She emigrated to Canterbury New Zealand from Tasmania in 1859. Her first known court appearance was in 1862.In 1864, she was listed as one of 14 known prostitutes in Christchurch, living in its only known brothel in Kaiapoi. By 1866, she is described as an infamous criminal. Under a period of years, she became well known for appearing in a number of court cases regarding prostitution, robberies, public drunkenness, using obscene language and other crimes. In September that year, Greaves was sentenced to two years imprisonment for assault and robbery on a Thomas Davis. Fellow prostitute Mary Holmes and Charles Yates were also jailed for this incident. In 1869 she took a man outside of the Criterion Hotel and whilst engaged in "other matters", allegedly rifled his pockets. When the man accused her of theft she struck him and called him a liar. The jury of the Supreme Court found her guilty and the judge told her "It is quite evident upon the facts that you are an old and hardened offender. I am sorry to say that both the Magistrate and I know you too well" She was sentenced to another two years. Greaves was released from prison on 12 May 1871 after being pardoned. Although released at 4pm, by that evening she had been arrested for being drunk and disorderly and solicitation. Greaves agreed to leave Christchurch after being arrested for soliciting outside the Mitre Hotel in March 1872. She failed to do so and was described as "incorrigible" and returned to jail. The Contagious Diseases Act 1869 required prostitutes to undergo regular medical examinations. In 1876 she was in court for failing to attend medical examinations and was sent to the Contagious Diseases Reformatory. In 1887 Greaves was fined 30 Shillings for being drunk and disorderly and fighting with another prostitute, Ellen Parkinson.
Children
Greaves had at least one daughter and possibly at least 3 daughters. One daughter, Catherine, was born in Tasmania and in 1866, when she was 14 years old, appeared in court for a breach of the peace. She subsequently appeared in court many times and jailed for theft and prostitution. An 1867 register of prostitutes in Christchurch list a Mary Ann Greaves " Of no fixed abode" and that "Her mother is in prison, the Government support her two sisters". This is possibly another daughter of Greaves.
Retirement
In 1893, Greaves was reported to have retired from criminality, although still listed in that year's register of brothels and described as "quiet". She was living in Sydenham with 'a notorious thief'. On 18 February 1897 she died of apoplexy.
