Florence Myrtle Matthews Keene

BiographyFlorence Keene (nee Matthews) was born in Kaitaia and educated at the Kaitaia Primary School, Epsom Girls' Grammar School and Auckland Teachers' Training College.
She was a descendant of Reverend Joseph Matthews of Kaitaia.
She taught at Kaitaia, Kaeo, Victoria Valley and Onerahi schools.
Florence was also the secretary of Northland, the successful regional magazine.
Florence Keene published many books about Northland's people and places including stories about Māori mythology, folklore and history.
She married in 1936, and she and her husband John Oswald Keene raised a family of four children at Whangarei. John died in 1980 aged 69 years.
Florence died eighteen years later, in 1998. She was 89 years old.
Florence Keene is remembered as a remarkable historian and writer.
GenderFemaleDate of Birth3 May 1908Place of BirthKaitaiaDate of Death15 February 1998OccupationHistorianTeacherSecretaryAuthorWriter