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Henry Aitken Wise, the foremost directory publisher of his time in New Zealand and Australia, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on 28 December 1835. He was the son of George Wise, a grocer, and his wife, Helen Dove. He…

Herbert David Mullon was born on 1 February 1905 at Marton, the son of Oscar Albert Mullon, a cordial manufacturer, and his wife, Ann Rakaia Haberfield. In 1906 his parents moved to Opunake, where his father bought a…

Henry Blundell was born in Dublin, Ireland, probably in 1814 or 1815. The names of his parents are not known. He worked for the Dublin Evening Mail for 27 years, becoming manager, before he resigned over a disagreement…

Wilhelmina Magdalene Stuart was born in Dunedin on 9 August 1895, the daughter of Wilhelmina Catherine Bohning, a tailoress, and her husband, Abraham Francis Stuart, a compositor for the Otago Daily Times. Always known…

Nevile Sidney Lodge was born in Timaru, South Canterbury, on 19 May 1918, the son of Elsie Irene Grant Smyth and her husband, Leonard Arthur Lodge, a bank accountant. He attended primary schools in Auckland, Manurewa…

John Campbell was born on 4 July 1857 in Glasgow, Scotland, to Janet McKechnie and her husband, Donald Campbell, a ship's chandler. He embarked on a career as an architect, serving his apprenticeship under John Gordon…

Horace Grocott was born at Napier on 7 April 1880, the fifth child of Joseph Henry Grocott, a sewing machinist, and his wife, Hannah Dryden. The family soon moved to Dunedin, where Horace attended several primary…

Agnes Gilmour Brown was born at Killearn, Stirlingshire, Scotland, on 27 September 1893, the daughter of Elizabeth Gilmour and her husband, Walter Brown, a ploughman. Agnes was one of a large family and had only a…

Barbara Angus was one of New Zealand’s earliest woman diplomats, and its first female ambassador to head a bilateral post. Initially working as an historian, Angus joined the Department of External Affairs as a…

Keith Lindsay Stewart was born at Timaru on 30 December 1896, the son of David Stewart, a bank manager, and his wife, Charlotte Maud Fuller. He attended Napier Boys’ High School from 1905 to 1911 and Wanganui Collegiate…

Henry Colin Balneavis was born at Ghent, Belgium, probably some time between 1817 and 1819. His birthplace is not altogether surprising, since his father, Lieutenant General Henry Balneavis, a career officer, Peninsular…

Edward Thomas Gillon was born in Douglas, Isle of Man, England, probably on 21 January 1842, and baptised on 16 March. He was the son of Sarah Heron and her husband, Patrick Thomas Gillon, a merchant. He attended…

Jane (later known as Jean) Robertson McKenzie was born on 19 January 1901 at Edendale, Southland, the fifth of seven children of Amy Evelyn Swale and her husband, Duncan McIntyre McKenzie, a Scottish blacksmith. From…

Sarah Ann Rigelsford was born in London, England, probably in 1821 or 1822. Her mother's name is unknown; her father was John Rigelsford, a labourer. She was clever at needlework and as a young woman she set up her own…

David Archibald Victor Clive Drummond was born at Mārahau, near Motueka, on 4 August 1890. Always known as Clive, he was the son of Sarah Elizabeth Stillwell and her husband, Peter Drummond, a sawmiller. After attending…

George William Wallace Webber was born on 15 August 1875 at Nelson, New Zealand, the first child of Maria Elizabeth Wells and her husband, Wallace Thomas Webber, a sheepfarmer of Elmslies Bay, French Pass, in the…

Josiah Alfred Hanan was born in Invercargill, New Zealand, on 12 May 1868, the son of James Albert Hanan, a storekeeper, and his wife, Sarah Matilda Clarke. He was educated at the Invercargill Central School (later…

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…

Patricia Laura Te Waikapoata Mathieson was born in New Plymouth on 31 March 1927. Her father, Thomas Berge Tūpeka (Bert) Mathieson, of the Taranaki iwi, was a motor mechanic and later a taxi and bus driver. Her mother…

Charles Allan Marris was born on 11 September 1876 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. His father, Charles Augustus Marris, was a law clerk, later a teacher, from Lincolnshire, England; his mother, Agnes Reid Allan, was…