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Filter biographies using dates, occupations and places related to people's lives.
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1850–1926Temperance worker, suffragist, dress reformer
Isabella Malcolm was born in Hoxton, London, England, on 22 June 1850, one of five children of Scots parents Jemima Crawford Souter and her husband, Andrew Wilson Malcolm, a brewer's clerk. The family moved to Dublin around 1858. The children shared an Irish nurse and were members of the...
Story: May, Isabella
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1897–1982Teacher, school principal, writer
Muriel Wallace May was born in Dunedin on 13 April 1897 to Catherine Jane Ogilvie and her husband, Harry May, a confectioner. In June 1901 Harry accidentally drowned, leaving Catherine, with help from a supportive extended family, to bring up four-year-old Muriel and her two younger brothers....
Story: May, Muriel Wallace
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1892/1893?–1969Rongowhakaata; shearer, trade unionist, community leader
Pētera Te Hiwirori (Hiwi) Maynard was born, probably in 1892 or 1893, at Manutūkē, in the Gisborne area, the son of Wiremu Hātea Maynard and his wife, Pēhi Te Wīwini, both of Rongowhakaata. His father was a general labourer. Hiwi was educated at the local primary school and Waerenga-a-hika...
Story: Maynard, Pētera Te Hiwirori
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1905–1993Nurse, hospital matron, local politician
Tui Alfreda Mayo was born on 13 January 1905 at Aorangi, Manawatu, the youngest of four daughters of Annie Honeyford and her husband, Alfred Richard Mayo, an orchardist and nurseryman. She was educated at Taonui School and Feilding Technical School, then Feilding Agricultural High School,...
Story: Mayo, Tui Alfreda
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1890–1963Lawyer, morals inquiry chairman, writer
Oswald Chettle Mazengarb was born in Prahran, Melbourne, Australia, on 31 May 1890, the son of Alfred Valentine Mazengarb and his wife, Elizabeth Mary Murphy. At the time of Ossie’s birth his father was a phrenologist, but he later became a pastor, first in the Associated Churches of Christ and...
Story: Mazengarb, Oswald Chettle
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1892–1981Welfare worker, community leader
Laurel Grace Barker Storey was born on 20 October 1892 at Temuka to William Storey, a tailor, and his wife, Elizabeth Wright. She was the eldest of three children: one brother was killed in the First World War and the other, Percy, later became an All Black. Laurel attended Rangitata Station...
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1906–1984Farmer, politician
John Kenneth McAlpine was born in Christchurch on 26 July 1906. He was the eldest son of Walter Kenneth McAlpine, a sheepfarmer, and his wife, Gwendolen Marion Wall. Educated at Christ’s College, he went straight from school to work as a shepherd on his father’s high country station at...
Story: McAlpine, John Kenneth
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1898–1974Draughtsman, lottery organiser, soccer player
Neil McArthur was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on 19 March 1898, the son of George McArthur, a blacksmith, and his wife, Margaret McTavish, a dressmaker. He emigrated to New Zealand with his family around 1907 and settled in Wellington, where his father helped build some of the city's earliest...
Story: McArthur, Neil
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1919–1987Artist, art gallery worker, university lecturer
Colin John McCahon was born in Timaru on 1 August 1919, the second of three children of Ethel Beatrice Ferrier and her husband, John Kernohan McCahon, a commercial traveller, and later a company manager. Ethel McCahon travelled from the family’s home in Dunedin to be with her mother for Colin’s...
Story: McCahon, Colin John
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1866–1933Teacher, temperance worker, political activist
Mary Ann Recknall McCarthy was born in Dunedin, New Zealand, on 11 August 1866, the fifth of eight children of Elizabeth Ann Pyke and her husband, Samuel McCarthy, a locksmith. Mary (or Polly, as the family knew her) became a pupil-teacher at the Normal School in Dunedin about 1884, entered...
Story: McCarthy, Mary Ann Recknall
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1908–1984Broadcaster, journalist, writer
Winston John McCarthy, the ‘Voice of New Zealand Rugby’, was born at Wellington on 10 March 1908, the son of Hugh Donald McCarthy, a salesman, and his wife, Alice Maud Collins, who died when he was six years old. Winston was educated at the Marist brothers’ schools at Newtown and Thorndon,...
Story: McCarthy, Winston John
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1900–1985Agricultural instructor, lecturer, conservationist, writer
Lancelot William McCaskill (registered at birth as Lancecot) was born at Winchester, South Canterbury, on 8 May 1900, the son of Janet Bisset and her husband, Daniel McCaskill, a wool scourer. His father died when he was five. After attending Winchester School and Timaru Boys’ High School, he...
Story: McCaskill, Lancelot William
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1849–1930Farm manager, farmer, land valuer
John McCaw was born on 4 October 1849 at Morriston, Ayrshire, Scotland, the son of Alexander McCaw, a farmer, and his wife, Hughina McLachlan. McCaw was educated at the Kirkoswald parish school and at the Ayr Academy. He attended the Andersonian Institution in Glasgow in 1866 then assisted his...
Story: McCaw, John
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1849–1926Gold prospector and miner, mine manager
John McCombie was born in Onehunga, Auckland, New Zealand, on 15 June 1849. His father, Alexander McCombie of Aberdeen, was a regular soldier who married an Irishwoman, Ellen Schoolan, while on service in New Zealand. In 1867 John began his working life as a prospector and miner on the newly...
Story: McCombie, John
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1873–1935Socialist, social worker, politician
Elizabeth (Bessie) Reid Henderson was born at Kaiapoi on 19 November 1873. She was the eighth of nine children of Alice Connolly and her husband, Daniel Henderson, a storeman. A few years after her birth the family moved to Ashburton; by 1883 they were living in Christchurch. Elizabeth attended...
Story: McCombs, Elizabeth Reid
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1873–1933Draper's assistant, socialist, land speculator, politician
James McCombs was born on 9 December 1873 at Mohill, County Leitrim, Ireland, the elder child of Kate Rourke and her husband, George McCombs, a farmer. The family emigrated to Wellington, New Zealand, on the Waimea in 1876. By 1886 they were living in Christchurch where James attended Sydenham...
Story: McCombs, James
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1895–1980Billiards and snooker player
Clark McConachy was born at Glenorchy, Otago, on 15 April 1895. He was the son of Peter Hill McConachy, an Australian-born storekeeper and later a billiard saloon proprietor, and his wife, Frances Lydia Stead, who was born in England. The family moved briefly to Gore but by 1905 were living in...
Story: McConachy, Clark
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1883–1973Artist
Thomas Arthur McCormack was born on 27 April 1883 at Napier, the son of Irish parents Elizabeth Kirwin and her husband, Thomas McCormack, a labourer. At the Marist brothers' school in Napier he was interested only in athletics and drawing. He became captain of the school's rugby and cricket...
Story: McCormack, Thomas Arthur
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1906–1995Teacher, critic, historian, university lecturer, biographer
Eric Hall McCormick was born in Taihape on 17 June 1906, the second child and only son of William James Hall McCormick, a boot merchant, and his wife, Ellen Powrie, who had been a dressmaker before her marriage. His Irish-born father had moved to Taihape from Christchurch in the vanguard of a...
Story: McCormick, Eric Hall
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1860–1947Tinsmith, trade unionist, political activist
John Alexander McCullough was born at Belfast, Ireland, on 17 January 1860, the eldest of five children. He was the son of Sarah Davison and her husband, William John McCullough, a seaman, staunch unionist and Orangeman; both his parents were devout Presbyterians. The McCulloughs emigrated in...
Story: McCullough, John Alexander