Advanced Biographies Search
Filter biographies using dates, occupations and places related to people's lives.
-
1913–1980Civilian and military aviator, company director, commercial aviation entrepreneur
Henry Rodolph Wigley was born at Fairlie, South Canterbury, on 2 February 1913, the eldest son of Jessie Christie Grant and her husband, Rodolph Lysaght Wigley, a mail contractor, and later an airline operator. Harry attended Timaru Boys’ High School and Christ’s College. He was still under 20...
Story: Wigley, Henry Rodolph
-
1881–1946Motor transport, tourism and commercial aviation entrepreneur
Rodolph Lysaght Wigley was born on 21 October 1881 at Opuha Gorge station, South Canterbury, New Zealand. He was the second of four children born to Thomas Henry Wigley, a sheepfarmer and MLC, and his second wife, Annie Caroline Lysaght. Educated at Christ's College from 1896 to 1898, Rodolph...
Story: Wigley, Rodolph Lysaght
-
1857–1934Businessman, politician, aviation promoter
Born in London, England, on 18 January 1857, Henry Francis Wigram was the son of a barrister, William Knox Wigram, and his wife, Mary Ann Pomeroy, daughter of the fifth Viscount Harberton. After attending Harrow School, Wigram worked with the Bank of England and a London shipping company....
Story: Wigram, Henry Francis
-
1912–1989Farm labourer, communist
Victor George Wilcox was born at Willesden, London, on 6 November 1912, the son of Kathleen Sage and her husband, William Wilcox, a railway shunter. In 1923 or 1924 the family emigrated to New Zealand, where William worked at a number of jobs before taking up dairy farming at Waiharara,...
Story: Wilcox, Victor George
-
1912–1978Lawyer, university lecturer, judge, solicitor general, chief justice
Herbert Richard Churton Wild (known as Richard) was born in Blenheim on 20 September 1912, the son of Leonard John Wild, a teacher, and his wife, Doris Churton. The family moved to Wanganui and Christchurch before settling in Feilding. From 1925 to 1929 Richard attended Feilding Agricultural...
-
1889–1970Teacher, agricultural scientist, lecturer, principal, educationalist, writer
Leonard John Wild was born at Oraki, Southland, on 28 October 1889, the son of Florence Muggleton and her husband, Herbert Arthur Wild, a teacher. He attended Southland Boys' High School, where he was inducted into science by Frederick Hilgendorf, later one of his scientific colleagues and...
Story: Wild, Leonard John
-
1883–1915Lawn tennis player, soldier
Anthony Frederick Wilding (registered Frederick Anthony) was born at Opawa, Christchurch, New Zealand, on 31 October 1883, the second of five children of Julia Anthony and her husband, Frederick Wilding, a solicitor. Wilding's parents had emigrated from England in 1879. His mother was the...
Story: Wilding, Anthony Frederick
-
1888–1982Artist, physiotherapist, health camp organiser, youth hostel founder, community leader
Cora Hilda Blanche Wilding was born on 15 November 1888 in Christchurch, the daughter of Frederick Wilding, a barrister, and his wife, Julia Anthony. The ideals shaping her life were fostered during a happy and privileged childhood in a family that encouraged outdoor activities and healthy...
Story: Wilding, Cora Hilda Blanche
-
1852–1945Lawyer, sportsman, sports administrator
Frederick Wilding was born in Montgomery, Montgomeryshire, Wales, on 20 November 1852, the son of John Powell Wilding, a surgeon, and his wife, Harriet Farmer. His early education was at Hereford Cathedral School and Shrewsbury School. In 1874 he was admitted as a solicitor.
Wilding was...
Story: Wilding, Frederick
-
1844–1916Banker, timber miller, farmer, broker, social reformer
Henry Wilding, born at Stepney in the East End of London, England, on 20 August 1844, was the son of Maria Gillard (née Loveday) and her second husband, Henry Wilding, a pawnbroker. Henry junior received sufficient education to become a bank clerk, and was sent by the London and County Bank to...
