Person Page - 273

Thomas Mudie was born in Scotland circa 1776.

He married Mary Gordon Nicoll, daughter of John Nicol and Christian Gordon, in Monikie, Angus, on 11 December 1806.¹

He was listed in the 1841 census in Alloa, Clackmannanshire, with his wife Mary; his occupation was given as 'M.S.' - probably male servant.²

Thomas died before 1851 in Scotland as his wife was a widow in the 1851 census.

Jessie Morrey Coutts Muirhead was born in Scotland circa 1812. She was the daughter of James MUIRHEAD, a millwright of Colinton.¹

She married Alexander McFarlane at St Cuthberts, Lothian Rd in Edinburgh, Midlothian, on 23 November 1832. He was a coachman, living at 22 Maitland St at the time of his marriage.^2,1

She was listed in the 1841 census at 28 Thistle St in Edinburgh, Midlothian, with her husband Alexander; he was a coachman. Their children Jessie and Catherine were listed with them.³

She was widowed on the death of her husband Alexander before 1854.

Jessie's second marriage was to Alexander Sinclair on 6 June 1854 at Church of South Leith in Leith, Midlothian.⁴

She was listed in the 1861 census as Head of Family at 10 Jamaica St in Edinburgh, Midlothian. Her children Catherine and Francis were listed as living with her.⁵
She was listed as the mother-in-law of John Fergusson in the 1871 Census at 14 1/2 Newcastle St in Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorganshire.⁶

She was widowed on the death of her husband Alexander before 1881.
She was listed as the mother-in-law of John Fergusson in the 1881 Census at Cardiff St John in Cardiff, Glamorganshire.⁷

Eunice Mary Mulcahy was born in Morrinsville on 27 May 1923.^1,2

Eunice's second marriage was to James Edward Clarke, son of Frederick James Clarke and Lavinia Mayall, on 23 May 1959 in Onehunga.¹

She was widowed at age 57 on the death of her husband James on 12 April 1981.¹

Eunice died on 13 February 2018 at Kenwyn Rest Home in Te Aroha, Waikato, at age 94.^3,4,5 She was cremated at the Hamilton Park Cemetery in Hamilton on 16 February 2018.⁶

He married Annie Keogh.¹

Georgina Mary Mulford was born in Queenstown (Cobh), Co. Cork, on 5 September 1875. Her father held the rank of Gunner.^3,4,5 She was baptised at the Cathedral in Queenstown (Cobh), Co. Cork, on 12 September 1875.⁵

She married William John Dunstan Mitchell, son of William John Mitchell and Jessie Dunstan, at St James Church in Sydney, New South Wales, on 8 July 1905.²

She was widowed at age 42 on the death of her husband William on 2 October 1917.^6,7

Georgina died on 24 July 1961 in Balmain, Sydney, New South Wales, at age 85.^8,9 She was cremated at the Eastern Suburbs Cemetery in Matraville on 26 July 1961.¹⁰

Alan Edward Mulgan was born at Katikati in Bay of Plenty on 18 May 1881.^2,1,3

He married Marguerita Blomfield Pickmere, daughter of Ralph Pickmere and Serena Hannah Matthews, in Auckland on 9 April 1907.^4,1,5,6

The following biography is taken from the NZ Dictionary of Biographies and serves as a good summary of his career: -

Alan Edward Mulgan was born at George Vesey Stewart's Irish Protestant settlement in Katikati, in the Bay of Plenty. He was the son of Frances Maria Johnston and her husband, Edward Ker Mulgan, a farmer who was later a journalist, newspaper editor and teacher, and who eventually became a chief inspector of schools. Both sides of the family were involved in the foundation of the settlement: the Johnstons remained important members but in 1879 Alan's paternal grandfather moved to Auckland and in 1890 his father obtained a teaching position there. Alan attended Katikati School, Parnell School, and then Auckland College and Grammar School from 1892 to 1899 on a Rawlings Scholarship.

In January 1900, having missed out on a university scholarship, Mulgan became a reporter for the Auckland Star. Although not a student, he was active at Auckland University College, helping to edit the Collegian, publishing verse in the Kiwi, and writing a capping play. He remained with the Star until 1904, when he became sub-editor with the Press in Christchurch. On 9 April 1907 at Auckland he married Marguerita (Rita) Blomfield Pickmere, an honours graduate in English and Latin from Auckland University College. Their three children: Dorothea, John and David, all were to write books.

Alan Mulgan returned to the Auckland Star in 1916 as chief leader writer, remaining there until 1935. He was also a columnist (under the pen-name 'Cyrano') and literary editor. He presided over a literary page that, while conservative, published work by some of the foremost writers of the next generation, including Robin Hyde and A. R. D. Fairburn. From 1924 to 1935 he was foundation lecturer in journalism at Auckland University College. In 1926 he travelled to England for the first time; the experience resulted in his most popular book, 'Home: a New Zealander's adventure' (1927). Mulgan was a prolific writer of books and was active in the New Zealand Centre of PEN from its foundation in 1934, serving as president from 1940 to 1942.

In 1935 Mulgan accepted the newly created position of supervisor of talks for the New Zealand Broadcasting Board (later the National Broadcasting Service), and he and his wife went to live in Wellington, settling in York Bay in 1937. These years saw the new Labour government's expansion of state broadcasting under James Shelley. Working with radio stations throughout the country, Mulgan wrote talks (mainly on literature and the arts) and found and instructed speakers.

