FITZGERALD, WILLIAM SANDERSON (1838-1920) was born and educated at Musselburgh, Scotland, and proceeded to the Moray House Free Church Training College in Edinburgh. He was first assistant at St John's Grammar School, Hamilton, when he was appointed by the colonial committee of the Free Church as teacher in the Pigeon Bay Academy. He sailed in the Royal Stuart (1861). Fitzgerald spent eight years at Pigeon Bay, receiving many boarders from Wellington and Otago. He then became rector of the Oamaru Grammar School, and was from 1876 principal of the Normal School in Dunedin and rector of the Training College. In 1894 he became inspector under the Otago education board. He was first president of the New Zealand Educational Institute.

Fitzgerald was an elder of the Presbyterian Church, a strong supporter of Sunday schools and helped to found St Margaret's College. He died on 27 Jan 1920.

Cycl. NZ, iv; Butchers; Ross; K. C. McDonald; Otago Daily Times, 28 Jan 1920.

Reference: Volume 1, page 147

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