Advanced Biographies Search
Filter biographies using dates, occupations and places related to people's lives.
-
1882–1968Clerk, commercial traveller, shopkeeper, politician, prime minister
Walter Nash was born in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England, on 12 February 1882, the fifth of six children of Alfred Arthur Nash and his wife, Amelia Randle. The family was poor and Alfred was often drunk. A rug weaver, and later a clerk, he was also a part-time agent for the Conservative...
Story: Nash, Walter
-
1899–1993Storekeeper, businessman, entrepreneur, community leader, benefactor
Jelal Kalyanji was born on 17 August 1899 at Surat, Gujarat, India, to Jagdamba Hansu Chauhan and her husband, Kalyanji Vanamali. Like many Hindus, he was married as a child but his wife died in 1910. Jelal’s father, a laundryman or dhobi by caste, emigrated with some of the children to Natal...
Story: Natali, Jelal Kalyanji
-
1816–1886Merchant, auctioneer, shipping agent, community leader
According to family information David Nathan was born in London, England, in 1816, the third son of Nathan Lion Nathan and his wife, Sarah Nathan. It is not known if the two Nathan families were related. After serving an apprenticeship in the wholesale clothing firm of his maternal uncle,...
Story: Nathan, David
-
1835–1912Merchant, dairy manufacturer and exporter
Joseph Edward Nathan was born probably on 2 March 1835 in Houndsditch, in the East End of London, England. He was the sixth son and eighth child of Jewish parents Rachel Davis and her husband, Edward Ezekiel Nathan, a tailor. He started life with few material advantages and received very...
Story: Nathan, Joseph Edward
-
1840–1930Printer, journalist, newspaper proprietor, spiritualist, tree planter
William Charles Nation was born in Sydney, Australia, on 18 February 1840, the eldest child of William Nation, a printer, and his wife, Mary Jenkin Howe. In 1857 the family moved to Nelson, New Zealand. On arrival William junior began work as a printer for the Colonist newspaper, established...
Story: Nation, William Charles
-
1859–1951Architect, quantity surveyor
Lewis Tilleard Natusch (always known as Charles) was born on 4 October 1859 at London, England, the son of Emma Sarah Dixon and her husband, Charles Francis Natusch, a mercantile clerk. Social contact with people of other countries played a part in shaping his character. The family had...
Story: Natusch, Charles Tilleard
-
1912–1951Opera and concert singer
Born on 15 June 1912 at Wharepuhunga, near Te Awamutu, Franz Oscar Natzke was the fourth and last child of Emma Frances Carter and her husband, August Natzke, an immigrant from Germany and the father of nine surviving children from his previous marriage. Oscar's early years were spent on his...
Story: Natzke, Franz Oscar
-
1886–1959Methodist minister
Leslie Bourneman Neale was born at Devonport, Auckland, on 26 June 1886, the sixth child of Isabella Selby and her husband, William Henry Neale, a bootmaker. After attending Ponsonby School, which he left at the age of 14 in 1900, he was initially employed with Thompson and Hills, jam...
Story: Neale, Leslie Bourneman
-
1904–1988Theatre director, speech and drama teacher
Born in Christchurch on 17 March 1904, Neta Doris Billcliff was the daughter of Arthur Billcliff, a Yorkshire-born grocer, and his American wife, Thomasina Emily Jocelyn Corcoran. Educated at Elmwood School and Christchurch Girls’ High School, she became a pupil-teacher at Ōpāwa School and...
Story: Neale, Neta Doris
-
1837–1920Doctor, public health officer
Courtney Nedwill was born at Ballyronan, County Londonderry, Ireland, probably on 14 August 1837, the second son of John Nedwill, a farmer; his mother's name is unknown. He was educated in Belfast, and entered Queen's College, Belfast, in 1856, winning several prizes in addition to becoming...
Story: Nedwill, Courtney
-
1903–1948Ngāpuhi; endurance swimmer
Katerina Waetford was born at Whakapara in the Bay of Islands on 6 February 1903, the daughter of Mereana Teruhi Nēhua and Hare Paerau Waetford, a bushman. She was of Ngāpuhi descent, and a descendant of Eru Patuone of Ngāti Hao of Hokianga, elder brother of Tāmati Waka Nene. She was brought up...
Story: Nēhua, Katerina
-
1846–1926Nurse, senior public servant, social reformer
Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on 25 May 1846 to a wealthy family belonging to the Scottish gentry, Elizabeth Grace Campbell (known as Grace) was the daughter of James Archibald Campbell and his second wife, Maria Grace Cameron. She grew up on the shores of Loch Awe, Argyll, but spent her later...
Story: Neill, Elizabeth Grace
-
1883–1944Samoan nationalist, businessman
In the 1920s O. F. Nelson, already one of the richest and most influential men in Western Samoa, emerged as the outstanding critic of the New Zealand colonial administration. A big man (weighing at least 20 stone), well-travelled, methodical, egotistical, obstinate (he referred to himself as a...
Story: Nelson, Olaf Frederick
-
1843–1932Farmer, industrialist
William Nelson was born at Warwick, Warwickshire, England, on 15 February 1843, the son of Sarah Philbrick and her husband, George Nelson, a chemist and well-known manufacturer of gelatine and other meat extracts. William was educated at Warwick College and worked in a tannery, a cement works...
Story: Nelson, William
-
?–1871Ngāpuhi leader, trader, government adviser
Nene was born probably in the 1780s. He was the second son of Tapua, leader and tohunga of Ngāti Hao of Hokianga, and the younger brother of Patuone, the inheritor of their father's mana. By descent and marriage this family was connected to many of the major chiefs of Hokianga, Whangaroa, the...
Story: Nene, Tāmati Wāka
-
1905/1908?–1986Ngāti Rākaipaaka; rugby union and league player, farmer
George Nēpia was born at Wairoa, Hawke's Bay, of Ngāti Rākaipaaka of Nūhaka and Māhia. His birth date was registered as 25 April 1905, but he later claimed he was born in 1908. His father, Peta Piripoi Nēpia, and mother, Riripeti (Peti) Pirihi, separated early and each remarried. After an...
Story: Nēpia, George
-
1860–1926Artist
Girolamo Pieri Pecci Ballati Nerli, commonly known as Girolamo Pieri Nerli or Girolamo Nerli, was born in Siena, Italy, on 21 February 1860. He was the fourth of six children of an Italian aristocrat, Ferdinando Pieri Nerli, and his wife Henrietta Medwin, an Englishwoman whose father was a...
Story: Nerli, Girolamo
-
1837–1921Anglican bishop
Samuel Tarratt Nevill was born on 13 May 1837 in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, one of six children of Mary Berrey and her husband, Jonathan Nevill, a hosier. From an early age he desired ordination, but was unable to pursue this until 1858, when he received a legacy from his...
Story: Nevill, Samuel Tarratt
-
1843–1919Soldier, military leader
Stuart Newall (baptised as Stewart) was born in the parish of Durrisdeer, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, on 9 May 1843, the son of Thomas Newall, a tailor, and his wife, Anne Dalziel. Nothing is known of his early life. In January 1863 he emigrated to Australia, and after a brief sojourn in Victoria...
Story: Newall, Stuart
-
1880–1960Photographer, film-maker
Charles Frederick Newham was born at Christchurch, New Zealand, on 21 June 1880, the son of Ann Martin and her husband, Enoch Newham, a mechanic. Nothing is known of his early life or education, but by 1900 he was working as a photographer in Wellington. In 1901 he moved to Wanganui where he...
Story: Newham, Charles Frederick