1894 - 1960 (65 years)
| Name | William Thomas (Bill) Grant | |
| Suffix | Company manager in Dunedin | |
| Nickname | Willie when a boy and later Bill | |
| Born | 18 Dec 1894 | Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand  |
| Gender | Male | |
| Education: | - 1907 | Andersons Bay School |
| Co-dux of the school in 1907 (Standard VII) with Reginald Duckworth. In the same year his younger brother Doug was 1st in Standard V. | ||
| Education: | 1908 - 1909 | Otago Boys High School, Dunedin |
| Occupation: | c late 1914 | Messrs John Mill & Co, Port Chalmers |
| Office clerk | ||
| Event: | Apr 1916 | Grant family home, 44 Musselburgh Rise, Dunedin |
| Sir Ernest Shackleton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition did not succeed in traversing the Antarctic from the Weddell Sea to the Ross Sea. But the expedition attracted the interest of New Zealanders and the rest of the British Empire during World War I. One of the expedition ships, Aurora, broke from her moorings soon after arrival in McMurdo Sound and drifted trapped in pack ice for months. The construction of a temporary jury rudder while still at sea enabled her crew to make their way to Port Chalmers, Dunedin for repairs in 1916. Two of Shackleton's men who had been trapped on the Aurora were given hospitality by Bill Grant (he was a clerk in the office of John Mill & Co who were the shipping agents for the Aurora) including dinner at his parents' home along with brother Doug. For a full report of the arrival of the Aurora - see Otago Daily Times 4 April 1916 pg 3. | ||
| Legal: | 5 Jun 1916 | Dunedin, Otago |
| Otago Daily Times 6 Jun 1916: CITY POLICE COURT -William Thomas Grant and Charles Cameron Begg were each fined 5s, with costs (7s), for cycling through the city at 6.20 p.m. without having lights attached to their cycles. | ||
| Military: | Dec 1916 | Bill passes as medically fit for home service |
| FOR HOME SERVICE - Passed at Dunedin as fit for home service and now gone to camp at Awapuni: Henry O'Kane, commercial traveller, Dunedin. William Thomas GRANT, clerk, Dunedin. [Evening Star 16 Dec 1916] | ||
| Military: | Dec 1916 | Port Chalmers, Otago |
| Otago Daily Times 13 Dec 1916: GOING TO THE FRONT - Yesterday morning at the head office of Messrs John Mill and Co., Port Chalmers, Mr W. T. Grant, who, has been attached to the office staff of the company for over two years past, was made the recipient of a handsome wristlet watch from his fellow employees and a cheque from the company prior to his departure for Awapuni to undergo the necessary training for ambulance work preparatory to his going forward where his country and duty call. The secretary of the Company (Mr J. A. Howden) made the presentation, referring to the high esteem in which Mr Grant was held by his fellow employees and by the directors of the company, and wished him every success and a safe return when the war is over. | ||
| Residence: | 5 Nov 1917 | Queen Mary Hospital, Hanmer Springs, North Canterbury |
| Bill was stationed at Hanmer Springs between voyages of the Maheno, working at Queen Mary Hospital. His Soldier's Paybook shows a first Hanmer Springs entry on 5 Nov 1917 and a final entry dated 13 Jun 1918. The officer in charge was Captain Clifton and the staff occupied the Kitchener Ward [Paperspast entry 15 Feb 1918]. | ||
| Physical Description: | 1918 | Height 5 feet 10 inches, Eyes blue/grey, Hair light brown, Complexion fair. |
| Military records. | ||
| Residence: | 1919 | |
| 44 Musselburgh Rise, Dunedin, clerk | ||
| Legal: | Apr 1922 | Bill breaks a by-law |
| POLICE COURT - .... [long list, including:] BY-LAWS TRANSGRESSED... William Thomas Grant, for cycling at night without a light, was fined 5s, _ with costs;Monday, April 3. (Before Mr H. W.\" Bundle, S.M.) [Evening Star 3 Apr 1922] | ||
| Interests: | Sep 1926 | Bill - when he was trading coastally with Fergus McKenzie |
| Otago Daily Times 18 Sep 1926: South Island Traders’ Agency (Ltd.), Registered August 27, 1926. Capital: Limited by guarantee number of members 500. Subscribers: Dunedin—G. Crow, R. Armit, G. M. Craig, J. D. M\'Kechnie. B. H. Nees. G. E. Buckley, D. S Buchanan, W. B. Cane, A. M. Barr, W. T. Grant, W. G. Finlayson, S. Lawn, H. Islip, M. Matheson, A. Fraser. Objects: To procure and keep on record for the benefit of members, information as to the commercial and financial standing of persons or firms in the Dominion of New Zealand or abroad, and to act as trustee or as assignee for the collection of debts owing to members. | ||
| Legal: | 4 Mar 1927 | Dunedin, Otago |
