Crown Lynn’s history is populated by hugely talented people, one of whom was Reitu Robson (nee Cassidy) - a decorator for Crown Lynn Potteries. Much of Reitu’s story has been told by her daughter – and granddaughter – through the Crown Lynn: A Māori Story documentary [1].  

Reitu moved to Auckland from the Hokianga in 1948, with her parents Tamahou and Rangitukia, and 15 siblings. They purchased property in Henderson, and Reitu’s father planted the land, feeding his family with the harvest. Both of Reitu’s parents had jobs at Crown Lynn - her father was a carpenter, and her mother worked in the casting department. Reitu, the eldest daughter, went to work in the decorating department at Crown Lynn Potteries in the 1960s. Later, she moved to a more specialised banding department, supervising several women in meticulously applying circular stripes to ceramics.  

Reitu’s notable artistic talent was developed through her work at the factory, and after working at Crown Lynn for a few years, Sir Tom Clark (the head of Crown Lynn) offered to pay her way through Elam School of Fine Arts. Reitu was one of the first Māori women to attend the Auckland art school. She enrolled, however Reitu found that there were several marked cultural conflicts which existed within this tertiary environment. These clashes culminated in her final examination - life-drawing of a nude male figure - a task which was in direct conflict with Reitu’s closely-held tikanga. Reitu, therefore, was unable to complete her final examination and thus did not graduate with her Fine Arts degree. 

Reitu returned to work at the Crown Lynn Potteries.  

After her employment at Crown Lynn, Reitu went on to become a secondary school teacher. She was the first teacher of Te Reo at Henderson High School, and in 2023, the school named their new wharekai after her [2]. Reitu was greatly respected for her encouragement of Māori students, creating a learning environment which attempted to bridge the gap between Māori kaupapa and the Pākehā education system.  

[1] Susan Leonard, dir. Crown Lynn – A Māori Story, (2023; New Zealand: NZ On Air), https://www.maoriplus.co.nz/movie/crown-lynn  

[2] Paul White, Claire Kaahu White, Mercia Rapihana, Jade Maipi, “He rā hirahira”, Facebook, July 30, 2023, https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid0Ay3N4WTstWKE8mUGsMPTqZZmy9A2mk7Qz3uepRVvdpSbv4RoS2aW57fyAiFy2Wpzl&id=100005399444207