Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

David Dick was born on 29 July 1883 at Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland, the elder son of David and Jessie Gibson (née Macaulay) Dick. His sister was born in 1887 in Scotland. It appears that the family came to New Zealand soon after, a son being born on 14 May 1888 at Temuka. Relatives of Jessie had already settled in the Temuka area. Tragedy struck with the death of David Dick, senior, on 8 June 1888. He was buried at Temuka, Jessie’s father with him in 1893. Jessie Dick, a school mistress, and her three children were at South Tawton, Devon, England, in 1891, Jessie’s father with them. By October 1891 they were back in New Zealand, David and Agnes entering Milford School near Temuka on 12 October 1891, their previous school being Langdowne, Devonshire. James started at Milford School when he reached school age. Both David and James transferred to Temuka School when they were older. At Milford School in 1897, David was awarded a prize for first in Standard VI General Proficiency. He also gained an attendance prize for “Under a mile”. Both Agnes and James also featured in the prize list. In February 1899 Master David Dick, of Milford, was unanimously accepted as a pupil teacher at Temuka, and he commenced duties immediately. He was ranked in third place in the First Year Pupil Teacher examinations in mid 1900.

David married Ethel Weldon in 1907, and their son, David Andrew Dick was born on 30 April 1908 at Waikouaiti. Ethel died on 14 November 1914, when David was a school master at Studholme Junction. She was 36 years old and was buried at Waimate. David married Amy Edith Webb on 30 January 1918 at Chalmers Church, Timaru. A school master at Studholme Junction, he enlisted on 7 June 1918 at Timaru, having been called up from the Second Division (married men with one child). He named his wife as next-of-kin – Mrs Amy Edith Dick, Te Weka Street, Timaru. He was a member of the South Canterbury quota of the Forty-sixth Reinforcements which left Timaru by the north express on 9 September 1918 after parading at the drill hall. “Private David Dick, of Hannaton, who has been awarded to Base Records, has been appointed Corporal and posted to the 54th Reinforcements.” [October 1918.]

David Andrew Dick had transferred from Hannaton School to Waimataitai School in August 1918. After a few months at Timaru B.H.S. Preparatory, he went to Albury School in August 1919, his father then being the schoolteacher there. After several years at Albury, David filled teaching positions at Barrys Bay and Wakanui. While they were at Wakanui, Amy died on 7 September 1946 at Milford, Temuka. She was buried at Temuka. Retiring after Amy’s death, David lived in Christchurch where he died on 24 January 1965, aged 81 years. His mother had died at Timaru in 1938 and was buried in the family plot at Temuka.

Sources

Temuka Leader, 28 December 1897, 28 February 1899, 14 July 1900, Timaru Herald, 16 November 1914, 7 September 1918, Waimate Daily Advertiser, 21 May 1918, 29 October 1918, Press, 9 September 1946 (Papers Past) [08 October 2021; 03 & 06 February 2022]; School Admission records (South Canterbury Branch NZSG) [31 January 2022; 06 February 2022]; NZ Marriage & Death Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [06 February 2022]; 1891 census return for England (ancestry.com.au) [06 February 2022]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [06 February 2022]; Waimate & Temuka cemeteries records [06 February 2022]

External Links

• Military personnel file

Related Documents

No documents available. 

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC branch NZSG

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.