Remembering Margaret Hoffman: a K-Road Personality

Posted Tuesday 03 May 2011

A short remembrance from Exec Director Susi Newborn.

"Last week I received a tweet from Arthur-son-of-God (Rawiri Paratene) that a well known K Road identity "one of our own" as he put it, had died in her sleep on Easter Monday. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the WIFT NZ office, K Road is our patch, this colourful street so often referred to as a street with "character", as "edgy" and "bohemian", and it was on this street that Margaret Hoffman, decade after decade, come rain or shine, would sit, first on one side opposite the Liquor Store, then on the other, opposite Iko Iko, asking anyone who walked past, for a couple of dollars and a fag. She could be wickedly foul mouthed if you refused, and positively charming if you acquiesced. My last encounter with Margaret was just before Easter. She saw me approaching and gave me a wry smile. She knew what my answer would be - she had asked me enough times - and there was a mutual respect as our eyes locked for a split second before she turned away. I remember thinking she hadn't got long. The WIFT NZ local cafe had a photo of her on the wall, until it changed owners. When Margaret disappeared for a while, everyone asked "have you seen Margaret?" and then suddenly, there she was again, back on the street, on her bench, a plastic cup of red wine and a fag in her mouth.

I went to Margaret's funeral today. There were politicians, celebs, local identities, the homeless, and cameras everywhere. Margaret would have been proud. I went to honour Margaret as a woman who was highly intelligent, cultured, witty, gracious, sharp as a tack and every inch a lady - elegant, fastidious and well groomed, not as the 'schizophrenic' her detractors liked to call her. Many of you may remember her yellow jandals and gold nail polish, her fur coat, displayed beside her coffin at the church altar today.
When I worked in mental health in the Ponsonby area, I grew to know and love many of these local identities. One in particular I was hoping to see today at Margaret's funeral, but alas I think she too must have passed on. She would tell me that she only had two friends in her life - one was Margaret and the other me. She invited Margaret and I to countless tea parties, in her halfway house, the table laid with the best linen, fine china, and cucumber sandwiches. A place was always set for Margaret, but she never came, the seat remaining always empty, just as her seat is now on her beloved K Road. R.I.P Margaret Hoffman - saint of K Road, an icon and a legend."