National MP for Hurunui 1943-1961, Minister of Agriculture 1960-1961, member of University of New Zealand Senate. See Who's who in NZ' 1956. Born at Flaxton, North Canterbury into a long established North Canterbury farming family. After attending Oxford District High School he took up farm work and contracting in the district. Shortly before World War One he acquired land at Bennetts near Oxford. Practically the whole of his life was spent farming apart from the two and a half years he served with the Canterbury Mounted Rifles in Palestine during World War One. Gillespie was a member of the Oxford Country Council for twenty years. He became chairman of the board of governors of Lincoln Agricultural College and represented the college on the senate of the University of New Zealand. He served twenty years on the directorate of the New Zealand Farmers' Cooperative Association of Canterbury. Gillespie entered politics in 1943 when he won the Hurunui seat for the National Party. He had a wide knowledge of farming matters and became Minister of Agriculture in the Second National Government in 1960.
Gillespie, William Henry, 1893-1961
Gillespie, William Henry, 1893-1961 : Parliamentary papers
Date: 1947-1960
By: Gillespie, William Henry, 1893-1961
Reference: MS-Papers-2204
Description: The collection reflects the interests of a member of parliament representing a rural electorate. None of the papers relate to Gillespie's brief tenure as Minister of Agriculture. The personal material consists of correspondence with colleagues and constituents, speech notes and notes relating to membership of parliamentary committees. The papers include correspondence (1947-1960), parliamentary committees (1952-1960), the University of New Zealand (1954-1956) and farming matters (1940-1959). Source of title - Supplied Gillespie was National MP for Hurunui (1943-1961), Minister of Agriculture (1960-1961) and member of University of NZ Senate Quantity: 71 folder(s). 0.80 Linear Metres. Physical Description: Mss, typescripts and printed matter Finding Aids: Paper inventory which was previously available in reading room was removed on 28 May 2014 as it contained no extra information. A copy is available in the staff backfile.. Transfers: Transferred from the General Assembly Library, 1978, with the Mabel Howard papers.
Gillespie, William Henry, 1893-1961 : Letter from Gerald F Stead
Date: 31 Jan 1955
By: Gillespie, William Henry, 1893-1961
Reference: MS-Papers-6526
Description: Letter from Stead to Gillespie, written from `Surveyor', Foxton Beach, re racing matters and a meeting at Featherston (31 Jan 1955) Source of title - Supplied Relationship complexity - See also MS-Papers-2204 for papers of W H Gillespie Quantity: 1 folder(s). 0.01 Linear Metres. Physical Description: Holograph
His Majesty's Opposition. New Zealand National Party, 1949 - Photograph taken by Frank ...
Date: 1949
From: New Zealand National Party :Group portraits of National Party Cabinets and Members of Parliament
By: Crown Studios (Wellington, N.Z.); Thompson, Francis Charles, 1923-2001
Reference: PAColl-D-0378
Description: Inscriptions: Recto - centre - Title Quantity: 1 b&w copy photographic print(s).
Dalgety & Co: Group photographs of members of the Holyoake (Second) Ministry
Date: 1960
Reference: PAColl-D-0048
Description: Formal group photographs of the members of the 2nd Holyoake (1960-1972) ministry taken on the same occasion by an unidentified photographer. Quantity: 4 b&w original photographic print(s). Physical Description: 19.5 x 26 cm mounted on card
Group of New Zealand authors with MP William Gillespie
Date: 1955
From: Lawlor, Patrick Anthony, 1893-1979 :Photographs of literary personalities
Reference: 1/2-052302-F
Description: Group of New Zealand authors, with Member of Parliament William Gillespie, photographed in 1955. Occasion, location, and photographer, all unidentified. From left: Pat Lawlor, Alan Mulgan, Eileen Duggan, Guy Scholefield, Gillespie. Quantity: 1 b&w copy negative(s). Physical Description: Film negative