went on to have three children.[1]
Lawn bowls
Keys was a member of the Auckland Bowling Club team that won the men's fours title at the 1932 national lawn bowls championships, held in Christchurch.[3] He went on to represent New Zealand in the men's singles at the 1934 British Empire Games in London.[4] He lost all nine of his round-robin matches, finishing in tenth, and last, place.[4]
Business activities
Keys ran a grocery business in the Auckland suburb of Remuera, on the corner of Remuera and Clonbern Roads, between 1907 and 1914.[1][5] The following year, he established a passenger bus service running between Remuera and Saint Heliers, and in 1923 began a service with three buses from Saint Heliers into central Auckland.[1] In 1925, ferry services from Saint Heliers to the city ceased operation, and Keys expanded his bus service on the route.[1] By 1949, when his business was taken over by the Auckland Transport Board, Keys had a fleet of about 40 buses.[5]
Keys served as a member of the Tamaki West Road Board for nine years, and was a member of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Omnibus Proprietors' Association.[1]
Death
Keys died on 26 January 1958, and his ashes were buried at Purewa Cemetery.[6] His wife, Margery, died in 1969.[7]
Honorific eponym
Keys Terrace in the Auckland suburb of Saint Heliers is named in Keys' honour.
References
- Who's Who N.Z. Wellington: National Magazines. 1938. p. 273.
- "LJ Keys and the Clonbern store". Remuera Business Association. 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
- McLintock, A.H., ed. (1966). "Bowls, men's outdoor—tournament winners". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
- "Empire bowlers: success of England". New Zealand Herald. 25 September 1934. p. 6. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
- "L J Keys". Remuera Heritage. 7 March 2016. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
- "Burial & cremation details: Leonard John Keys". Purewa Cemetery and Crematorium. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
- "Burial & cremation details: Sarah Margery Keys". Purewa Cemetery and Crematorium. Retrieved 16 June 2018.