SEETO, BING SHIM, MBE(June 9, 1907 - March 13, 1994)Businessman and PhilanthropistOwner, Wing On Tiy, grocers and bakers, with signature bread brand - the Procera loaf.President, St Vincent de Paul Society.Co-founder, Board Member and Manager of Fiji Chinese Primary School (now Yat Sen School).Other Leadership roles in community organisations including:  the Kuomintang, the Rotary Club, the Red Cross, the Chinese Arts Club.Awards: Member of the British Empire (MBE) medal by Queen Elizabeth II in … [Read more...] about Bing Shim Seeto

WILLIAMS, GEORGE(July 2, 1933 – April 12, 2023)Ocean Going CaptainTug Master & Pilot, Northland Harbour Board By Greg Williams. George Williams, was born in Suva Fiji in 1933 to parents George Hutchins Williams and Mavis Goodfellow. His Grandfather, Captain  Frank Armstrong Williams, already features in this website with a colourful contribution to the life and times of Fiji. Fiji was an idyllic place for a young boy to grow up. He loved fishing and … [Read more...] about George Williams

NICHOLLS, HAROLD EDGAR(May 30, 1881 — July 12, 1947)Overseer Public Works Department (PWD)Construction of the Kings Road By Bob Nicholls. Harold Edgar Nicholls, was born on 30th May 1881 at Sandown, Isle of Wight. From what we understand he was in the merchant marine and during WW1 was involved with shipping horses for the war effort from Argentina to Europe and the Middle East. He arrived in Fiji prior to 1st May 1918 as this is the date that he married my … [Read more...] about Harold Nicholls

WISDOM, JOHN BALDOCK ARTHUR(October 8, 1920 – December 7, 2010)Born Suva, Fiji - 8 October 1920Educated at Suva Boys Grammar and New Plymouth Boys HighFirst job PWD Suva at 18 yearsWorld War 2 1939 - Joined Territorials with Fiji Naval Volunteer Force1943-Graduated from Flinders Naval Depot as Sub LieutenantMarried Marie Richardson in Christchurch and returned to Suva as a married man and returned to PWD1948 Accounts Clerk for National Airways Corporation1950-NAC became TEAL1951-General Manager … [Read more...] about John Wisdom

INCIDENT ON THE WAINIBOKASI RIVER. CIRCA 1967? This story has been pieced together from email received by Tony Snowsill. By Bruce Snowsill There's another story but the shortened version is basically we were spear fishing off the Naseli light house when Sup decided to shoot a leopard ray. (Why I don't know as there was no market for them) Anyway the ray objected and thrust two 6 inch barbs into his back puncturing his lungs. Brian Jefferson was with us and together we got him out of the water … [Read more...] about The Leopard Ray Factor

ABRAHAMS, JOHN(August 10, 1850 – September 17, 1907)Born London, England August 1850Arrived Levuka, Fiji May 1878Relocated to Rewa (Elliston) around the time of the move of the capital to Suva in 1882Enters partnership with a Mr Van Hagen and buys him out.Acquires Stevens and Johnson in 1886Married Adelaide Daniel in 1888. Two children Vivian (1889) and Vera (1895) followedPurchased the Rewa Hotel in 1904Died Suva, Fiji September 1907By Michael Abrahams My great … [Read more...] about John Abrahams

By Robyn Mortimer WW2. The islands of Fiji are in the midst of the Pacific theatre of war. These were worrying times for my Grandmother Maggie Brown Parker resident in Sydney with her family while half-sister Lulu Marlow and McGowan brothers William, Gordon and Andrew had their homes in the Fiji Islands.  News from Fiji was scarce.  Then at last with Peace and the end of hostilities normal shipping in the Pacific recommenced and Andy McGowan, her younger brother by two years wasted no … [Read more...] about Frank Fleming & Maggie Brown Parker

PETRIE, WILLIAM SCOTT(October 17, 1842 – May 16, 1888)Cabin boy at age 14 Arbroath, Scotland 1856Certificate of Competency as Master, London, England 1868First Mate ‘Isle of France’, Mauritius 1869 -1870Master of the ‘Medora’, Lyttleton, New Zealand 1873-1876First Mate various vessels in Australian and Pacific Island waters 1876 – 1879Master of ‘Windward Ho’, Levuka, Fiji 1880-1884Perils at sea and at home for a labour recruiterMoved to Suva, Fiji 1887.By Michael … [Read more...] about William Petrie