Biography

PERCIVAL CLAY NEILL

Burial register ID: 15567
Surname: NEILL
First name: PERCIVAL
Middle names: CLAY
Gender: Male
Age: 94 Years
Cause of death: Unknown
Burial type:
Date of death: 02-Apr-1936
Date of burial: 03-Apr-1936

Block: 17
Plot: 1
Inscription:

Bio contributor: Contributed by C Begg

Percy Neill was born in Belfast in 1842. He trained in banking and business before emigrating to Melbourne in 1859 where he joined a firm of merchants called McCallum, Neill & Co. He was sent to Dunedin in 1863 as the firm’s resident partner.

A few years later he joined a rival company and developed its Dunedin business so successfully that he bought them out and established Neill & Co. The company grew fast off the back of a newly wealthy population from the gold rush. The company’s huge bonded store which was bought in 1867 was one of the city’s first substantial buildings. It covered a whole block and gave its name to “Bond” street, then the chief mercantile street of Dunedin.

Neill & Co had a very keen business rival, Wilson & Co. The two firms ultimately merged into Wilson Neills in 1963, recognising their mutual interests in the grocery and liquor trade.

A well known building in Chingford park, Chingford Park Stables was his pride.

He held the office of French Consul from 1873 but was somewhat diffident and retiring in personality. He didn’t take a prominent part in municipal or political affairs but did give advice and money for the city’s progress and was involved in many companies.

After marrying in 1866 to a daughter of Captain Foster Fyans from Geelong in Australia he had four sons and four daughters. His great grandson is the well known actor, Sam Neill (Nigel John Dermot Neill). Although born in Northern Ireland Sam Neill spent most of his childhood in MacAndrew Bay, Dunedin.
Percival Neill
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Wilsons Bond
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There are 5 Interments in this grave:

Surname First names Age Date of death Date of burial
NEILL BALFOUR HENDERSON 39 Years 19-May-1911 22-May-1911
NEILL FOSTER FYANS 70 Years 18-Dec-1938 22-Dec-1938
NEILL GERTRUDE EMELINE 58 Years 03-Apr-1903 05-Apr-1903
NEILL PERCIVAL CLAY 94 Years 02-Apr-1936 03-Apr-1936
NEILL PERCIVAL CLAY (Junior) 23 Years 19-Jul-1894 21-Jul-1894