Dugald Poppelwell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dugald Louis Poppelwell
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Poppelwell and family (Poppelwell is second from left to right)
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| Born | 2 July 1863 Otago, New Zealand
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| Died | 23 September 1939 (aged 76) Gore, New Zealand
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| Occupation | Lawyer, Mayor, City Councilman, Justice of the Peace |
| Spouse(s) | Nora Poppelwell |
| Children | William, Harold, Dugald, Moana and Mary Poppelwell |
| Parent(s) | William Poppelwell (Father) Catherine Robertson McLachlan (Mother) |
Dugald Louis Poppelwell (born 2 July 1863 – died 23 September 1939) was an important person in New Zealand. He worked as a lawyer, a local politician, and someone who helped protect nature. He was born in a place called Tokomairiro, which is now known as Milton, in the Otago region of New Zealand.
Contents
Growing Up and Education
Dugald Poppelwell was one of twelve children in his family. His father, William Poppelwell, was a Scottish sailor who became a farmer. His mother was Catherine Robertson McLachlan. Their home was known for being very welcoming to guests. It was also a meeting place for local Catholic families.
Dugald went to the Christian Brothers' Boys' School in Dunedin. In 1878, he won a special award called the Bishop Moran's Scholarship. Later, he started working as a law clerk. This means he helped a lawyer named Donald Reid in Milton.
In 1887, he also became a lieutenant in a group called the Bruce Rifle Volunteers. From 1889 to 1891, he studied law at the University of Otago. After he became a qualified lawyer, he moved to Gore. There, he started his own law practice.
A Career in Public Service
Dugald Poppelwell believed in liberal ideas in politics. He was asked many times to run for the New Zealand Parliament. However, he always said no. Instead, he chose to work closer to home.
In 1893, he was elected to the Gore borough council. This council helps manage the local town. In 1895, he became the mayor of Gore. He also served on the borough council again from 1900 to 1903. After that, he was elected mayor four more times, serving until 1931.
What Did Mayor Poppelwell Do?
As mayor, Dugald Poppelwell was a big part of many important projects in Gore. He helped create public works, which are things like roads, parks, and buildings for everyone to use. For example, he made sure that 200 acres of land, called Croydon Bush, became a public reserve. This means it was set aside for people to enjoy nature.
He was also the president of the Southland District Law Society. This group helps lawyers in the area. In 1935, he received a special award called the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal. This award recognized his many years of public service.
His Love for Plants
Dugald Poppelwell was also very interested in plants. He was an amateur botanist. This means he studied plants as a hobby, not as his main job. He spent some of his free time collecting different types of plants.
He had always been interested in gardening and protecting nature. His interest grew even more after reading two books. One was Manual of the New Zealand Flora by T.F. Cheeseman in 1906. The other was Plants of New Zealand by R.M. Laing and E.W. Blackwell. These books helped him learn a lot about the plants of his home country.
Family Life
Dugald Poppelwell met Nora Green in Gore around 1892. They got married on April 10, 1894. They had eight children together. Sadly, three of their children passed away when they were young.
Their five children who grew up were William, Harold, Dugald, Moana, and Mary. Moana and Mary both became Sisters of Mercy. This means they joined a religious order of nuns.