| Otago Daily Times 5 Mar 1927: CITY POLICE COURT - CARELESS MOTORISTS: William Thomas Grant and George Edwin Lyall Zimmerman were charged with failing to keep to their right sides of the road when passing each other in motor vehicles. Grant was in a motor car and the other defendant was on a motor cycle. Mr White appeared for Zimmerman, who pleaded not guilty. Grant did not appear. Constable McRae said be had interviewed some of the workmen employed in the vicinity, and they showed him where the accident happened. Constable Kerton also gave evidence and read a statement given by Zimmerman, in which he admitted travelling at 30 miles an hour. Mr White said that 30 miles an hour was not an unreasonable speed, especially as the speed was diminishing when the accident happened. Zimmerman, had his shoulder dislocated and his right foot injured. He thought the charge against him should be dismissed. The Magistrate said there was no evidence that Grant was travelling at a high rate of speed. The charge against him would be dismissed. Zimmerman’s machine was apparently not under proper control. The charge against him would also be dismissed, subject to his paying costs, amounting to 23s. | ||
| Interests: | 1928 | Member of the Executive Jubilee Association (Committee) for the Andersons Bay School 70th Anniversary. |
| Bill's brother Doug was also the secretary of the Jubilee Committee and their aunt Bessie Kennelly (nee Lynn) was a member of the Ladies' Committee. | ||
| Residence: | 1928 | |
| 26 Dundonald Street, Andersons Bay, Dunedin, manager | ||
| Interests: | Oct 1931 | |
| Otago Daily Times 5 Oct 1931: Andersons Bay School Ex-pupils' Association - W T Grant auditor. "The election of office-bearers resulted as follows:—President, Mr H. Duckworth; chairman, Mr J. C. H. Somerville; auditor, Mr W. T. Grant; secretary and treasurer, Mr H. P. Fowler; executive — Messrs J. S. Somerville, T. Millar, T. Harland, J. R. Jeffery, S. Monro, J. Begg, R. Nichol, G. M. Luke, and R. Luke (with power to add); Ladies’ Committee — Mesdames D. Samuel, P. Matthews, H. F Lanham, Wilson, James Henderson, Hinchcliff, Kennelly [Bessie Kennelly, his aunt], Ogg, Renfree, and Ross, and Misses Owen, Somerville, Duckworth, Monro, and Cooper". | ||
| Interests: | 1932 | Miniature Rifle Shooting - Bill mentioned in the 1930s period |
| Bill was a member of a Dunedin Returned Soldiers Association team. Miniature rifle shooting was a very popular competition in the interwar years. e.g. MINIATURE RIFLE SHOOTING - RETURNED SOLDIERS’ CLUB. An enjoyable evening was spent by the members of the Returned Soldiers’ Miniature Rifle Club and representatives of sister clubs in the Returned Soldiers’ Club rooms on Monday evening. The occasion was the third annual presentation of prizes, which took the form of a smoke social. A large muster of club members was present.... The presentation of trophies won during the season was then proceeded with. Lieutenant-Colonel A. S. Falconer presented the trophies and congratulated the winners. The prize list was as follows: — .... Most Improved Shot. —W. T. GRANT. (Trophy presented by Mr W. Matthews.) | ||
| Event: | Aft 1933 | Grand Jury service and one case acting for A J Allen & Co, his employer |
| Bill noted in newspapers of the time as a member of the Grand Jury in the Dunedin Supreme Court, as follows: 1933 - criminal cases ranging from forgery to breaking and entering, perjury etc. The Grand Jury returned true bills for each of the five cases. [Otago Daily Times 25 October 1933] 1936 - two charges of murder, sheep stealing, breaking and entering etc. The Grand Jury returned true bills for each of the cases. [Evening Star 4 May 1936] 1937 - cases of negligent driving causing death and bodily injury and one case of breaking and entering. The Grand Jury returned a true bill for the case of negligent driving causing death. [Evening Star 19 Jul 1937] 1940 - six cases of crimes including breaking and entry and theft of liquor from a warehouse and robbery with violence. The Grand Jury returned a true bill in each case. [Evening Star 15 Oct 1940] 1941 - a case of attempted murder. The Grand Jury returned a true bill on the alleged attempted murder charge against William Meehan, and the hearing against the accused proceeded. [Evening Star 4 Feb 1941] Mar 1942 - MAGISTRATE’S COURT. TUESDAY, MARCH 3. (Before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.) ... Messrs A. J. Allen and Co. Ltd. proceeded aganst Timber Treatments Ltd. on a claim for £l6 6s 9d, being, it was stated, the balance due on an account for tyres delivered. Evidence was given by William Thomas Grant, manager of the plaintiff company, and also by Frederick Elkington Hunt, a soldier, one time employee of defendant company Judgment was for plaintiffs for the amount claimed plus costs (£5 3s). Oct 1942 - cases ranging from perjury and indecent