Mary Ann Greaves

Mary Ann Greaves (1834 – 18 February 1897), The Canterbury Police Gazette of 1 June 1871 describes her as being 5' 4", slight build and having sandy hair and grey eyes. Greaves appeared before the Supreme Court four separate times (1862, 1866, 1868 and 1869). This was the highest number of times for a female at that time. In 1864, she was listed as one of 14 known prostitutes in Christchurch, living in its only known brothel in Kaiapoi.

By 1866, she is described as an infamous criminal. Under a period of years, she became well known for appearing in a number of court cases regarding prostitution, robberies, public drunkenness, using obscene language and other crimes. In September that year, Greaves was sentenced to two years imprisonment for assault and robbery on a Thomas Davis. Fellow prostitute During the trial (having used the alias Alice Purnell) she testified "I have been 15 or 16 years in New Zealand. I came from London as a married woman. I lived in the Province of Canterbury till I came to Oamaru.... I was in Timaru between 10 and 12 months. I was convicted in Timaru for vagrancy, and received three months' imprisonment.... I can write my name "Mary Ann Greaves," but not very well."

In 1887 Greaves was fined 30 Shillings for being drunk and disorderly and fighting with another prostitute, Ellen Parkinson.

Retirement In 1893, Greaves was reported to have retired from criminality, although still listed in that year's register of brothels and described as "quiet". She was living in Sydenham with 'a notorious thief'. On 18 February 1897 she died of apoplexy.