Search

Mary Ellen Bews achieved renown for her role as co-founder and principal of Mount Eden College, a private secondary school for girls which flourished in Auckland at the beginning of the twentieth century. She was born…

Edward Metcalf Smith was born probably on 10 January 1839 at Bradley, Staffordshire, England, the son of Charles Smith, a monumental sculptor, and his wife, Maria Joiner. He began work in the local iron industry and…

Arthur Hume was born in Dublin, Ireland, probably sometime between 1838 and 1841, the son of Annie Parker and her husband, John Hume. Arthur attended Cheltenham College before being commissioned as an ensign in the 79th…

Patrick Anthony Lawlor was born on 12 February 1893 in Wellington, the son of Irish-born Catholics David Roche Lawlor, a stationer and bookseller, and his wife, Margaret Dennehy. Pat initially attended Sister Francis…

An experienced lawyer and judge, Justice Peter Mahon is best known for his report on the 1979 Erebus air crash, which killed 257 people. Mahon concluded that Air New Zealand’s inadequate safety processes led directly to…

Matiu (Matt) Te Hau was born at Ōmarumutu, near Ōpōtiki, on 11 July 1912, the son of William Turakiuta Cooper of Ngāti Kahungunu, a licensed interpreter, and Kōparepare Matiu, of Ngāti Ruatakenga hapū of Te Whakatōhea.…

Charles Hazlitt Upham was born in Christchurch on 21 September 1908, the son of John Hazlitt Upham, a lawyer, and his wife, Agatha Mary Coates. He boarded at Waihi School, Winchester, South Canterbury, between 1917 and…

Industrial designer James Coe was a passionate advocate of applied ergonomics, the design of products to suit human anatomy and activities. Coe developed the secondary school art curriculum after the Second World War,…

John Chapman Andrew was born on 9 March 1822 at Whitby, Yorkshire, England, the son of James Andrew, an Anglican clergyman, and his wife, Jane Chapman. Andrew won a scholarship to University College, Oxford; he…

William Appleton, the eldest of nine children, was born to Yorkshireman Edwin Appleton and his young Scots wife, Margaret Bruce, on 3 September 1889. They were living at Alexandra South (present-day Alexandra) in…

Bernard Charles Beale was born in London, England, probably on 10 September 1830, the son of Thomas Beale, a surgeon, and his wife, Sophia Lewis. Following his father's profession, he trained at London Hospital between…

Mark Briggs was born at Londesborough, Yorkshire, England, on 6 April 1884, the son of Albert Briggs, a shepherd, and his wife, Clara Dooks. After a rudimentary village schooling he was apprenticed in his early teens to…

Clyde Leonard Carr was born in Ponsonby, Auckland, on 14 January 1886, the son of Thomas Goodwill Carr, a Methodist minister, and his wife, Matilda Frame Thorne. He grew up to be a tall, lean, gangling fellow who, after…

Harry Delamere Dansey and Roger Ingram Dansey were sons of Englishman Roger Delamere Dansey, a postmaster, and his wife, Wikitōria Ngāmihi Kahuao. Harry was born at Tapuae-haruru (Taupō) on 7 November 1874 and Roger at…

Alexander Don was born in a tent at Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, on 22 January 1857, the eldest of the 10 children of John Don, a goldminer, and his wife, Janet Nicol. Both parents came from Scotland where his father…

James Henry Edwards was born at Islington, London, England, on 19 February 1892, the son of Ellen Sellman and her husband, James John Edwards, a printer. He began work as a telegraph boy at 13, then served as a steward…

Alexander Robert Entrican was born at Devonport on 28 January 1898, the son of Robert John Entrican, a merchant, and his wife, Annie Isabella Lamb. Known as Pat, he was educated at Auckland Grammar School and in 1915…

Edward (Ted) Buckland Firth and Guy Mortimer (Tony) Firth, the founders of Firth Industries, were born in Auckland on 27 September 1905 and 15 April 1907 respectively. They were the younger sons of Edward (Ned) Thompson…

Lindsay Merritt Inglis was born at Mosgiel, Otago, on 16 May 1894, the son of James Hunter Inglis, a bank agent, and his wife, Annie Kirkland. He was educated at Waitaki Boys’ High School (1907–13), where he was head…

Joseph Ivess, who was associated with some 40 New Zealand newspapers between 1868 and 1907, was born in Askeaton, County Limerick, Ireland, probably on 8 February 1844. He was the son of John Pope Ivess, a storekeeper,…