GREENSILL, JOHN ABRAHAM ROBERTS (1840-1923) was born at Haulbowline Island, Cork, the son of Major Greensill, commissary of ordnance, and first cousin to Lord Roberts of Kandahar. Being intended for the army, he was educated at Carshalton military school preparatory to Woolwich. Owing to ill-health he came to Nelson in the Oriental (1856), but moved shortly afterwards to Marlborough and for some years worked at Erina and Marshlands, farmed at Arapawa and ran a successful merchant's business in Picton. In 1866 he was elected to the Provincial Council for Queen Charlotte Sound. He was a member of the Picton borough council and several times mayor of the borough. He was a director of the Marlborough Building Society and of the King Solomon Gold Mining Co. He married first (1866) Selina Rebecca, daughter of T. W. Downes; and second (1888) Rose (who died 24 Oct 1893), daughter of Mr Justice Conolly (q.v.). He was long associated with the Church of England as a lay reader. Greensill died on 6 Dec 1923.

Who's Who N.Z., 1924; Marlborough Express, 7 Dec 1923.

Reference: Volume 1, page 177

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