Written by Sir Charles Stinson in 1981. My mother, Ella Josephine Griffith, who was born in Glasgow Scotland and soon after moved to Wales, came to Fiji in 1900 after the death of her parents to be adopted by Mr G. L. Griffith, her uncle, who founded the first newspaper, The Fiji Times and before Cession ran the postal services in Fiji and was a member of King Cakaubau’s Cabinet way before Fiji became a British Colony. He was also one of the founders of Suva and served as its first Mayor. … [Read more...] about Being Born in Fiji
Charles Stinson
STINSON, SIR CHARLES ALEXANDER KBE, OBE, CMG JP. (June 22, 1919 — November 02, 1989) Director / Managing Director / Chairman – Stinsons Limited City Councillor and Businessman 1947-1959 Mayor Suva City Council 1959-1966 Member, Fiji Legislative Council 1966-1970 Member, The Fijian Parliament 1970-1982 Minister for Works, Communications, and Civil Aviation and Minister for Finance Chairman Fiji Visitors Bureau Chairman Fiji Fire Brigade War Service Medals Fiji Independence Medal Fiji … [Read more...] about Charles Stinson
Arthur Ackland
ACKLAND, ARTHUR BELL (HOP) ED MBE OBE (September 06, 1894 — July 22, 1971) Fiji Constabulary 1915 World War I 1916-1919 Colonial Secretary's Office 1919 Lieutenant, Fiji Defence Force, 1920 Dept of Agriculture 1920-1938 Produce Inspector 1931-1941 Commanded 1st Battalion, Fiji Labour Corps, 1942-45 Native Land Trust Board 1945 Started Fiji Banana Ventures 1950-1959 Left Fiji for Auckland, NZ 1959. By Jim Ackland from the book The Acklands of Fiji by Betty Hunt (nee … [Read more...] about Arthur Ackland
Don Lane
LANE, DON (May 05, 1922 — January 17, 2011) Hotel Manager and Administrator Secretary & Board Member, Fiji Visitors Bureau Secretary and president of the Fiji Hotels Association and PATA Board Member, Fiji National Training Council Board Member, Fiji Employers Federation Sportsman, Sailor, Boatman, Fisherman and lover of all things about the seas and ocean around Fiji. By Wendikae Lane-Chan. My Dad, Don Lane, was one of five children, born in Levuka in 1922. He grew up in … [Read more...] about Don Lane
Kailomas In Fiji
The first Part-Europeans were descendants of the first European white settlers and iTaukei women and established themselves mostly in Levuka, Vanua Levu, or other outlying islands. Over the years these descendants intermarried and established kinship ties, so generations are now linked through marriage or bloodlines. Part-Europeans came to be known by some using the Taukei word Kai Loma, which means 'in between'. Another term is Vasu, but this is not available for common use as it is bestowed … [Read more...] about Kailomas In Fiji
Jean Buckle
BUCKLE, JEAN BRANDON (1914 — 2006) Nursing Sister, CSR, Lautoka and Ba. By R A B (Tony) Snowsill. Ed. Tom Buckle (Jean's son). Jean Brandon Buckle was my aunt, my father's sister. My father was the late Mr Alan (Soot) Snowsill, who died in June 1970. Jean grew up in the small town of Nausori, Fiji, which is some 25 klm from Suva, the capital of Fiji. The town is situated on the Rewa River. Jean was born in Nausori in 1914. Jean, like her mother, Jessie Minnie Alice Snowsill (nee … [Read more...] about Jean Buckle
Michael Bransfield
BRANSFIELD, MICHAEL FR. S.M. (June 29, 1926 — August 04, 2009) Marist Father and Parish Priest The Catholic Church, Society of Mary Instrumental in the formation of the Tutu Training Centre on Taveuni Worked with the Marriage Encounter Movement Ran The Altar Boys Sodality, The Sacred Heart Cathedral, Suva. By R A B (Tony) Snowsill. Father Michael Bransfield was a member of the Marist Fathers and spent his priestly life in Fiji after arriving from Ireland on October 31, 1951. He … [Read more...] about Michael Bransfield
Jabez Bryce
BRYCE, JABEZ LESLIE ARCHBISHOP (January, 1935 — February 11, 2010) Bishop of the Diocese of Polynesia The Episcopal Church. By R A B (Tony) Snowsill. Jabez Leslie Bryce was born in Vava'u Tonga in 1935 of mixed Scottish-Samoan-Tongan parentage. He was reared in Samoa, and trained for the ministry in New Zealand. Ordained in 1962, he served the diocese in Fiji throughout his ordained ministry. The first Pacific Islander elected as Bishop of Polynesia, The Episcopal Church, … [Read more...] about Jabez Bryce