What is it about?

This website contains over 3,000 biographies of New Zealanders who have 'made their mark' on this country. It does not include people who are alive. So you will not find people like Helen Clark or Sean Fitzpatrick, but you will find people like George Nepia or Michael Joseph Savage.

Who is the site for?

The site is intended for a general audience, in New Zealand and internationally, but will have particular relevance to the educational audience in New Zealand.

Where are these biographies from?

This site includes the collected biographies originally published in the printed Dictionary of New Zealand Biography series between 1990 and 2000, and in the parallel Maori-language series, Nga Tangata Taumata Rau.

This site (and the printed volumes) contains:

• the biographies of 3,049 people in 2,977 biographical essays
• the biographies of 492 Maori people in 481 essays, translated into Maori from the English-language biographies

The biographies have been published here as they appeared in the printed version, with a small number of minor corrections. The date given in the citation at the foot of each biography records when the text was last updated. For enquiries about earlier versions, please refer to the printed volumes or email the DNZB for further information.

Will more biographies be added?

Yes, we will add new biographies in future. For more information about how we select biographies, please see the DNZB project pages on the Ministry for Culture and Heritage website.

Can I suggest someone for inclusion?

Yes, but we only include people who are no longer alive, and we are focusing on people who were active in the years between 1960 and 1980. For more information about making a nomination, please see the DNZB project pages on the Ministry for Culture and Heritage website.

What is 'Our Land, Our People'?

This section of the site includes material adapted under licence from the New Zealand Historical Atlas (originally published in 1997). It presents snapshots of places, times, events and trends in New Zealand history, linked to the biographical content.

When was the site launched?

The preliminary version of this website was launched at the conference of the New Zealand Historical Association in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 1 December 2001. The site was formally launched in Wellington by Prime Minister Helen Clark on 19 February 2002.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

• The Millennium Fund of the New Zealand Lottery Grants Board
• The Trustees of the National Library of New Zealand

The biographies were written by 1,239 individual contributors from all over New Zealand and from further afield, who gave generously of their time and knowledge to produce the DNZB.

Content management and editorial supervision by the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, Ministry for Culture and Heritage, Wellington.

The Dictionary of New Zealand Biography project began in the 1980s when the New Zealand government approved it as an official project to mark New Zealand's sesquicentennial year in 1990. It was set up within the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs.

The first General Editor was Professor W. H. Oliver. His intention was to modify the traditional concept of the dictionary of national biography by including not just 'nation-makers', but also 'sub-national' figures - both men and women - who were representative in a regional, tribal, ethnic or occupational context. Challenging targets were set for the inclusion of women and Maori.

The DNZB broke new ground for dictionaries of national biography, and its lead has since been followed by similar projects elsewhere in the world.

People interested in history throughout New Zealand were drawn into the project. Regional and specialist working parties were set up around the country to advise on selection, and many people volunteered their time to carry out research and write biographies. The DNZB consulted widely with iwi and the selection of Maori biographies, writers and translators has been made with the participation of the DNZB Maori Working Party.

The first volumes (English and Maori) appeared in 1990. Volume One took first place in the 1991 Goodman Fielder Wattie Book Awards, New Zealand's premier book prize at the time.

Following Bill Oliver's retirement in 1990, Dr Claudia Orange became General Editor. Between 1990 and 2000 she led a staff of about eighteen people (including researchers, editors and translators) to produce a further four volumes in English and Maori.

In addition to the main publications, several subsidiary works based on material from the main volumes were produced. As the original publication programme neared its end in 1999, the project reduced staff numbers and changed its focus.

In July 2000 it joined the Historical Branch of the Department of Internal Affairs in the Ministry for Culture and Heritage.

There is further information about the DNZB project online.

The printed Dictionary of New Zealand Biography series consists of the following publications, which are available from booksellers or from the publisher Auckland University Press:

Volume One, 1769-1869, published 1990
Volume Two, 1870-1900, published 1993
Volume Three, 1901-1920, published 1996
Volume Four, 1921-1940, published 1998
Volume Five, 1941-1960, published 2000
Nga Tangata Taumata Rau, 1769-1869, published 1990
Nga Tangata Taumata Rau, 1870-1900, published 1994
Nga Tangata Taumata Rau, 1901-1920, published 1996
Nga Tangata Taumata Rau, 1921-1940, published 1998
Nga Tangata Taumata Rau, 1941-1960, published 2000

EDITORIAL PRINCIPLES

The following notes explain some of the principles and conventions followed in compiling and editing the biographies.

• Personal names
  The name used at the head of each biography (and in the QUICK BIOGRAPHY SEARCH box) is generally the fullest formal version of the name by which the person was best known in New Zealand. With Maori names this sometimes combines a traditional name and a name that was taken subsequently. The QUICK BIOGRAPHY SEARCH will also enable you to find people under alternative names by which they were known.
  
