“So we started calling him John and it ended up there were four Graemes and five Johns.” Ray said when his brother was older and bought some land he grew and sold potatoes to help pay his bills.
MYTCHALL BRANSGROVE/STUFF
John Gardner, a lead organiser with trade union E tū, died suddenly on May 1. (File photo) Hawking potatoes where ever he went earned Gardner the nickname “Johnny Potato”, while his thick head of hair meant he was also known as “Thatch”. As fate would have it Gardner ended up winning Bonus Bonds twice, pocketing a tidy $30,000 in total, enabling him to build a house and a pool, Ray said.