Horowhenua StarMark Edwin Perreau was about as prominent in Foxton early last century as anyone could be.
He was born in Foxton in 1879 and had all his schooling there. About the age of 18 he set himself up as a baker and pastrycook, later opening a branch shop in Shannon.
In 1902 he married a widow, Jane Ellen Savell, daughter of another baker, John Walls. They opened the first general store and tearooms at Foxton Beach.
A 1904 photo of Mark and Jane Perreau’s bakery in Main Street, Foxton. It shows staff from the bakery lined up on the footpath outside and the horse-drawn delivery cart. To the left is the tailors Heasman and Baker. Photo: Horowhenua Historical Society Inc.
In his youth Mark was interested in cycling and rugby. He coached junior rugby and later became president of the rugby, bowling, tennis, and swimming clubs, the Repertory Society, and took a keen interest in athletics and boating.
He always had an interest in civic affairs and was elected first president of the Manawatū Master Bakers and Pastrycooks Association. He was also the first president of the Foxton Retailers’ Association.
Mark called a public meeting to form the Foxton Chamber of Commerce and was its first president. Citizens elected him mayor in 1925, a position he retained for nearly 20 years until his retirement in 1944.
During the 1920s Foxton’s only natural resources were the harbour and flax, which had been a “boom or bust” industry since 1870.
The harbour was not being used to its full extent since the completion of the main trunk railway – which was originally expected to come through Foxton – so local business people got together to persuade the government to build a factory to make woolpacks from flax fibre.
Mark donated gave the land for the factory to be built on and so NZ Woolpack and Textiles came into being in 1933. Because it was such a labour intensive industry it gave employment to many people. During the Second World War it manufactured all the woolpacks for New Zealand farmers and made gun mats for the Army. Later the factory turned to the manufacture of hardwearing “Foxton matting”.
Mark was a member of the Foxton Harbour Board, but the completion of the Whirokino Cut in 1942 so reduced the flow of water to Foxton that the small coasters couldn’t reach the port. Because other means of transport were available by this time, the day of numerous coastal ships was over.
While chairman of the Beach Improvement Society Mark was responsible for formation of the Foxton Branch of the Royal Life Saving Society and was a member of the Surf Club and Fire Brigade. He served many years on the Palmerston North Hospital Board and on its Welfare Committee.
His civic services were recognised in 1953 with an MBE.
More than £1000 (a huge amount in those days) was spent on a beautifying programme while Mark was president of the Foxton Beautifying Society. During the 1930s Seaview Gardens was well known for its fish pond, fern houses, and many flower beds.
Mark and Jane had four children: Rita, Gordon (who took over Foxton Fizz from founder A Stevenson), Hector and Pat. Jane died in 1961.
In 1967 Mark married his housekeeper, Jessie Muir, who died in April 1973, Mark died on June 4 the same year aged 93.
– Source: Kete Horowhenua
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