  The main form of the name is determined from a variety of sources. Particular reliance is placed on certificates of registration, but the subject's own testimony, contemporary records, secondary sources and traditional knowledge are taken into account. Well-documented alternative names and alternative spellings appear in the text.
  
  
• Dates of Birth, Death and Marriage
  Wherever possible, a biography gives the day, month and year of birth, death and any marriages of the subject of a biography. The way in which a date is expressed in the heading and the text of the biography indicates the reliability of the source used to verify it. Where the heading gives an unqualified year of birth and death (e.g. 1911 - 1955), these dates have usually been verified from certificates of registration or from equally reliable primary sources. Sometimes the dates have been checked with reliable secondary sources, in which case they are qualified in the text.
  
  A question mark after a date at the head of a biography indicates uncertainty about the date, which is explained in the text (e.g. 1910 - 1943?). If an official record of an infant baptism has been obtained in lieu of a birth certificate, a question mark is placed after the first date in the heading (e.g. 1809? - 1877) to indicate that it is a possible year of birth, as baptisms usually took place within a few months of birth. When it is possible to determine a date only to within two years, headings give a composite date consisting of alternative years separated by an oblique stroke (e.g. 1885/1886? - 1959); a range of years is separated by a hyphen (e.g. 1809 - 1877-1880?). The composite date is followed by a question mark, and the date is qualified in the text. A question mark instead of a date (e.g. ? - 1877 or 1809 - ?) shows that a date is unknown. The text states that the date is unknown or indicates the approximate period in which the event took place.
  
  When neither birth nor death date is available the dates given in the heading are preceded by fl. (floruit) to indicate the period in which the subject was known to have been active (e.g. fl. 1840 - 1850). These dates are derived from the information within the biography.
  
  When birth, marriage and death dates for individuals who are not subjects of biographies are given in full, they have been verified with certificates or primary information.
  
  
• Placenames
  As a general rule, present day spellings of placenames are used. For placenames currently in use in New Zealand, the decisions of the New Zealand Geographic Board and its placenames database, Discover New Zealand: A Wises Guide (9th edition, Auckland, 1994) and the Heinemann New Zealand Atlas (Auckland, 1987) have been followed. However, when placenames of the period are no longer in common use, an equivalent present day name is given in parenthesis when possible. The original names of administrative units - in New Zealand and elsewhere - have been retained as a guide to the location of birth, marriage and death certificates.
  
  
• Measurements
  Units of measurement are given according to the systems in use at the time referred to in the biography. As a rough guide, here are some metric equivalents:

  1 foot (12 inches) = 0.3 metre
  1 mile = 1.61 kilometres
  1 acre = 0.4 hectare
  1 gallon (4 quarts, 8 pints) = 4.5 litres
  1 pint = 0.57 litres
  1 pound = 450 grams
  1 stone (14 pounds) = 6.3 kilograms
  1 ton = 1 tonne

• Further Reading
  The list that appears at the foot of each biography is chiefly intended as a guide to further reading. It also points to some of the major sources used in the writing of the biography. Priority has been given to sources likely to be available to readers, such as books, journal articles and theses. When secondary sources do not exist, or are unsatisfactory, reference is made to newspaper items, especially obituaries. Manuscript collections are listed when there is no reliable secondary source based on them. Items mentioned in the text of the biography are not included in this list.
  
  The location of manuscript and other unpublished material follows its citation. This is not always the location of the original: the repository considered to be most accessible has generally been cited.
  
  The following symbols are used to identify the location of unpublished material:

For theses and research essays, the following abbreviations have been used for the names of universities:

THE NEW ZEALAND HISTORICAL ATLAS

The section of the site entitled 'Our Land, Our People' includes maps, graphs, charts and other graphics adapted under licence from the New Zealand Historical Atlas: Ko Papatuanuku e Takoto Nei, edited by Malcolm McKinnon with Barry Bradley and Russell Kirkpatrick, published by David Bateman in association with the Historical Branch, Department of Internal Affairs, 1997. Cartography by Terralink NZ Ltd (until 1996 the New Zealand Department of Survey and Land Information) was done under the direction of Barry Bradley by Philip Carthew, Tony Fraser and John Williams.

The following list of Atlas contributors has been compiled from the 'Notes and sources' section of the New Zealand Historical Atlas with additional information supplied by Malcolm McKinnon. Further references to the sources of data used in the compilation of the material may be found in that section of the Historical Atlas.

While much of the graphical material and some of the textual material has been derived from Historical Atlas source files, it has undergone considerable adaptation for publication on this site. Any errors or omissions are the responsibility of the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography editorial team.

