Francis Dewsbury Pinfold (21 March 1892 – 19 October 1976) was a New Zealand doctor and local politician. He served as mayor of Hamilton from 1931 to 1933.

Life and family

Francis Dewsbury Pinfold was the 4th son of Elizabeth Pinfold (née Marks), and Reverend Pinfold, born in 1892 in

New Plymouth New Plymouth ( mi, Ngāmotu) is the major city of the Taranaki region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after the English city of Plymouth, Devon from where the first English settlers to New Plymouth migrated. ...

. His father, James Thomas Pinfold (28 April 1855-30 July 1933), was a

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...

minister at

Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the R ...

, Gisborne, Hamilton,

Rangiora Rangiora is the largest town and seat of the Waimakariri District, in Canterbury, New Zealand. It is north of Christchurch, and is part of the Christchurch metropolitan area. With an estimated population of Rangiora is the 30th largest urba ...

Springston Springston is a small rural Canterbury town in the South Island of New Zealand Springston was developed around the mid-19th century, beginning with the establishment of Spring Station by James E. FitzGerald, who farmed there from 1853 to 1857 ...

, Mosgiel and

Wellington Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...

. Francis was one of 10 children and went to school at Hamilton West,

Auckland Grammar School Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about I ...

and Christchurch Boys' High School. He qualified as a doctor at the University of Otago in 1915. As a student he took jobs building Otago Central railway, shearing and school teaching. He became a resident clinician at Dunedin Hospital, a junior and then senior house surgeon at

Waikato Hospital Waikato Hospital is a major regional hospital in Hamilton, New Zealand, Hamilton, New Zealand. It provides specialised and emergency healthcare

, from which he resigned in 1916 to join the army. Shortly after, he married Claudine Heather Norman on 18 April 1916. In 1917 he joined the

New Zealand Expeditionary Force The New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) was the title of the military forces sent from New Zealand to fight alongside other British Empire and Dominion troops during World War I (1914–1918) and World War II (1939–1945). Ultimately, the NZE ...

as a major with the Medical Corps on the

Western Front Western Front or West Front may refer to: Military frontiers *Western Front (World War I), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (World War II), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (Russian Empire), a majo ...

. On his return he started a practice at 389 Victoria St. He was a hunter, fisherman and president of Waikato

Acclimatisation Society Acclimatisation societies were voluntary associations in the 19th and 20th centuries that encouraged the introduced species, introduction of non-native species in various places around the world, in the hope that they would acclimatization, acclimat ...

and Hamilton Gun Club. He was also active in Hamilton Orphans’ Club, Hamilton Fire Board, Auckland Acclimatisation Society, Auckland Swimming Centre, Whitiora School Committee and Okete (Camp Fergusson) and

Port Waikato Port Waikato is on the south bank of the Waikato River at its outflow into the Tasman Sea, in northern New Zealand. Port Waikato is a well-known surfing and whitebaiting destination and a popular holiday spot. Fish can be caught off the rocks ...

Children’s Camps.

Mayoralty

He was elected as a councillor on Hamilton Borough Council in 1925. In 1929 he lost a mayoral election against John Fow by 82 votes, but won the next election against him by 272, standing on a platform of opposing a "Mad orgy of spending". He supported paving more footpaths, but opposed the Anglesea cutting and removal of Garden Place hill. Hamilton Municipal Offices on Alma Street were built during his term in office. All but two councillors supported him standing again in 1933, but John Fow won by 678 votes. Pinfold put his name forward for mayor in 1938, but then withdrew it. He twice stood to be a candidate for the National Party in 1943 and 1959.

Death

He died on 19 October 1976 and was cremated at Hamilton Park Cemetery, Newstead.

References

External links

Photos
192719471950
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pinfold, Francis Dewsbury 1892 births 1976 deaths Mayors of Hamilton, New Zealand People from New Plymouth People educated at Auckland Grammar School People educated at Christchurch Boys' High School University of Otago alumni New Zealand military personnel of World War I 20th-century New Zealand medical doctors New Zealand National Party politicians