David McGill

Descriptive Data

TypeAgencyParallel NameDavid Keith McGillDate Range1942-DescriptionBorn 1 December 1942, David McGill is a New Zealand social historian and fiction writer who has published 61 books. Born in Auckland, educated in the Bay of Plenty and at a Christchurch seminary, he trained as a teacher and did a BA at Victoria University of Wellington.

He worked as a feature writer for The Listener, Sydney’s The Bulletin, London’s TVTimes, wrote columns for the Evening Post in Wellington and edited a local lifestyle magazine before becoming a full-time writer in 1984.

As a long time resident of Wellington, many of his books are set in Wellington.

In 1997 McGill was the recipient of the Claude McCarthy Fellowship, to research and write Island of Secrets. 'Island of Secrets: Matiu/Somes Island in Wellington Harbour (2001)' is the history of the island as a human and animal quarantine station, and a prisoner of war camp in two world wars. It was the only place in the world where Nazis and Jews were incarcerated together.

McGill was also an advisor and provider of material for a proposed eight television plays on Matiu/Somes Island and a feature film of Maurice Gee's Montana award-winning novel set on Matiu/Somes Island, Live Bodies.

He also wrote 'Wellington; A Capital City (2003)', which was a 20th century social history of the city with over 300 black and white and colour pictures.

He was also heavily involved with the Civic Trust from its early days: at a meeting on the 5 December 1980, with David McGill, journalist with the Evening Post, and Mike Smith, Director of the Inner City Mission, and 26 citizens 'of experience and expertise' present, it was voted unanimously to establish a Wellington Civic Trust. He had a vision for Wellington Civic Trust to be a focal point to receive matters of public concern for open discussion and for appropriate action. He was awarded Honorary Life Membership by the Civic Trust in 2013.

Series

Menu

David McGill