Early Life and Family
Colin Earl Meads was born to Vere Meads and Ida Meads (née Gray) on 3 June 1936, in the village of Cambridge in the region. His father Vere was a descendant of early settlers Joseph Meads and Ann Meads (née Coates), who emigrated to New Zealand from England in 1842. Vere’s grandfather Zachariah Meads was among the first British children to be born in Te Aro, Wellington, in 1843, and his grandmother Elizabeth Meads (née Lazare) was the daughter of an Irish minister who had educated freed slaves on the island of Mauritius before emigrating to Wanganui.
Vere and his wife raised their three children on a sheep farm near Te Kuiti. Meads credits the farming lifestyle for his strong physique and high level of fitness. Meads' brother Stanley Meads was also a noted rugby player, playing 30 matches as an All Black. In 11 matches Stanley and Colin locked the All Black scrum.
One of Meads' sons, Glynn 'Pinecone' Meads also played rugby for King Country. With his wife Verna Claire Meads (née Lang), Meads has four other children: Karen, Kelvin, Rhonda and Shelley. Colin and Verna raised their family in a Te Kuiti farm house, which they have recently sold, although they still live in Te Kuiti.
Read more about this topic: Colin Meads
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