Recognisable by his shock of white hair in later years, Alan Mulgan was a memorable individual. Friends and associates recalled his excitable nature, which exacerbated a speech impediment, and a tendency to forget the ash on his cigarette. His outlook combined volatile feeling with gentleness. In 1946 he retired from the Broadcasting Service, and was appointed an OBE in 1947. He remained active as a writer, reviewer, freelance journalist (he wrote regular Saturday features for the Dominion), and occasional broadcaster until his death in Lower Hutt on 29 August 1962.^7,8

Alan died on 29 August 1962 in Wellington at age 81.^9,1,10 He was buried on 31 August 1962 at the Karori Cemetery.¹¹

David Kennaway Mulgan was born in New Zealand on 22 February 1915.^1,2

David's marriage to Annie Dickinson was registered between April 1945 and June 1945 in Liverpool, Lancashire. There were no children from this marriage.^1,3

He was widowed on the death of his wife Annie between October 1956 and December 1956.^1,4

His book on the story of the Walsh brothers and the New Zealand Flying School, titled The Kiwi's First Wings was published in 1960.

David died on 1 August 1999 at Hutt Hospital in Wellington at age 84.^1,5 He was buried at the Akatarawa Cemetery.⁶

Dorothea Frances Mulgan was born in Christchurch, Canterbury, on 4 April 1910.^2,1,3

She married Alexander Kingcome Turner in New Zealand on 21 March 1934.^2,1,4

She was widowed at age 83 on the death of her husband Alexander on 7 July 1993.⁵

Dorothea died on 13 August 1997 at Wellington Hospital in Wellington at age 87.^6,1,7,8 She was cremated at the Karori Crematorium on 15 August 1997.⁷

Edward Mulgan was born in 1959.^2,1

Edward died in April 1999.^2,3

Edward Ker Mulgan was born in Ballynahinch, Co. Down, in 1857.²

He married Frances Maria Johnston in New Zealand on 4 January 1881.^1,3,4

The following biography is taken from the NZ Dictionary of Biographies: -

Edward Ker Mulgan was the son of Arabella Maria Stringer and her husband, the Reverend William Edward Mulgan, later rector of Dunaghy, County Antrim. Edward was educated at Portora Royal School and Armagh Grammar School. In 1875 the family embarked on the "Carisbrooke Castle" to travel to New Zealand, where they were to take up land at George Vesey Stewart's Katikati Special Settlement.

On arrival Edward Mulgan established a dairy farm on his father's property at Katikati. Although he was an energetic farmer, Edward was unable to make a decent living because of the economic recession. More financial pressure followed his marriage to Frances Maria Johnston at Tauranga, on 4 January 1881; their first son, Alan Edward, was born on 18 May. Faced with the increasing likelihood of ruin, about 1884 they shifted to Tauranga where Edward worked first in a store and later as the editor of the Bay of Plenty Times. A second son, Geoffrey William Douglas, was born in 1888.

In 1886 Edward Mulgan was accepted as a probationer teacher for the Auckland Education Board. This abrupt career change may have been prompted by his father, whose own interest in education was revived when he was elected a member of the Katikati District School Committee in 1876; in 1879--80 he served on the royal commission on the relationship between university and secondary education in New Zealand.

Whatever his reason for becoming a teacher, Edward Mulgan proved to be successful and ambitious. In 1887 he became first assistant at Otahuhu School and from 1888 to 1890 he was head teacher at Katikati School, thereby satisfying the three-year country service requirement for probationary teachers. In 1890 the family shifted back to Auckland and for the next four years Mulgan was first assistant master at Parnell School.

During his time at Parnell, Mulgan enrolled at Auckland University College. He graduated BA in 1894, and in 1896 gained an MA with first-class honours in natural science (geology). As assistant master at Newton West School from 1895 to 1898 Mulgan earned £170 a year, but he and his family were not well off. They had few possessions, only the scantiest of furniture, and were forced to shift from Parnell to Newmarket in order to reduce rental payments.

In 1898, a mere 12 years after becoming a teacher, Mulgan was appointed assistant inspector of schools for the Auckland Education Board. Two years later he was promoted to inspector, a position he held for the next six years. From 1907 to 1909 he was inspector for the North Canterbury Education Board and returned to Auckland in 1910 as chief inspector of schools.

Mulgan's duties as inspector involved visiting all of the primary and district high schools in his region. The travel schedule was especially demanding since all schools, including the most remote, had to be visited at least once a year for inspection and examination purposes. Like his colleagues, Mulgan kept a horse and spent much time riding from school to school.

Mulgan sought to break down the traditional idea of inspectors as sitting in judgement on teachers. Described by his son as a man of great integrity and kindness with a strong sense of justice, Mulgan tried to become a friend and mentor of teachers, and in his spare time wrote to them when they sought advice. Although a Protestant, he was extremely popular among teachers in the Catholic schools that he inspected. While at Christchurch he obtained permission for nuns to attend science classes at Canterbury College.

Mulgan's desire to assist teachers was demonstrated in his advocacy from 1910 onwards of a national grading system for teaching staff to ensure that promotions and appointments were made on the grounds of merit. His supportive approach was also evident in his writing of textbooks for use in schools. The first, published in 1905, was entitled The New Zealand nature-study book. In 1914 his second book, The New Zealand citizen, was released. Co-authored with his son, Alan Mulgan, this early civics text was used to teach topics later included under the general heading of social studies. In keeping with his liberal views on education, Mulgan was an enthusiastic supporter of kindergarten training and was said to have been one of the founders of the Auckland Kindergarten Association in 1908.

Following a visit to Great Britain in 1915 with his wife, Mulgan wrote a report on English and Scottish post-primary education which was well received back in New Zealand. He noted with approval that Scotland had introduced intermediate schools on an experimental basis; this system was not introduced in New Zealand until some years later. In 1915 he was offered the post of assistant director of education but had to decline it because of failing health. Edward Mulgan died at Auckland on 14 November 1920 from heart failure.^5,6

Edward died on 14 November 1920 in Auckland.^7,1,8