GRIMMOND, JOSEPH (1843-1924) was born at Drogheda, Ireland, and educated in the Bluecoat school there. He qualified as an engineer, and in 1859 emigrated to Melbourne in the Eagle and went in search of fortune to the goldfields at Ballarat and Creswick Creek. Two years later he crossed to the diggings at Gabriel's Gully, whence he passed on in 1863 to Wakamarina and in 1865 to the West Coast. Grimmond had fair success on all of these fields. He erected mining plants at Ross and Reefton, and constructed and operated sawmills in both districts. Amongst the mining companies in which he invested with success were the Ross United (of which he was manager) and the Mont d'Or. With McKay and Davy he owned the Back Creek and Kanieri Lake water races.

Grimmond took a prominent part in politics. For 13 years he was mayor of Ross; and for many years a member and five years chairman of the Westland county council. He represented Westland in Parliament from 1887 until 1890 (when he was defeated by Seddon, whom he opposed without success in 1896). In 1918 he was called to the Legislative Council, of which he was a member to the time of his death on 27 Nov 1924. He married (1898) Margaret Isabel, daughter of Duncan Macfarlane, R.M.

N.Z.P.D., 26, 30 Jun 1925; Cycl. NZ. v (p); Who's Who N.Z., 1908.

Reference: Volume 1, page 183

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