Macdonald , William Kenneth
Dates
- Existence: 1820 - 1879
Biography
William Macdonald was born in Inverness-shire Scotland. In 1838 he left for Australia arriving in 1839 to join his elder brother, Dr Allan Ranald. Another brother Angus, along with his mother, followed in 1841. After being discouraged by bad seasons in Australia and encouraged by the enthusiasm and confidence of Robert Heaton Rhodes for the Canterbury colony he and Allan Ranald came to Canterbury in 1851. They bought sheep over from Australia and settled first in the Waimakariri district of Ashfield and then near the Selwyn River at Waireka Station. In 1853 they applied for a run between the Orari and the Rangitata. They sold their north Canterbury stations and shifted their sheep to Orari. In 1853 they applied for a run between the Orari and the Rangitata. They sold their north Canterbury stations and shifted their sheep to Orari. 20,000 acres was allotted by Colonel Campbell being one of four runs originally allotted. By 1855 William Macdonald and his brothers Allen and Angus (who had arrived in 1855) farmed 102,000 acres. This included the other three runs (17, 20, 32 and 33) and Rangitata Island (run 238 under Canterbury Regulations). Although the brothers owned blocks of adjoining country and held separate licences, to economise they worked them as a single run. In 1858 Allan Ranald left New Zealand and his brothers took over his share. In 1862 – 1863 the Orari runs 20, 32 and 33 NZR became runs 452, 440 and 470 over 60,000 acres. Run 238 was 5,000 acres and run 17 NZR disappeared. In 1859 Angus and William went to Australia where they married the two daughters of Captain Aeneas Macpherson of Melbourne and returned with their wives to Orari. Later in 1868 the Macphersons moved from Melbourne to be near their daughters. William Macdonald built them a cob house near Geraldine, which was called Strathnoon. In 1864 the brothers dissolved their partnership. W K Macdonald took runs 440 and 470 which included the block on which the Orari homestead was built and Angus built Waitui (later named Pakihi by his son) on the Geraldine Downs and took run 452. By this time the runs had been considerably reduced in size due to the transfer from New Zealand to Canterbury Provincial regulations and the completion of surveys. The brothers divided up equally the 800 acres of freehold and the stock including over 25,000 sheep. At first William managed his own land. In 1870s Christopher Bisset was manager. Andrew Robert Bruce Thomson, an old Australian friend, was first overseer. Later E R Guinnes became overseer. Early station hands were Tommy Pearce, William Smith (Billy Gooseberry) Boothroyd, Robert Eaglesome and Fred Austin. William Gartner was a cook for many years. William Macdonad was a member of the Canterbury A & P Association, a founder of the Christchurch Club, represented Geraldine in the Canterbury Provincial Council (1871 – 1872), a member of the Timaru and Gladstone Board of Works, a member of the Timaru Harbour Board (1877) a member of the Geraldine Road Board (1865) and took an active role in the horse racing industry. In 1879 William Macdonald developed rheumatic fever from working in the dams being made in the swampland at Orari. This turned to typhoid and he died at Orari on the 6 May aged 58. He was survived by his brother, wife and four sons, Ronald Macintosh, Evan Macpherson, William Kenneth and Guyon Alister Macintosh. The only surviving administrator and executor named in his will made on 19 February 1869 was Alfred Cox of Riverslea near Temuka.