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1915–1973Historian, constitutional adviser, university professor
James Wightman Davidson was born in Wellington on 1 October 1915, the son of George Wightman Davidson, a commercial traveller, and his wife, Edith Mabel Brown. Jim attended Waitaki Boys’ High School and Victoria University College, graduating MA in 1938. After working for a brief time on the...
Story: Davidson, James Wightman
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1910–2004Biologist, mountaineer, tramper, field ecologist
Mavis Davidson was a significant New Zealand mountaineer, a field ecologist and an international authority on sika deer. She made several notable ascents, leading the first all-women ascent of Aoraki/Mount Cook in 1953, at a time when women were excluded from many club expeditions. Davidson...
Story: Davidson, Mavis Melville
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1846–1924Shepherd, sheepbreeder, company manager
Although he was born in Montreal, Canada, on 15 June 1846, William Soltau Davidson had his roots in Scottish soil. He was the son of Frances Pillans and her husband, David Davidson of the Bank of British North America, who was later manager of the Edinburgh branch of the Bank of Scotland....
Story: Davidson, William Soltau
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1899–1987Pianist, piano teacher
Dorothy Ida Davies was born at River Bank, Whanganui, on 24 October 1899, the child of English-born parents David Davies, an engineer, and his wife, Martha Naomi Oakden. Dorothy was the seventh of eight children and the only daughter. Her passion for music was evident at an early age. Before...
Story: Davies, Dorothy Ida
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1861–1918Farmer, surveyor, military leader
Richard Hutton Davies was born to the journalist Theophilus Davies and his wife, Mary Curtis Acton, in London, England, on 14 August 1861. He received his early education at St John's College, Hurstpierpoint, Sussex, then emigrated to New Zealand. After two years on an uncle's sheep station in...
Story: Davies, Richard Hutton
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1923–2005Nurse, labour activist, women’s rights activist, politician, peace campaignerYouth
Sonja Margaret Loveday Vile was born on 11 November 1923 in Wallaceville, Upper Hutt. Her mother, Gwladys Ilma Vile, was a state-registered nurse; her father was Gerald Dempsey, an army major from Cork, Ireland. Sonja did not learn his identity until she was 20, and never contacted him...
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1887–1977Nurseryman, horticulturist
Victor Caddy Davies was born in New Plymouth on 3 May 1887, the fifth child of William Bolland Davies, a farmer and seedsman, and his Canadian-born wife, Arabella Belinda James. He left Frankley Road School at 14 and was apprenticed to James Duncan, a local nurseryman who grew hedging, fruit...
Story: Davies, Victor Caddy
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1913–1990Novelist, short-story writer, soldier, editor, publisher, critic
Daniel Marcus Davin was born in Invercargill on 1 September 1913, the second son and fourth child of Mary Magdalene Sullivan and her husband, Patrick Davin, a railway guard. His parents were working-class Irish Catholics, and Dan grew up immersed in their culture: its love of language, story-...
Story: Davin, Daniel Marcus
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1909–1995Teacher, community worker, editor
Winifred (Winnie) Kathleen Joan Gonley was born in Ōtautau, Southland, on 27 July 1909, the daughter of Winifred Cecilia Crowe and her husband, Michael Gonley. She grew up in the house behind her parents’ main-street businesses: Michael Gonley’s barber shop and billiard hall, and Winifred...
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1817/1818?–1887Interpreter, writer, land purchase agent
Charles Oliver Bond Davis was born in Sydney, Australia, probably in 1817 or 1818, one of five children of Irish migrants Ann Calder and her husband, Joseph Davis, a cutler. His parents named him after the Irish patriot leader Oliver Bond. On the death of Joseph and Ann Davis, their eldest...
Story: Davis, Charles Oliver Bond
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1895–1964Ngāti Maniapoto leader, farmer, blacksmith, builder, genealogist
Charles and Edward Davis were two of the four sons of John Charles Davis (Hōne Hāre Rēweti) and his wife, Te Riutoto Aihe. John was the son of Merekaimanu of Ngāti Whanaunga and Ngāti Pāoa and Edward Telford Davis, of Welsh and Irish descent. Te Riutoto was of Ngāti Kinohaku and Ngāti Te Kanawa...
Story: Davis, Charles Richard
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1872–1962Brewer, anti-prohibitionist, local politician, company director, philanthropist
A brewery baron for half a century, and the liquor trade's master tactician against the prohibition movement, Ernest Hyam Davis exerted enormous influence at the highest political levels. He combined this with a complex business career and an unbounded enthusiasm for yachting, racing and...
Story: Davis, Ernest Hyam
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1806/1807?–1879Labour reformer, hotel-keeper, politician
Rowland Robert Teape Davis was born near Bantry, County Cork, Ireland, probably in 1806 or 1807, the son of Elizabeth Barry and her husband, Richard Davis. Nothing is known of his childhood or education. From the late 1820s he was active in the political campaigns to promote the Reform Bill,...
Story: Davis, Rowland Robert Teape
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1905–1987Sailor, military leader
George Raymond Davis-Goff was born on 24 September 1905 at Renwicktown (Renwick), Marlborough, the son of William Francis Davis-Goff, a labourer, and his wife, Emily Asterson (Assesen), who was of Swedish descent. By 1915 the family had moved to Masterton and George went to Lansdowne School,...
Story: Davis-Goff, George Raymond
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1886–1959Hairdresser, businessman, political organiser
Albert Ernest Davy was born at Wellington on 17 August 1886, the son of Charley Davy, a constable, and his wife, Selina Williams. The family moved to Thames, Dargaville, and various places in Hawke's Bay and Taranaki before settling in Gisborne in 1907. After leaving school Bert Davy tried...
Story: Davy, Albert Ernest
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1850–1935Military volunteer, sportsman
Edwin Davy, the son of Anna Maria Smart and her husband, Edwin Davy, was born on 9 September 1850 in Taranaki, New Zealand, where his parents farmed at Waiwhakaiho. Educated at Wesley College and St John's College, Auckland, he had intended to follow his father's profession as surveyor and...
Story: Davy, Edwin
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1883–1965Gynaecologist
Joseph Bernard Dawson, the youngest child of Joseph Dawson, a commercial traveller, and his wife, Louisa Mary Collings, was born in Erdington, near Birmingham, England, on 8 April 1883. He attended King Edward VI Grammar School in Birmingham where he received a classical education. He then...
Story: Dawson, Joseph Bernard
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1833–1924Servant, farmer, environmentalist, nurse
According to family information, Mary Elizabeth Prebble was born on 9 May 1833 in Mersham, Kent, England, the youngest of six children of James Prebble, a carpenter, and his first wife, Ann Maria Gurr. Mary's mother died in 1837 and the following year her father married again. His second wife...
Story: Dawson, Mary Elizabeth
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1887–1987Veterinarian, hockey and cricket player, sports administrator
Pearl Howard Dawson was a leading figure in the formative years of women’s team sports in New Zealand, particularly hockey, both as a player and administrator. She sought to raise the status of women’s sport by establishing strong associations, run by women, and by fostering high standards in...
Story: Dawson, Pearl Howard
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1895–1990Scholar, editor, collector, bibliophile, philanthropist
Esmond Samuel de Beer was born in Dunedin on 15 September 1895, the second son and fourth child of Isidore Samuel de Beer and his wife, Emily Hallenstein. His father became a director of Hallenstein Brothers. This company, founded by his maternal grandfather, Bendix Hallenstein, provided Esmond...
Story: de Beer, Esmond Samuel