Biography contributed by Bernadette Siebert.
Sylvia Lowe Ragg was born in 1879 in New Zealand, daughter of Joseph Higginson Ragg and Elizabeth Jane Wright. Joseph and Elizabeth had had two children in Birmingham, who died before the couple migrated to New Zealand on the Golden City in 1864.
Sylvia was one of six children born in New Zealand, and with the other unmarried daughters worked in the family's hotel and bakery in Warkworth.
She was evidently musical. As well as singing at the Wesleyan Church, she performed at a concert and dance at the Masonic Hall in Warkworth in 1889. "When the weather was favourable and a good company filled the large hall, Miss Sylvia Ragg sung the song 'White Wings', which was well received."
On 4th March 1925 Sylvia married James Scott Johnston at St Matthews Church, Auckland. He was originally from Leith, Scotland, and worked as a carpenter and builder, running his business from his home ‘Thule Lodge’ at Mangere Bridge, Auckland.
James and Sylvia lived there all their married lives until Sylvia died 26th October 1956, aged 82. James died 29th June 1960, aged 87. They are both buried in the Mangere Cemetery.
In his will, James left his property to be sold and divided equally to his widowed sister Laura Alice Shannon, Lily Stewart of Northern Ireland, Ian Mackenzie of Rotorua, and Joseph Alfred Keith Powdrill, the son of his sister Matilda Ragg.
