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Filter biographies using dates, occupations and places related to people's lives.
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?–1872–1880?Tūhoe composer of waiata
Mihi-ki-te-kapua was the greatest composer of the Tūhoe and Mataatua peoples. At some time in the last years of the eighteenth century she was born at Ruatāhuna. Her hapū were Ngāti Te Riu and Ngāti Ruapani. While living in the Ruatāhuna area she married and had children. In 1823 she was...
Story: Mihi-ki-te-kapua
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1892–1943Military leader, prisoner of war
Reginald Miles was born on 10 December 1892 at Springston, near Christchurch, the son of local farmers William Miles and his wife, Mary Margaret Restell. He was educated at Rangiora High School and in 1910 was commissioned a subaltern in the school cadets. The following year he was selected to...
Story: Miles, Reginald
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1855–1939Businesswoman
Ann Cleland was born on 15 March 1855 at Coatbridge, near Glasgow, Scotland, the 14th child of Mary Masterton and her husband, Andrew Cleland, a moulder. Seven children in the family had died by the time Ann was born. Nothing is known of her life until she came to New Zealand in her early 20s...
Story: Millar, Annie Cleland
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1885–1944Public servant, union official
Frank Winfird Millar was born in Dunedin, New Zealand, on 20 September 1885, the son of Mary Elizabeth Geddes and her husband, Walter Oliphant Millar, a Scottish-born accountant. Shortly after his 16th birthday Millar passed the junior civil service examination and was offered a cadetship in...
Story: Millar, Frank Winfird
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1855–1915Seaman, trade union leader, politician
John Andrew Millar was born on 8 July 1855 in India, and baptised at Jullundur, Punjab, on 6 August 1855. He was the eldest son of Eliza Sarah Hawthorne and her husband, John Craufurd Millar, a lieutenant and later major general in the British Army. His father fought in the relief of Lucknow in...
Story: Millar, John Andrew
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1913–1974Librarian, theatre director, critic and administrator
Nola Leigh Millar was born in Wellington on 18 February 1913, the daughter of Agnes Eleanor Marshall and her husband, Frank Winfird Millar, a civil servant who became general secretary of the New Zealand Public Service Association and editor of its journal. Agnes Millar died in 1919 leaving...
Story: Millar, Nola Leigh
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1890–1973Entomologist, university lecturer, scientific administrator
David Miller, one of New Zealand’s leading scientists, shares with R. J. Tillyard the distinction of founding professional entomology in New Zealand. Their work was based on the contributions of several great amateurs. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on 21 February 1890 to Mary Martin and...
Story: Miller, David
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1904–1996Journalist, goldminer, historian, poet, community worker
New Zealand’s longest-serving journalist, Frederick Walter Gascoyne Miller was born at Hastings on 19 September 1904, the son of Caroline Manners Gascoyne and her husband, Walter McNair Miller, a clerk in the Department of Agriculture. He attended Remuera School and Hutt District High School,...
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1898–1989Lecturer, librarian, writer
Harold Gladstone Miller was born on 15 May 1898 in Masterton to Nellie Stores and her husband, Tobias Miller, a shop assistant. He was educated at Masterton District High School, where he captained both the First XV and First XI. He then entered Victoria University College, Wellington, where...
Story: Miller, Harold Gladstone
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1919–1986Surveyor, Antarctic explorer, conservationist
Joseph Holmes Miller, the son of Irish parents Annie Mary Campbell and her husband, Samuel Hunter Miller, a farmer, was born at Waimate on 12 February 1919. He was educated at Willowbridge School and then Waimate High School, where he was dux. In 1936 Holmes (as he was known) moved to...
Story: Miller, Joseph Holmes
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1847–1936Businessman, ship owner, politician
James Mills was born at Wellington, New Zealand, on 30 July 1847, the third son of Catherine Miller and her husband, William Mills, a carpenter. Two years later William became landing waiter at Port Chalmers and in 1853 he was appointed collector of customs at Dunedin. James Mills, or 'Little...
Story: Mills, James
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1896–1987Embroiderer, artist
Marjory Hinemoa Mills was born in Wellington on 11 November 1896, the fourth of five children of British parents Thomas Lewis Mills, a noted journalist, and his wife, Elizabeth Jane Huggins. Marjory went to primary school in Wellington but by 1910 had moved with her family to Feilding, where...
Story: Mills, Marjory Hinemoa
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1856–1942Labour reformer, political organiser
Walter Thomas Mills was born in Duane, New York, USA, on 11 May 1856, the son of Charles Mills, a farmer, and his wife, Mahetabel Ladd, both Quakers. Nothing is known of Mills's early life. In 1868 he moved with his parents to Iowa and worked at a variety of jobs while saving the money to put...
Story: Mills, Walter Thomas
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1891–1933Mountaineer, guide
Francis Middleton Milne, known as Frank, was born on 11 December 1891 at Taieri Beach, Otago, to Scottish parents Rebecca McDonald and her husband, James Milne, a farmer. His rural upbringing taught him a variety of practical skills, but he did not settle to any occupation until, late in 1913...
Story: Milne, Francis Middleton
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1840–1921Milliner, businesswoman
Mary Jane Milne was born at Coalisland, County Tyrone, Ireland, on 16 September 1840, to Margery Fay, née Dawson, and her husband, James Stewart Milne, a builder. Mary Jane was the eldest of their six children, one of whom died in early childhood.
The family left Ireland in July 1863...
Story: Milne, Mary Jane
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1875–1944School principal, educationalist
Frank Milner was born in Nile Street, Nelson, New Zealand, on 7 November 1875, the son of William Milner, a draper, and his wife, Annie Dodson Swanson. He attended the Bridge Street Boys' School in Nelson and gained top marks in Nelson and Marlborough in the scholarship examination, which...
Story: Milner, Frank
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1889–1966Teacher, librarian
Alice Ethel Minchin was born at Waihou, Hokianga, on 5 November 1889, the second of three children of Charles Minchin, a settler at Rangiahua, and his wife, Edith Fennell. She went to Rawhia School, but when her father died in 1900 the farm was sold and her mother took the children to...
Story: Minchin, Alice Ethel
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1902–1992Architectural draughtsman, cartoonist
Gordon Edward George Minhinnick was born at Torpoint, Cornwall, England, on 13 June 1902, the son of Annie Sealy and her husband, Percy Charles Minhinnick. Gordon's father, grandfather and great-grandfather had all been naval officers and it was assumed he would follow them; he was educated at...
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1909–1966Journalist, film critic, editor, educational media producer, film censor
Gordon Holden Mirams was born in Christchurch on 9 March 1909, the son of Leslie Haywood Mirams, a travelling salesman, and his wife, Mary Elvire Webb. A regular film-goer from the age of 10, he received his secondary schooling at Christ’s College.
In 1927 he started work on the...
Story: Mirams, Gordon Holden
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1837–1911Engineer, architect
Samuel Haywood Mirams was born on 28 August 1837 in Minster, on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, England, the son of Elizabeth Cole and her husband, James Mirams, a clergyman. He was educated at private schools at Blackheath and Twickenham before taking up employment at an architect's office in...
Story: Mirams, Samuel Haywood