assault to breaking and entering and theft. [Evening Star 13 Oct 1942] Oct 1943 - Bill on the Grand Jury for the charge against the rail engine driver who was charged with manslaughter for the Hyde Railway Disaster causing 21 fatalities. CRIMINAL SITTINGS - HYDE RAIL FATALITY CASE DRIVER CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER The quarterly sittings of the Supreme Court were begun before Mr Justice Kennedy this morning, the first matter to be taken being the trial of John Alphonsus Corcoran, the driver of the train involved in the fatal accident which occurred on June 4 and in which 21 persons lost their lives, on a charge of manslaughter. A series of charges alleging false pretences and fraud against Stanley Reginald Burns, a company director, was also set down for hearing, but it is possible that the length of time that is likely to be absorbed in # the manslaughter trial will necessitate an interval between the two trials, and that the second case may not be heard until next month. A third case to be considered by the jury is one against Stanley Robert Phillips of theft and receiving. Grand Jury.... William T GRANT... HIS HONOUR'S CHARGE. In his charge to the grand jury in respect of the charge of manslaughter, His Honour said that the allegation was that the killing of the passengers was due to the unlawful act of driving the train at an excessive speed and the omission by the accused to perform his duty to drive with due care, so that the train left the rails. The evidence would be that, in the early afternoon of June 4; a train was proceeding north from Hyde, and the engine and seven carriage's left the rails and were piled up..... [interesting to read Judge's summary]... The grand jury returned a true bill in all cases - MANSLAUGHTER CHARGE [Evening Star 19 Oct 1943] 1946 - HIS HONOUR’S CHARGE. His Honour, in his charge to the grand jury, said that the list of criminal cases to be considered was longer than was usual in Dunedin. There were six cases set down for hearing, involving charges of indecent assault on a female, theft from a dwelling, attempted indecent assault on a male, aggravated assault, obtaining money by false pretences, and negligent driving causing death... [Grand Jury found:] True bills Were found in the case-of Phillip Geoffrey Brodie (alleged theft from a dwelling); Milton James Hall (alleged indecent assault on a female), William Thomas Moulin (alleged attempted indecent assault on a male), James Murray and Togo James Murray (alleged aggravated assault), Edward Collins (alleged false pretences), and Ivan Ballantyne Edwards (alleged negligent driving causing death). [Evening Star 30 Apr 1946] 1948 - two cases, one for receiving stolen goods knowing them to have been unlawfully obtained, and one for attempting to use an instrument with intent to procure a miscarriage. The Grand Jury returned true bills in each case. [Otago Daily Times 21 Jul 1948] 1950 - AIRCRAFTMAN CHARGED. Sequel To Collision At North Taieri. The quarterly session of the Supreme Court opened yesterday before Mr Justice Hutchison, with the trial of Peter Smith, aged 22, an aircraftman and motor driver, of the RNZAF station, Taieri. The charge against Smith was one of reckless driving, causing injury and, alternatively, with negligent driving causing injury. The accused, who was represented by Mr A. G. Neill, K.C., with him Mr J. P. Cook, pleaded not guilty. The Crown case was conducted by Mr W. H. Carson. The charge arose out of an accident at the foot of Three Mile Hill, North Taieri, on the afternoon of August 11, when a Ministry of Works truck and an air force van were involved in a collision, two men travelling on the Ministry of Works truck being killed. Grand Jury. The following grand jury was empanelled:— ... William Thomas GRANT... True bills were returned. [Otago Daily Times 1 Nov 1950] | ||
| Event: | 1936 | Passenger flight in to Dunedin |
| Bill noted in the newspaper as a passenger from Christchurch to Dunedin on the flight of the Union Airways aircraft Korimako: The Korimako arrived at 1 p.m. with Mr Strathmore from Blenheim, Messrs G. C. Hartridge. A. W. Barbidge, W. T. GRANT, and G. V. Cross from Christchurch. [Otago Daily Times 19 Jun 1936] | ||
| Interests: | Ships and all things nautical, books, pottering about in his workshop |
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| Official Position/s | 1933 - 1937 | Bill acted as an Assessor for the Employers' side in industrial conciliations (noted in both 1932 and 1937 disputes) |
