He loves making fishing lures and today he’s reeling in his biggest catch – his centenarian birthday.
Born on August 7, 1926, Pāpāmoa man John Morris turns 100 years old today.
Coming from Pinner, a small village in England, Morris said he was 18 years old when he left his hometown and joined the army.
“I had four years in the armed services in Europe. That was at the end of the war and when I went back home all my old mates had gone or been killed so it was hard to settle down.”
Setting his sights on a fresh start and new horizons, Morris made the six-week journey on the ship Atlantis to New Zealand in 1950.
Here, there, everywhere
“I came out here and retook on woodworking – that was my trade. I got a job in Wellington and so life started.”
After a few years working in the capital, Morris gave the big smoke of Auckland a go, before heading down to the South Island with a mate and working on the Roxburgh Dam on the Clutha River.
When they’d “had enough” of working on the dam, Morris and his friend put their money to good use.
“We had enough money to just go and visit hotels all the way up the South Island.”
Turning 100 years old today, John Morris, pictured with a photo of himself with late wife Gwen, reminisced over his life with The Weekend Sun. Photo / Kelly O’Hara
Morris said they lived like this for a couple of months.
“It was wonderful. We were both young and free.” Reminiscing on this time as “pretty wild”, Morris said, “We used to get up to a bit of mischief too”.
So, what was this mischief? “No, I can’t tell you that.” Only the hotels hold those secrets!
Ending up in Wellington once again, Morris met a “young lassie” named Gwen at a dance hall and the pair were married in 1956. Morris and his late wife had three daughters together – Susan, June and Barbara. With one daughter having a young family in Tauranga, the pair eventually ended up in the Bay of Plenty too, at Ōmokoroa Point.
“I thought that’d be a good place for fishing. So, we went fishing there, and we couldn’t believe it was so beautiful.”
Forever fishing
Morris has been a keen fisherman throughout his life, from catching roach fish along the canals in his English childhood to game fishing here in Aotearoa.
Morris has lived in Metlifecare’s Pāpāmoa Beach Retirement Village since it opened back in 2005.
He was one of the village’s first residents. Today, he resides in the care home, where he continues to share stories and interests with residents and staff alike. Fishing remains a favourite topic of conversation, staff said.
“Staff often enjoy talking with him about their own fishing trips. He is always eager to hear how the weekend’s fishing went and what was caught,” nurse manager Trudy Anderson said.
To mark Morris’ 100th birthday, Metlifecare’s Pāpāmoa Beach staff and management planned a surprise trip out on Tauranga Harbour for him late last month to celebrate his remarkable life and love of fishing.
“With a boat prepared and waiting, John and a friend were treated to a surprise fishing trip on the water,” Anderson said.
Centenarian John Morris enjoyed a wonderful day out on the water ahead of his birthday thanks to the team at Metlifecare's Pāpāmoa Beach Retirement Village. Photo / Supplied
“Although the fish proved elusive and no catches were landed that day, the outing was still a tremendous success.”
Morris said it was a lovely day: “It was a very enjoyable experience, and the skipper pulled along to the fish and chip shop, and we got stuck in there.”
World record claim
Anderson guesstimated it’d been about 15 years since Morris had last been on the water to fish, before their outing.
“For John, it was a chance to reconnect with an activity that has brought him joy throughout his life.
“For the staff who helped make it happen, it was an opportunity to honour a resident who has been an important part of the village community for many years.”
Anderson said Morris also had a claim to the world record shark catch of 1991.
“John was part of the crew that brought this mako shark in. It was 196kg and was boated after a three-hour struggle near Hicks Bay, Gisborne.”
John Morris was part of a crew that caught a 196kg mako shark after a 3-hour struggle near Hicks Bay. Photo / Supplied
Morris said one of his favourite parts of fishing was making lures, as well as “catching them [fish] and good friendships”.
“My biggest personal catch was a 22-pound snapper, which I swapped for a crayfish.”
From the wise
Asked to share his secret to longevity, Morris narrowed it down to two main things: “Bread and jam.”
Perhaps his impressive age could also be attributed to having his priorities straight.
“I’m number one,” Morris said. “I can look after myself fighting-wise. I boxed for a while.”
Anderson hinted that Morris is a sucker for gin too, and that a bottle of red wine was waiting patiently to be enjoyed with his loved ones on his birthday. They are attending from far and wide to celebrate at the village.
John Morris in his class photo of 1940, sitting in the front row, third from the right. Photo / Supplied
Although he wouldn’t divulge his hotel-hopping secrets, Morris did divulge his biggest life lesson: “Respect and appreciation of other people.” Thanks Morris and have a whopper of a birthday!