Katikati music teacher turns 100

Freda and Lloyd Johnston.

Freda Johnston has ticked off another milestone, as she turns 100 today.

The Lexham Park resident has been counting down the days until she reaches 100 and receives her royal notification.

On her birthday, April 6, Lexham Park is holding an afternoon tea, and on Saturday, there will be an afternoon tea at Katikati Bowling Club for friends, family and for anyone else to come along.

Last year, Katikati Advertiser ran a feature on Freda and her life.

The article covered how she always thought her birthday was April 7 up until around the age of 40, when she sent away for her birth certificate. It appears being born around midnight caused the confusion.

Freda Inez Corbett was born in South Taranaki in 1923, the eldest of nine children.

Freda Johnston with daughter Carey Pearce.

Music was her gift, and she was taught by the nuns at a Catholic convent.

She left school to take care of her younger siblings, and took to painting large watercolours and teaching piano as a teenager.

Her family moved to Katikati. Initially, she stayed back to teach and study music, and then joined them. She met Lloyd Johnston at the local Katikati Hot Springs (now Sapphire Springs) - he went to war as a pilot with the RNZAF, and they married on his return in 1945.

They owned a farm, had three children and were together for 67 years.

Freda with her great-grandson Connor Pearce.

In the ‘90s, an opportunity arose to buy the old Johnston family house property at Beach Rd - they bought the property and returned home. Lloyd died in 2006.

Many locals know Freda, daughter Carey says.

“She’s taught music for 60 years in Katikati, so many still know her.”