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1867–1965Healer
Ada Chadwick was born at Paparoa, North Auckland, New Zealand, on 13 September 1867, the sixth child of John Chadwick, a farmer, and his wife, Hannah Mary Blakeley. The Chadwick family had emigrated from Lancashire, England, arriving in Auckland on the Gala in December 1865.
John...
Story: Pilgrim, Ada
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1857/1858?–1954Tūhoe woman of mana
Pinepine Te Rika was born probably in 1857 or 1858 at Rāhitiroa, an old settlement of Ngāti Kuri just east of Te Waiiti, in the Bay of Plenty. Her father was Te Rika Te Wheura (sometimes known as Te Mīkaera Te Rika or Te Wharenui), a leader of Ngāti Kuri of Ruatāhuna and Tamakaimoana of...
Story: Pinepine Te Rika
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1836–1906Bootmaker, labour activist, politician
David Pinkerton was born in the small village of Kirknewton near Edinburgh, Scotland, probably in September 1836, the son of Margaret Hamilton and Benjamin Pinkerton, a corn merchant. He received a parish education and was taught for a time by John Hislop, who was later prominent in education...
Story: Pinkerton, David
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1814–1901Ngāti Awa and Ngāti Tūwharetoa tohunga, historian
The name of Hāmiora Tumutara Pio of Ngāti Awa and Ngāti Tūwharetoa appears in the written record largely through the efforts of John White and Elsdon Best. Hāmiora Tumutara wrote down ethnographical data for them, not out of an altruistic interest in recording the history and traditions of his...
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1858–1926Printer, journalist, newspaper proprietor, politician
Frederick Pirani was born in Melbourne, Australia, on 3 December 1858. He was the son of Henry Cohen Pirani, a merchant, and his wife, Louisa Levy. The family moved to Hokitika, New Zealand, in 1864. Henry Pirani worked on the staff of a Fenian newspaper there; then in the early 1870s the...
Story: Pirani, Frederick
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1906–1958Ngai Tahu leader; teacher, broadcaster, concert party producer
Te Aritaua Pītama was born on 23 February 1906 at Tuahiwi, a Māori settlement north of Kaiapoi, the eldest of 12 children of Weretā Tainui Pītama, also known as Te Ruapōhatu or ‘Stone’ Pītama, and his wife, Te Hauraraka Anipi Manakore Maaka. His father, a native agent and farmer who became the...
Story: Pītama, Te Aritaua
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1881–1930Ngāi Tahu; farmer, land claimant, trust board chairman
Weretā Tainui Pītama, also known as Te Ruapōhatu or ‘Stone’, was born, probably in 1881, at Rāpaki, just south of Christchurch. His father was Teoti Pītama Karatiti, a farmer, of the Canterbury Ngāi Tahu hapū, Ngāi Tūāhuriri and Ngāi Te Rakiāmoa. His mother, Harirota Pōhata, was from the...
Story: Pītama, Weretā Tainui
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1834/1835?–1921Rongowhakaata leader
Ōtene Pītau is said to have been born in 1834 or 1835. His father, Thomas Halbert, was a trader of English descent who settled at Muriwai, Poverty Bay, with a woman of Te Aitanga-a-Mahaki named Pirihira Konekone. Pirihira became pregnant, and soon after quarrelled with Halbert and left him. She...
Story: Pītau, Ōtene
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1906–1991Principal, educationalist
Born on 26 September 1906 in Waimate, South Canterbury, Ngata Prosser Pitcaithly was the son of Edith Mabel Hildyard and her husband, George Pitcaithly, rector of Waimate District High School and later a senior inspector of primary schools. His Tasmanian-born mother liked the melodious sound...
Story: Pitcaithly, Ngata Prosser
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1871/1872?–1938Ngai Tahu and Ngati Kuri leader, genealogist, historian, conservationist, weaver
Hāriata Whakatau Pītini-Morēra was the most important leader of Ngāti Kurī, a founding hapū of Ngāi Tahu in the South Island. She was born at Little River, Banks Peninsula, probably in 1871 or 1872, the daughter of Hāriata Whakatau and her husband, John Hampstead, a farmer. She absorbed her...
