Len Keys
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Leonard John Keys |
| Born | 3 August 1880 Patea, New Zealand |
| Died | 26 January 1958 (aged 77) Auckland, New Zealand |
| Occupation(s) | Grocer Bus operator |
| Spouse | Sarah Margery McMaster (m. 1903) |
| Sport | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Sport | Lawn bowls |
| Club | Auckland Bowling Club |
| Achievements and titles | |
| National finals | Fours champion (1932) |
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.
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. Part of Devore Street in Saint Heliers was renamed Leonard Keys Terrace in 1958, but after five months the street's name was shortened to Keys Terrace.[8]
References
- ^ a b c d e f 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.
- ^ a b "Empire bowlers: success of England". New Zealand Herald. 25 September 1934. p. 6. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
- ^ a b "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.
- ^ "Leonard Keys Terrace (historic name)". Kura. Auckland Council. Retrieved 16 January 2024.