Famous Northlander has died
Lady Ellen Elizabeth Reed, possibly the most famous Northlander that few people have ever heard of, has died. Lady Elizabeth, as she was widely known, died at her home in Paihia on August 30 at the age of 104, after an extraordinary life that included deciphering Nazi secret codes and decades in Nigeria.
She was part of the famous Bletchley Park code-cracking team that broke the Germans’ Enigma code during World War II. Their success, which built on the work of earlier Polish code-crackers, allowed Britain to eavesdrop on secret Nazi communications and helped swing the war in the Allies’ favour.
Though her connection to Paihia spanned 45 years, Lady Elizabeth kept a low profile in the town, and usually declined interviews. She rarely spoke about her crucial wartime work, even to her own family.
She was, however, actively involved in many aspects of Paihia life, especially heritage, drama and the Anglican church.
She helped maintain the grounds of St Paul’s, better known as the Stone Church, for many years.
Lady Elizabeth also attended Waitangi Day commemorations every year, and in 2019 was a guest of honour when Prince Charles and Lady Camilla were formally welcomed to the Treaty Grounds. She was seated on the mahau (porch) of Te Whare Ru¯ nanga (the carved meeting house) immediately behind the royal couple.
True to her adventurous spirit, she celebrated her 102nd birthday by parasailing over the Bay of Islands with her youngest daughter, Caroline Reed.
Lady Elizabeth had wanted a big celebration for her 104th birthday, but was thwarted by Covid-19.
Born Ellen Elizabeth Langstaff, in Canada, she was raised in the UK, where she gained a first-class honours degree in French and German at Cambridge University. In 1939, aged 23, she was hired to work at the top secret Bletchley Park facility in Milton Keynes, about 80km from London.
Initially she was tasked with typing messages into code, but later she translated deciphered German communications, a role previously reserved for men. She was eventually promoted to personnel officer and personal assistant to Group Captain Eric Jones, who headed the famous Hut 3, which was responsible for intelligence on the Wehrmacht (German defence force) and Luftwaffe (German air force).
In 1945 she married New Zealander Nigel Reed, and moved to the then British colony of Nigeria, where he worked as a court magistrate. The couple opted to stay there after the west African nation gained its independence in 1960.
Retiring in 1975, they had no appetite for British winters, so divided their time between the UK and a home they built in Paihia.
They lived fulltime in Northland from 1995.
When her husband, by then Sir Nigel, died in 1997, Lady Elizabeth was determined to stay in their Paihia home, which, with the help of livein carers, she did until the end.
A private funeral service was held due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Lady Elizabeth is survived by two of her three children, five grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren.