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1897–1996Clerical worker, bank teller, dancer, entertainer, cinema operator, community leader
Beeban Annadale McDonald was born at The Willows Terrace, Princes Street, Dunedin, on 16 January 1897, the fourth of five children of Adelaide Ritchie Wells and her husband, Arthur Thomas McDonald, an Australian-born wool merchant. She was named after the daughter of an Indian tea planter,...
Story: McKnight, Beeban Annadale
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1891–1956Miner, trade unionist, political activist, politician
Angus McLagan was born in Mid Calder, Midlothian, Scotland, on 30 December 1891, to Angus McLagan, a limestone miner, and his wife, Agnes Campbell. He began work as a pit boy at the age of 14 and emigrated to New Zealand in 1911. One of a number of Scottish migrant coalminers who made their...
Story: McLagan, Angus
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1937–1970Racing driver, racing car designer, constructor and team owner
Bruce McLaren was the first New Zealander to win a Formula One motor race, and the first to found his own racing team. After enjoying great success in Can-Am sports car racing in North America in the late 1960s, McLaren was destined for a stellar career as a car constructor when he died at the...
Story: McLaren, Bruce Leslie
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1867–1872?–1939Trade unionist, politician
David McLaren was born at Glasgow, Scotland, probably sometime between 1867 and 1872, the son of Jane Ayton and her husband, Robert McLaren, a baker. As a child David was delicate and nearly lost his eyesight, a faculty that remained impaired for the rest of his life.
The McLaren family...
Story: McLaren, David
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1822?–1907Runholder, philanthropist
Allan McLean was baptised on 24 May 1822, the seventh of nine children of Alexander McLean and his wife, Mary McLean, of Lagmhor on the Inner Hebridean island of Coll, Scotland. The Isle of Coll had been inhabited by the McLean clan since the fifteenth century.
After the death of...
Story: McLean, Allan
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1820–1877Administrator, runholder, politician, provincial superintendent
Donald McLean was a Scottish Highlander, born on 25 October 1820, the third son of Margaret McColl and her husband, John McLean, at Kilmaluag on Tiree, one of the Inner Hebrides. John McLean was a tacksman, holding a large lease from the Duke of Argyll, probably with sub-tenants of his own. The...
Story: McLean, Donald
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1866–1949School principal
Mary Jane McLean was born on 4 April 1866 at Timaru, New Zealand, the eldest child of Ann le Ber and her husband, Duncan McLean, a physician and surgeon. After attending Timaru Main School and Timaru High School Mary undertook several years of extramural university studies while teaching part...
Story: McLean, Mary Jane
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1857–1939Public works contractor, sportsman
Neil McLean was born on 4 August 1857 on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, the third child of Mary McLean and her husband, John McLean, a shipwright. The McLeans belonged to Norman McLeod's religious community, and in the 1850s joined their exodus to New Zealand in search of better economic...
Story: McLean, Neil
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1914–1980Farmer, aviator, community leader, environmental campaigner
Best known for his pivotal role in the successful Save Manapouri Campaign, Ronald James McLean was born on 22 January 1914 at Wyndham, Southland, the son of farming parents Alexander Henry McLean and his wife, Petra Mathilde Petersen. He was educated at Quarry Hills and Kennington primary...
Story: McLean, Ronald James
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1778/1779?–1866Teacher, preacher, fisherman, coloniser
Norman McLeod was born probably in 1778 or 1779. Although no records of his birth and marriage have been found he is said to have been born at Stoer Point, Sutherlandshire, Scotland, the son of Margaret and Daniel McLeod. His father was a fisherman. Norman married Mary McLeod, probably his...
Story: McLeod, Norman
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1903–1968Teacher, university lecturer, historian, artist
Alexander Hare McLintock was born in Gore on 14 April 1903, the son of Robert Alexander Hare McLintock, a Glasgow-born engineer, and his wife, Christina Jane Cameron McDonald. Throughout his life he remained proud of his Scottish heritage. Educated at Caversham School and Otago Boys' High...
Story: McLintock, Alexander Hare
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1908–1972University professor, agricultural scientist and administrator
Campbell Percy McMeekan was born on 29 July 1908 at Otaki, the only son of four children of Alexander Nelson McMeekan, a baker and shopkeeper, and his wife, Ellen (Helen) Kime. His paternal family were Irish, and on his maternal side he was of English Methodist origins. Alexander McMeekan’s...
Story: McMeekan, Campbell Percy
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1904–1951Doctor, politician
David Gervan McMillan was born in New Plymouth on 26 February 1904, the eldest of three children of Annie Gertrude Pearce and her husband, David McMillan, who had a dairy farm near Stratford. Gervan was dux of Stratford Technical High School in 1921, and stayed on to gain a Taranaki Scholarship...
Story: McMillan, David Gervan
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1904–1987Teacher, community leader, politician
Ethel Emma Black was born at Kaiti, Gisborne, on 12 May 1904, the daughter of Ethel Louise Evans and her husband, Walter Stuart Black, a carpenter who also had a small farm. After attending local primary schools she became a prefect and dux of Gisborne High School. In 1921 Ethel went south to...
Story: McMillan, Ethel Emma
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1842–1919Teacher, journalist, newspaper proprietor
Alexander McMinn was born at Dunlady, near Dundonald, County Down, Ireland, on 28 August 1842, the son of Francis McMinn, a doctor, and his wife, Mary Day. Little is known of his early years, but in 1863 he arrived in Auckland to cover the New Zealand wars for a London newspaper. McMinn then...
Story: McMinn, Alexander
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1867–1918Scientist, smelting engineer, mining manager and consultant, orchardist
George Cannon McMurtry was born on 14 November 1867 at Camberwell, Surrey, England, the son of Randal McMurtry, an oil refiner, merchant and spectacle maker, and his second wife, Mary Elizabeth Cannon. George was the only surviving child of the marriage; his father died when he was five years...
Story: McMurtry, George Cannon
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1921–1995Women’s military administrator, political organiser, community leader
Dorothy Pauline Lamason was born in Napier on 8 December 1921, the daughter of Violet Lloyd Curtis and her husband, William John Lamason, a draughtsman. Her parents had strong principles and the family attended the local Brethren assembly. Like all Napier households the Lamasons were deeply...
Story: McNab, Dorothy Pauline
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1864–1917Lawyer, farmer, politician, historian
Robert McNab was born at Dunragget farm, near Invercargill, New Zealand, on 1 October 1864. He was the eldest child of Janet McQueen and her husband, Alexander McNab, a runholder who served as a member of the Otago and Southland provincial councils. By early 1871 Robert was left as the only...
Story: McNab, Robert
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fl. 1870–1874Farm worker, labour reformer
James McPherson is thought to have emigrated to New Zealand about 1865, probably from Britain. Of his background and family nothing is known. One of the few items of personal information is recorded in a letter he wrote to the Lyttelton Times in March 1872: 'I was born in a coal country and...
Story: McPherson, James
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1900–1980Horticulturist, horticultural administrator and writer
One of New Zealand’s most eminent horticulturists, James Anderson McPherson devoted his life to the development of public gardens throughout the country. He was born at Dunedin on 3 June 1900, the son of John McPherson, a carpenter, and his Scottish-born wife, Elizabeth Bain Munro. James was...
Story: McPherson, James Anderson