| e.g. CONCILIATION COUNCIL - WOOD AND COAL YARD EMPLOYEES A complete agreement on all points except hours of work was reached in an industrial dispute between the Otago wood and coal yard employees and their employers, which was heard before the Commissioner (Mr S. Ritchie) yesterday. The applicants for a new award had for their assessors Messrs B. O'Donnell, G. Reid, and R. Harrison, and the respondents' assessors were Messrs W. T. GRANT, D. R. Wilson, and A. S. Cookson. After a lengthy discussion of the claims and counter-proposals, it was agreed that the wages for permanent workers be £4 10s a week and for casual workers 2s 4d an hour. The hours of work were not definitely settled, and the question whether they should be 40 or 44 hours a week was referred to the court. In the case of permanent workers, it was decided that no deduction from wages be made for public holidays, but that no annual holidays be provided for. It was also agreed that any weekly worker who had been employed for not less than three consecutive months and was dismissed for any reason within two weeks of Christmas Day be paid for Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day and the day following. [Otago Daily Times 15 Dec 1937] | ||
| Interests: | 1940 - 1944 | Dunedin and Suburban Coal Merchants’ Union (business association) |
| COAL MERCHANTS - MEETING OF ASSOCIATION The annual meeting of the Dunedin and Suburban Coal Merchants’ Association was held on Thursday evening. Mr D. R. Wilson, presided over a large attendance of members. The annual report showed that practically every coal merchant from Port Chalmers to Green Island who could qualify under the rules, was a member. The balance sheet disclosed a satisfactory financial position. Moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet the president referred to the situation created by the war and said it would be necessary for every member of the community to assist the Government in the prosecution of the war. Petrol restrictions had been reimposed and the response by members to appeals from the executive to conserve petrol had been very gratifying. The position was sometimes rendered difficult through the thoughtlessness of customers in allowing fuel supplies to run out, and it was proposed to make a further appeal to the public in this respect. The election of officers resulted as follows:—President, Mr D. R. Wilson; vice-president, Mr F. W. McCullough; committee—Messrs M. Campbell. W T. GRANT, A. Harris, H. Hodges. H. W L, Mitchell, J, McElwee, J. McFarlane, D. C. Robertson, T. Sheehan and E, H. Thorpe: secretary. Mr A. S. Cookson. [Otago Daily Times 4 May 1940] 1944: ANNUAL MEETING OF UNION At the annual general meeting of the Dunedin and Suburban Coal Merchants’ Union last night the following officers were elected; —President, Mr D. R. Wilson; vice-president, Mr E. L. Duff; committee—Messrs W. T. GRANT, D. C. Robertson, G. Graham, G. L. Gregory, W. Rutherford, G. Campbell, T. T. Renfree, A. Harris, A. E, Hardman, and J. McElwee. | ||
| Interests: | 1931 - 1944 | On the committee of the Andersons Bay School Ex-Pupils' Association (as auditor) |
| Mentioned in the newspapers at least between these dates. | ||
| Occupation: | A. J. Allen Ltd, Coal Merchants, Dunedin |
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| Manager | ||
| Died | 31 Aug 1960 | Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand |
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| Buried | 2 Sep 1960 | Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand |
| Person ID | I7 | Grant |
| Last Modified | 6 Feb 2023 | |
| Father | William Grant, Gardener in Dunedin, NZ, b. 7 Apr 1847, Evanton, Kiltearn, Ross-shire, Scotland , d. 15 Jun 1917, 44 Musselburgh Rise, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand (Age 70 years) | |
| Relationship | Birth | |
| Mother | Jane (Jennie) Lynn, Caterer in Dunedin, b. 30 Mar 1862, Little Faringdon, Oxfordshire, England , d. 24 Nov 1929, 26 Dundonald Street, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand (Age 67 years) | |
| Relationship | Birth | |
| Married | 18 Dec 1894 | House of Thomas Lynn, Musselburgh Rise, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand |
| Family ID | F7 | Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Family | Margaret Augusta (Aggie) O'Donoghue, b. 28 Apr 1896, Bluecliffs Road, Upper Otaio (Esk Valley), South Canterbury, New Zealand , d. 6 Jul 1970, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand (Age 74 years) | |||||||||
| Married | 25 Sep 1924 | St Patricks Basilica Vestry, Macandrew Road, South Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand |
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| Children |
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| Last Modified | 11 May 2018 | |||||||||
| Family ID | F3 | Group Sheet | Family Chart | ||||||||
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