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Filter biographies using dates, occupations and places related to people's lives.
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1829–1906Companion help, accommodation-house keeper, nurse, postmistress
Agnes Carmont was born at Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland, probably on 2 September 1829, the daughter of Elizabeth Caven and her husband, John Carmont. She was raised largely in the household of her uncle, a Glasgow doctor, and by assisting him in his dispensary acquired a...
Story: McDonald, Agnes
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1893–1959Racehorse trainer
Hedwick Wilhelmina McDonald's greatest achievement as a racehorse trainer does not appear in record books; nor does her real name. She trained the winner of the 1938 Melbourne Cup, but because women were not permitted to be professional trainers in Australia at the time, her husband...
Story: McDonald, Hedwick Wilhelmina
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1824–1890Missionary, priest, vicar general
The brothers James and Walter McDonald were born in the townland of Nicholastown, Mooncoin parish, County Kilkenny, Ireland, James on 10 August 1824, Walter on 14 December 1830. Their parents were Richard McDonald, farmer, and his wife, Ellen Keefe. The two brothers trained for the priesthood...
Story: McDonald, James
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1865–1935Artist, photographer, film-maker, museum worker, film censor, promoter of Maori arts and crafts
James Ingram McDonald was born on 11 June 1865 at Tokomairiro, Otago, New Zealand, the son of Donald McDonald, a ploughman, and his wife, Margaret Ingram. After primary school James attended Otago Boys' High School between 1884 and 1885. He showed early promise as a painter and as a young man...
Story: McDonald, James Ingram
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1907–1987Viticulturist, wine-maker, orchardist, community leader
Tom McDonald was an outstanding figure in the New Zealand wine industry for several decades. The first post-war wine-maker to explore Hawke’s Bay’s potential for high-quality table wines made from classic grape varieties, he was also the driving force behind New Zealand’s first prestige red....
Story: McDonald, Thomas Bayne
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1831–1833?–1899Public servant, military leader, writer
Thomas McDonnell, eldest son of Thomas McDonnell and his wife, Anna Patterson, was born probably some time between 1831 and 1833, possibly at Manila in the Philippines while his parents were on a trading voyage. His father, from County Antrim in Ireland, was an officer in the British navy. He...
Story: McDonnell, Thomas
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1809/1810?–1852Policeman, police magistrate, militia officer, roading supervisor
Arthur Edward McDonogh (or MacDonogh) was born probably in 1809 or 1810 in Ireland; his parents' names are unknown. As a young man McDonogh served as an officer in the 5th Fusiliers. By the middle of 1840 he had emigrated to New Zealand, and was living at Kororareka (Russell). Lieutenant...
Story: McDonogh, Arthur Edward
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1858–1943Labourer, town milk supplier, politician
David (Davie) McDougall was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on 14 July 1858, the son of David Dougall, a carter, and his wife, Agnes Wardrop. By the age of 12 he was employed in a local iron works; at 17 he was a farm labourer. Later he became a carter for a potato merchant. On 27 June 1882 at...
Story: McDougall, David
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1900–1975Dairy scientist and administrator
Frederick Henry McDowall, one of a small group of pioneering scientists in the dairy-processing industry of New Zealand, was born at Waianiwa, near Invercargill, Southland, on 1 September 1900. His parents, Montgomery McDowall and his wife, Mary Ann Eggleton, farmed a property at Taramoa. At...
Story: McDowall, Frederick Henry
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1883–1986Cook, fruit-stall holder
Sarah Isabella (Bell) Hansen was born in Kawarau Gorge, near Cromwell, Central Otago, on 28 November 1883. She was the sixth of seven children of Henrick (Henry) Peter Hansen, a Dane, and his wife, Mary Ann Bennett, who was born in England. Bell's family were poor; her father was a miner, but...
Story: McElligott, Sarah Isabella
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1870–1933Librarian
The man who was to become Dunedin's first public librarian was born at Edinburgh, Scotland, on 17 December 1870. William Barker McEwan was the son of journeyman stonemason William McEwan and his wife, Mary Barker. Educated at a George Heriot school, William left at the age of 14 to become...
Story: McEwan, William Barker
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1876–1960Surgeon, army health administrator, medical administrator
Donald Johnstone McGavin was born on 19 August 1876 at Chatham, Kent, England, the son of John McGavin, a draper, and his wife, Jessie Burns. Donald was educated at King Edward VI Grammar School and at Mason University College in Birmingham, and then at the London Hospital. He qualified LRCP...
Story: McGavin, Donald Johnstone
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1868–1953Engineer, gold-dredging entrepreneur
Alexander Crow McGeorge was born in Dunedin, New Zealand, on 4 August 1868, during the Otago goldrush; he was to become a major figure in the gold-dredging boom some 30 years later. One of four children of James McGeorge, a carter, and his wife, Isabella Crow, Alec left school at 14. His first...
Story: McGeorge, Alexander Crow
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1802–1864Lawyer, politician, public servant, educationalist
John McGlashan was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on 7 November 1802, the son of John McGlashan, a furniture dealer, and his wife, Mary Fraser. John attended Edinburgh High School and the University of Edinburgh, qualifying as a solicitor on 10 September 1824.
On 16 January 1827 McGlashan...
Story: McGlashan, John
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1828–1901Master mariner, ship owner, company director
Alexander McGregor was born at Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, on 20 August 1828. He was of Scottish descent, the son of Alexander McGregor, a farmer, and his wife, Mary McKinnon. As a young man he worked in the coastal trade around Nova Scotia and New England. On 26 May 1857 he married...
Story: McGregor, Alexander
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1896–1936Military aviator, farmer, airline operator
Malcolm Charles (Mac) McGregor, who was to achieve fame as a First World War air ace and later helped to establish civil aviation in New Zealand, was born on 4 March 1896 at Mangamako, near Hunterville. He was the youngest of three children of sheepfarmer Ewen McGregor and his wife, Matilda...
Story: McGregor, Malcolm Charles
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1894–1977Zoologist, university lecturer
William Roy McGregor was born in Thames on 8 July 1894, the son of Peter McGregor, a draper, and his wife, Susan Melville Rea. He attended Auckland Grammar School in 1909, then – it is understood – briefly took up schoolteaching. In 1918 he became a demonstrator in biology at Auckland...
Story: McGregor, William Roy
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1904–1933Catholic missionary
Emmet Charles McHardy was born at Pīhama, Taranaki, on 27 June 1904, the third of four children of John McHardy, a Scottish-born farmer, and his wife, Mary Frances O’Reilly, the daughter of Irish hotel-keepers. It was an affectionate, lively family. There was also a wide extended family and...
Story: McHardy, Emmet Charles
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1861–1943Midwife, volunteer nurse, health patrol, social hygiene lecturer
Fanny Balmer, the daughter of Margaret McIntosh and her husband, William Balmer, a corporal in the 65th Regiment, was born in Auckland, New Zealand, on 21 August 1861. Her father died in 1869. After her mother remarried in 1871 Fanny and her family moved to Marton, and then around 1879 to the...
Story: McHugh, Fanny
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1867–1956Teacher, telegraphist, local politician, policeman, police commissioner
William Bernard McIlveney was born in Greymouth on 8 March 1867, the son of Irish parents Ellen Biggim and her husband, Bernard McIlveney, a flax dresser and goldminer at Kumara. Educated privately, William began teaching at Greymouth in 1881. He became a telegraphist in 1885, leaving three...
Story: McIlveney, William Bernard