Harris Baronets (1932) and Lord Taylor of Goss Moor
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THE granddaughter of a British baronet has discovered that the son she gave up for adoption at birth has gone one better than her grandfather and is about to become a lord.
Maggie Harris, 71, of Waikanae, learned that Matthew Taylor, 47, a former Liberal Democrat MP, has been made a life peer.
She is the daughter of Sir Jack Harris, who died last year aged 103. Sir Jack inherited his title from his father, Sir Percy Harris, who was a Liberal MP from 1922 to 1945.
‘‘I was shattered with the shock. I am so proud of my little boy. It is amazing how it has come down through the ages – it must be in the blood,’’ Miss Harris said.
‘‘I think it is absolutely priceless. My father and grandfather would have been so proud of Matthew.’’
Miss Harris became pregnant in 1963, after a brief fling with a married art student in London, where she was studying art.
Her son was only a few hours old when he was taken away from her. ‘‘I was a wild young thing. There was no choice in those days but to adopt my baby out,’’ Miss Harris said. Giving up her son was heartbreaking. ‘‘I screamed and yelled so I could see him for just half an hour before they whisked him away.’’
He was adopted by Ken and Jill Taylor.
Returning to New Zealand, Miss Harris endeavoured for 36 years to find her son. They were eventually put in touch by Barnardos.
Mr Taylor flew to New Zealand for her 60th birthday. ‘‘I was expecting him to be wearing a black suit, polished black shoes and a bowler hat but he was in jeans and a T-shirt. It was a big thrill meeting him for the first time and finding out what a nice person he was.’’
‘‘Besotted’’ with Shakespeare all her life, Miss Harris was pleased her son had been adopted by a couple heavily involved in the theatre.
Mrs Taylor was a producer for the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon and her husband wrote the script for the TV adaptation of Jewel in the Crown.
At 24, Matthew Taylor became the youngest MP in the House of Commons and the Liberal Democrat spokesman on the environment. He was MP for Truro and St Austell for more than 20 years.
He has two sons, aged two and three, and gave up his parliamentary seat to spend more time with them. His eldest son has recently been treated for cancer