THE SAGA of THE McLAREN'S
Written for the McLaren Family Reunion 1996
By Valerie Lawrence (nee McLaren)
From bonnie Scotland long ago
In eighteen sixty three
Came Dan and Ann to this land
Down in the southern sea.
They got right down to business
And produced a bumper crop
Seven girls and three boys
Oh! thank God they stopped!
And from this crop came one called James
Who married Isabella
She gave birth to Arthur and Eric
He was a happy fella.
Now Arthur Daniel cast his eye
Around the local talent
And he espied a lass called Maggie
And said " Oh she's just brilliant".
And Arthur rode, from Romahapa to Warepa
To court his lovely Maggie
And when her father questioned them
They decided they better get married.
In the year nineteen nineteen
Arthur and Maggie were wed
And they moved up north to Hawke's Bay
The best thing they ever did.
Now Reg was the first offspring
Followed a year later by Lil
Then fourteen months on came Doug
Oh what a thrill!
Three years later along came Joy
And Merv twelve months on
Myra Isabel appeared two years hence
The jackpot they had won!
Three girls! Three boys! Oh what bliss
A family made in heaven
So Maggie and Arthur said six was enough
And there wouldn't be a seventh.
The depression hit! Six mouths to feed!
And then the earth quake struck!
In thirty three along came Val
Poor Arthur! He had no luck!
In thirty five June appeared
And what a little dot
And Maggie and Arthur thought again
This has to be the lot!
But no! In thirty nine the war broke out!
Ngaire had arrived!
And Arthur and Maggie agreed
This must be "The days of Our Lives".
Then the off spring started
To increase the clan
Reg and Eila off the mark
With a lassie and a lad
Next came Lil and Len
And not to be out done
Produced two Trew's
A daughter and a son.
Doug and Ray married late in life
He inherited a son and daughter
But Joyce and Jim out did the lot
A total of six was their quota!
And Merv and June had decided
That the same sex was the ticket
Two sons to look after them
When the twilight thickens.
Then came Pat and Norman
With a son and two daughters
So Val and Rod did the same
Cause they thought they oughta!.
June and Ian followed suit
With two fillies and a colt
And Ngaire and Graeme had two of each
To finish off the lot!
And so this fourth generation
Are procreating well
They've increased the tally by forty seven
And we all think that's swell.
Now the fifth generation Kiwi's
Not to be out done
Have notched up four
Three daughters and a son.
To belong to a large family
Is an absolute ball
Inlaws and outlaws mix fairly well
Our ancestors would be proud of us all.
And here we are all gathered
One hundred and thirty three years afar
Due to Helen and Trev's hospitality
Down here at Patangata!
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