Dr William Donald (1816-84) was the 'Uncrowned King of Lyttelton' in the early days. He was also referred to as Lyttelton's 'Pooh Bah' for the multiplicity of public offices he held. He was an energetic, generous and compassionate man, good-humoured and cheerful, and always ready to help anyone in need. He was one of those rare individuals who made very few enemies and a great many friends. He once remarked that he had never sough office, but had them thrust upon him, and he could never say no.
Though no letters or diaries have survived (he was far too busy to write a diary) his public career was fully reported in the Lyttelton Times and Press newspapers and is here revealed for the first time. He made an enormous contribution to the development of Lyttelton. He was the first medical practitioner in Lyttelton in 1849, well before the arrival of the 'First Four Ships' of Canterbury Association settlers, and he was the first chairman of the Lyttelton Municipal Council in 1862. He had been Port Health Officer, Immigration Officer, Provincial Surgeon, Justice of teh Peace, Resident Magistrate, chairman of the Municipal Council, Inspector of Schools and Registrar of Births Deaths and Marriages. He also represented Lyttleton on the Canterbury Provincial Council, 1855-7. In addition to these public offices, he was chairman of the Society of Colonists, a church warden, a trustee of church property and a lay member of Synod. He was co-founder of the first Masonic lodge in Canterbury and rose to be District Grand Master of the Masonic Lodges in Canterbury. His first wife, Mary nee Townsend (1821-69), was a notable artist and portrait painter.
Dr Donald's career, and his many activities, reveal much about the social and political life of early Lyttelton, with some curious and amusing stories along the way.