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1868–1956Doctor, community leader
Daisy Elizabeth Platts-Mills was born Elizabeth Platts on 13 July 1868 at Sandridge, Victoria, Australia, the daughter of Emma Walton and her husband, Frederick Charles Platts, an Anglican clergyman. The Platts family was a large one. Emma died when Daisy was young and Frederick remarried. She...
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1857/1858?–1924Servant, midwife, welfare worker, feminist, social reformer
Mary Josephine Crampton was born, probably in 1857 or 1858, in County Kilkenny, Ireland, the daughter of Mary O'Brien and her husband, Patrick Crampton, a shoesmith. Mary was brought up in the Catholic faith and, although literate, had little formal education. At the age of 16 she signed on in...
Story: Player, Mary Josephine
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1903–1992Architect
Ernst Anton Plischke was a key figure in the introduction of modernism into Wellington architecture in the period following the Second World War. Born in Klosterneuberg, a suburb of Vienna, on 26 June 1903, he was the elder child and only son of Anton Plischke, an architect, and his wife, Emma...
Story: Plischke, Ernst Anton
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1924–1995Ngati Porou and Rangitane; sportsman, military leader, diplomat
Brian Matauru Poananga was born in Palmerston North on 2 December 1924. His father, Henare Matauru Poananga, was the great-grandson of Wikiriwhi Matauru, a noted warrior of Ngati Porou, who had fought for the Crown against the Hauhau. A lawyer, Henare was a protégé of Apirana Ngata. Brian’s...
Story: Poananga, Brian Matauru
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1815–1880Ngāi Tahu leader, missionary, assessor, land protester
Horomona Pōhio claimed descent from the major lines of Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Māmoe and Waitaha. His hapū were Ngāi Taoka, Ngāti Huirapa, Ngāi Te Ruahikihiki, Ngāi Te Rakiāmoa and Ngāi Tūāhuriri. His father was Tohu, his mother Tutu.
According to his obituary Pōhio was born in 1815 at Wainono...
Story: Pōhio, Horomona
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1832?–1885Runholder, rabbit farmer, eccentric
Henry Poingdestre, the fourth son of five children, was baptised at the parish church in St Helier, on the island of Jersey, on 3 August 1832. He was a descendant of Geoffrey and Raoul Poingdestre, who owned land on the island in 1250. Henry's father, John Matthews Poingdestre, had married a...
Story: Poingdestre, Henry
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1895–1980Ngāti Pāmoana and Ngā Rauru; farmer, surveyor, orator
Rangi Hauiti Pōkiha was born at Koriniti on the Whanganui River on 4 August 1895, the first child of Pōkiha Peni of Ngāti Pāmoana and his second wife, Ngārongo Rangitahua of Ngā Rauru. Rangi Pōkiha was a direct descendant of Turi, captain of the Aotea canoe. He was blessed soon after his birth...
Story: Pōkiha, Rangi Hauiti
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1807–1882Trader, land speculator, writer, artist
Joel Samuel Polack is said to have been born in London, England, on 28 March 1807, son of a successful Jewish painter and engraver, Solomon Polack, and his wife, Sarah. The family had migrated from Holland to Ireland and then to England, where they settled; their children included Abraham, Joel...
Story: Polack, Joel Samuel
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1863–1939Salvation Army officer, administrator
George Arthur Pollard was born on 18 January 1863 at Heckmondwike, Yorkshire, England. His parents, Catherine Ledward and her husband, James Pollard, a schoolmaster, were 'comfortably situated' Congregationalists. In 1869 the family shifted to London where George attended school and eventually...
Story: Pollard, George Arthur
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1857–1922Comic opera producer and manager
Tom Pollard was born Thomas John O'Sullivan on 28 April 1857 in Launceston, Tasmania. He was the fourth child and eldest son of John O'Sullivan, a police constable, and his wife, Ann Furlong.
After leaving school Thomas O'Sullivan entered the building trade in Launceston and as a hobby...
Story: Pollard, Tom