Profiles

Geoffrey Thomas Alley, who became New Zealand’s first national librarian in 1964, was born in Amberley, North Canterbury, on 4 February 1903. He was the fourth son and fifth of seven children of Frederick James Alley, an innovative teacher who gave his children a love of literature, music, physical fitness and the land, and his wife, Clara Maria Buckingham, who in 1896 had been one of the youngest delegates at the inaugural meeting of the National Council of the Women of New Zealand. Two of Geoffrey’s siblings were to become well known for their work in education: his sister Gwen Somerset in Canterbury and Feilding, and his brother Rewi in China.

Rewi Alley was born in Springfield, Canterbury, on 2 December 1897 to Frederick James Alley, a schoolmaster, and his wife, Clara Maria Buckingham, who was active in the temperance and women's rights movements. 

Bernard Cracroft Aston was born on 9 August 1871 at Beckenham, Kent, England, the son of Mary Griffin and her husband, Murray Aston, a stockbroker. Bernard came to Christchurch, New Zealand, with his parents as a boy. He received his secondary education at Christchurch Boys' High School and undertook further studies with the Dunedin Technical Classes Association, qualifying in chemistry and botany.