Georgina Beyer - Early Life

Early Life

Georgina Bertrand was born biologically male, and given the name George, in 1957 at Wellington Hospital to Jack Bertrand and Noeline (née Tamati). She was named after her maternal grandfather, Lieutenant Colonel George Bertrand, who was second in command in the Māori Battalion. Her parents were living in Hataitai at the time of her birth. She is of Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Raukawa, and Ngāti Porou descent. Her mother had a second child to her first husband in December 1958 – Karen. She was adopted out and none of the family knew that Noeline had been pregnant a second time. Georgina, then known as George, Bertrand was sent to live with her grandparents on their farm in Taranaki during the second pregnancy. Her parents divorced by 1962.

Her mother married again in 1962. Her second husband was Colin Beyer, a recent law school graduate. The couple moved to Upper Hutt. Georgina aka George Bertrand, now aged four and a half years, returned to live with her mother and stepfather. A brother, Andrew, was born in December 1963. Georgina aka George Bertrand attended Upper Hutt Primary School and from age seven, after the family moved to the Wellington suburb of Crofton Downs, Ngaio School. With marital problems developing, Georgina aka George was sent to Wellesley College boarding school, where she tried to commit suicide amid feelings of rejection by her parents. From Form 2, she attended the school as a day pupil, as the hostel had closed. After her parents' marriage failed in 1971, financial constraints meant that a private school was no longer affordable, and Georgina aka George attended Onslow College in Form 3. Noeline Beyer with Andrew and Georgina aka George then moved to Papatoetoe to be near family (her brother Raymond lived there, and her sister Joan lived in Glenfield) and friends, with Georgina aka George attending Papatoetoe High School. Before enrolment, a name change by deed poll from 'George Bertrand' to 'George Beyer' meant that the difference in family name did not have to be explained at school. It was also seen as socially advantageous for Georgina aka George to be linked to her successful father. Beyer began acting while at that school and decided to make a career out of it, leaving school at 16 (against her mother's will).

She lived in Australia for some time, and on her return to New Zealand began seeking work as an actor with increasing success, culminating in a Gofta award nomination for "Jewel's Darl" in 1987. In 1984 she underwent sex reassignment surgery.

After shifting to Carterton, in the Wairarapa, she worked as a radio host. Beyer was the local news presenter and part of the inaugural breakfast crew on Paul Henry's Radio Station - TODAY FM WAIRARAPA 89.3.