Story: Wilding, Henry
-
1870–1939Lawyer, politician, sportsman, diplomat
Thomas Mason Wilford was born in Lower Hutt, New Zealand, on 20 June 1870 to John George Frederick Wilford, a surgeon, and his wife, Elizabeth Catherine Mason, daughter of Thomas Mason, MHR. He was educated at Wellington College and Christ's College, Christchurch, before joining the legal firm...
Story: Wilford, Thomas Mason
-
1922–1995Bowler, sports administrator
Elsie Hamer Fielden was born on 20 December 1922 at Waihou, near Te Aroha, Waikato, the only child of Nora Hamer and her husband, Alfred James Fielden, a decorator. In her early years the family moved to Whakatane, Coromandel and Whangarei, where her mother died in 1933. With her father she...
Story: Wilkie, Elsie Hamer
-
1868–1956Storekeeper, merchant, politician
Charles Anderson Wilkinson was born at Oakura, Taranaki, New Zealand, on 19 July 1868, the son of John William Wilkinson, a farmer, and his wife, Elizabeth Paynter. Charles grew up in New Plymouth, where he was educated privately. In 1884 he moved to Eltham to manage Chew Chong's general store...
Story: Wilkinson, Charles Anderson
-
1901–1985Pharmacist, community leader, local historian
Ruth Webb, born on 8 February 1901 in Rotorua, was the youngest of five children of Mary Wilson and her husband, Seth Webb, a blacksmith. In 1908 the family moved to Cambridge, where Ruth was educated at the local primary school, before attending Hamilton High School.
In 1917 she began...
Story: Wilkinson, Ruth
-
1900–1979Yacht designer, builder and racer; cabinet-maker
Alexander William and Albert Leslie Willetts were born at Devonport, Auckland, on 15 July 1893 and 22 February 1900 respectively, the second and fifth of ten children of Methodist parents Arthur John Willetts and his wife, Sybil Beeston. Their father was a well-known designer and foreman...
Story: Willetts, Albert Leslie
-
1839–1929Teacher, school principal
Anna Maria Williams, known as Maria, was born at Waimate mission station, near Paihia, Northland, New Zealand, on 25 February 1839, the daughter of Jane Nelson and her husband, William Williams, Church Missionary Society missionaries. Maria was the sixth child in a family of nine.
In...
Story: Williams, Anna Maria
-
1884–1958Golfer, community leader
Eileen Hope Lewis was born in Rotorua, New Zealand, on 16 October 1884, the daughter of Thomas Hope Lewis, a surgeon, and his wife, Ellen Fenton. Both her parents were enthusiastic golfers and she learnt to play at an early age. By 1887 the family had moved to Auckland where Eileen later...
Story: Williams, Eileen Hope
-
1854–1940Business proprietor, company director, community leader
Frederic Wanklyn Williams was born at the Tūranga mission station at Whakatō, Poverty Bay, New Zealand, probably on 13 October 1854, the eldest of 10 children of the CMS missionary William Leonard Williams and his wife, Sarah Wanklyn. After attending St John's College and, from July 1871,...
Story: Williams, Frederic Wanklyn
-
1792–1867Missionary
According to family information Henry Williams was born on 11 February 1792; he was baptised on 13 April at Gosport, Hampshire, England. He was the fifth child and third son of Thomas Williams, a lace manufacturer, and his wife, Mary Marsh. His parents were relatively well off until the death...
Story: Williams, Henry
-
1860–1937Anglican bishop, Maori linguist
Herbert William Williams was born at Waerenga-a-hika, near Gisborne, New Zealand, on 10 October 1860. The son of the third bishop of Waiapu, William Leonard Williams, and his wife, Sarah Wanklyn, he was also grandson of the first bishop of Waiapu, William Williams. Herbert was educated at...
Story: Williams, Herbert William