BLACK, WILLIAM (1815-94) was born at Muiravonside, Stirlingshire. He learned the bakery trade and was for some years in the mercantile marine as steward on board passenger ships sailing to the East Indies. In 1841 he came to New Zealand as steward in the Amelia Thompson and, having married a daughter of Thomas Veale, he settled in New Plymouth, where he established a successful bakery. In 1849 he visited California, but soon returned to his business.

In the Maori war Black was a captain in the militia and served under Atkinson in the Bushrangers, also undertaking contracts to supply the Imperial troops with bread. In 1872 he retired from business and took up his soldier's grant of 200 acres at Tikorangi. He was a member of the Taranaki Provincial Council for Grey and Bell (1869-73). He was on the town board and the vestry of St Mary's and became an elder of the Presbyterian Church when that denomination was established in New Plymouth. He was president of the New Plymouth Friendly Society. An ardent freemason, he was a charter member of the Mt Egmont lodge and once walked by the coast to Wanganui to open a lodge. He died on 22 Nov 1894.

Taranaki P.C. minutes; Taranaki Herald, 23 Nov 1894, 16 May 1936. Portrait: Taranaki Hist. Coll.

Reference: Volume 1, page 52

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