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Francis (Frank) Bertrand Jolly was born on 26 January 1865 at London, Ontario, Canada, the eldest child of English parents Thomas Jolly, a farmer, and his wife, Mary Ridout Kelly. After returning briefly to England the…

James Mackenzie has become one of New Zealand's most enduring folk heroes. Few facts are known about his life or his brief public appearances, and doubt surrounds even his name: the correct spelling of Mackenzie is…

Richard Cockburn Maclaurin was born at Lindean railway station, Galashiels, Selkirkshire, Scotland, on 5 June 1870, the son of Robert Campbell Maclaurin, the resident stationmaster, previously a clergyman, and his wife…

George O'Brien is said to have been born at Dromoland Castle, County Clare, Ireland, and was baptised in the parish of Kilnasoolagh (Newmarket-on-Fergus) on 16 September 1821. He was the fifth son of nine children of…

Patricia Charlotte Perrin was born at her family’s home in Arthur Street, Ellerslie, Auckland, on 11 July 1921, the daughter of Ruby Elizabeth Bennett and her husband, Huntly Percy Perrin, a dentist. Her mother died…

Desmond James Scott, one of New Zealand’s most decorated fighter pilots, was born at Ashburton on 11 September 1918, the son of John Robert Scott, a shepherd from Aberdeenshire, and his wife, Jean Reid, who had been a…

Doris Gertrude Sheppard was born in Bromley, Kent, England, on 7 February 1902, the daughter of Georgiana Baker and her husband, Charles Valentine Sheppard, a builder. The family later lived in Sydenham, London. In…

Donald John Stott, the son of Annie McKay and her husband, Robert Edward Stott, a butcher, was born in Birkenhead, Auckland, on 23 October 1914. He was educated at Northcote School and Takapuna Grammar School, where he…

Anne Titboald was born, probably in 1825 or 1826, at Exeter, Devonshire, England, the daughter of Thomas Titboald; her mother's name is not known. She arrived on the Cordelia at Wellington, New Zealand, on 29 September…

Elizabeth Rose Rebecca Bradshaw is thought to have been born in Ireland, probably in 1833 or 1834, but nothing is known of her background or early life. Probably in 1850, in England, she married John Charles Watts…

Benjamin Woods was the most important police officer in northern New Zealand between 1840 and 1853. He was born in King's County, Ireland, probably in 1787 or 1788, the fifth of six children born to Ann Wilkinson and…

Edward George Wright was born at Woolwich, Kent, England, on 14 June 1831, the son of Elizabeth and Thomas Wright. His father was a gunner in the Royal Horse Artillery. Edward Wright was educated at private schools and…

Frank Oswald Victor Acheson was born on 27 June 1887 at Riverton, Southland, the youngest of nine children of Robert Acheson, a merchant, and his wife, Annie Sinclair Allan. He was educated at Riverton school and…

William Brown was born probably in Dundee, Angus, Scotland, in 1809 or 1810. After studying law he was admitted as a Writer to the Signet. He did not practise for long in his homeland. In 1839 he and his wife, Jessie…

Thomas Burns, the most important religious leader in the early settlement of Otago, was baptised at Mauchline, Ayrshire, Scotland, on 17 April 1796, the son of Gilbert Burns, a farmer and estate manager, and his wife,…

Manuera Benjamin Rīwai Couch (or Rīwai-Couch) was known throughout his life, and by his own preference, as Ben Couch. He was born at Lyttelton on 27 June 1925, the first of eight children of a farmer, George Manning…

John Kinder was born on 17 September 1819 at London, England, the oldest surviving child of Thomas Kinder, a wealthy merchant, and his second wife, Fanny Pickworth. John's interest in art began early when he took walks…

Mackay John Scobie Mackenzie – commonly known as Scobie – was born on 23 January 1845 at Tain, Ross-shire, Scotland, the third son and fourth surviving child of Roderick Mackenzie and his wife, Mary Anne Scobie.…

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…

William Hillier Onslow was born at Old Alresford, Hampshire, England, on 7 March 1853, the only son of George Augustus Cranley Onslow and his wife, Mary Harriet Anne Loftus. He was educated at Eton College and then…