All images on this site are used by permission, and may not be reproduced or re-used without the permission of the holding institution or copyright holder. Further images will continue to be added to the site. If you would like to contribute a digital image for publication here, please contact the DNZB.

The following institutions have supplied images for publication on this website:

• Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa, Wellington
• Archives New Zealand / Te Whare Tohu Tuhituhinga o Aotearoa, Wellington
• Auckland City Libraries / Tamaki Pataka Korero
• Auckland War Memorial Museum / Te Papa Whakahiku
• Canterbury Museum, Christchurch
• Christchurch Star
• The Dominion, Wellington
• Energy Library and Information Service, Wellington
• The Evening Post, Wellington
• Hocken Library / Te Uare Taoka o Hakena, University of Otago
• Macmillan Brown Library, University of Canterbury, Christchurch
• Marist Archives, Wellington
• Museum of New Zealand / Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington
• Nelson Provincial Museum
• The New Zealand Herald, Auckland
• News Media, Auckland
• Otago Daily Times, Dunedin
• Otago Settlers Museum, Dunedin
• Robert McDougall Art Gallery, Christchurch
• Rotorua Museum of Art and History
• Southland Times, Invercargill
• Tairawhiti Museum, Gisborne
• Taranaki Museum / Puke Ariki, New Plymouth
• Tauranga District Libraries
• Waikato Museum of Art and History, Hamilton
• West Coast Historical Museum, Hokitika
• Whanganui Regional Museum

The DNZB has made every reasonable effort to contact copyright holders. Please advise us of any errors or omissions so that they can be corrected.

Images from private collections have also been supplied by a number of people.

The following images from the collections of the Alexander Turnbull Library are used on the home page of this site (from top, left to right).

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of these images.

SOUND

Sound files on the site are used by permission of Sound Archives / Ngā Taonga Kōrero, P O Box 1531, Christchurch, New Zealand, and are copyright to Radio New Zealand unless otherwise noted. Audio source files have been compressed to reduce file size and download time while maintaining reasonable audio quality. Audio was sampled at 22KHz with 16-bit mono samples, and mp3 compression was applied at a bitrate of 24kbps. These are mostly historic recordings and may contain distortion and background noise which was present in the source material. Sound files may be played by browser plug-ins such as Windows Media Player, WinAmp or Quicktime Player

The copyright holders reserve all rights in audio material. Permission of Sound Archives / Ngā Taonga Kōrero must be obtained before any re-use of audio material on this site.

Audio research and selection was done by Bruce Russell for the DNZB. We are grateful to Peter Downes for his initial help and encouragement.

At the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography:

• Claudia Orange, General Editor
• Ross Somerville, Project Manager and Assistant Editor
• Nancy Swarbrick, Assistant Editor, picture caption writer
• Shirley Williams, Researcher, image research management
• Neill Atkinson, content writer, Our Land, Our People
• Angela Ballara, Maori research and editorial
• Bharti Jeram, data entry
• Susan Upton, image research
• Matthew Heaphy, data preparation

At the Alexander Turnbull Library:

• Joan McCracken, image research

The Dictionary of New Zealand Biography also wishes to thank the following institutions and individuals, for assistance and encouragement:

• The New Zealand Historical Association and its project steering committee: Margaret Tennant (chair), Jeanine Graham, Charlotte Macdonald, John Martin, Kerry Taylor, James Watson
• Jock Phillips, Chief Historian, and staff of the History Group, Ministry for Culture and Heritage
• Jamie Mackay, web editor, www.nzhistory.net.nz, Ministry for Culture and Heritage
• Malcolm McKinnon, editor, New Zealand Historical Atlas (1997)
• Margaret Calder, Chief Librarian, Alexander Turnbull Library
• Jane Thomson, editor, Southern People (Dunedin, 1998)

Material on this website is subject to Crown copyright protection administered through the Ministry for Culture and Heritage (P O Box 5364, Wellington, New Zealand) unless otherwise indicated. New Zealand and international copyright laws protect third party copyright material on this site. Authorisation to reproduce such material should be obtained from the copyright holders concerned. Unauthorised reproduction, duplication, transmission or commercial use of such copyright materials may result in prosecution.

The text and images on this site are intended for the personal use of students, scholars and the public and may be downloaded solely for this purpose. Schools and students may reproduce materials from this website for bona fide study purposes, with suitable acknowledgement. Any other use or publication of them, without prior permission of the copyright holder, is strictly prohibited.

DISCLAIMER

Hypertext links to other Web locations are for the convenience of users and do not constitute any endorsement or authorisation by the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography or the Ministry for Culture and Heritage. The Ministry for Culture and Heritage is not responsible for the contents or reliability of the linked websites and does not necessarily endorse the views expressed within them.

We cannot guarantee that these links will work all of the time and we have no control over availability of the linked pages.