John Ormond

Who was John Ormond?

Sir John Davies Wilder Ormond, BEM born at Wallingford Station, New Zealand was a businessman and farmer. He was the son of John Davies Ormond jr and Emilie Mary Gladys Wilder. Through his mother, John Davies Wilder Ormond was the fourth great-grandson of Beaufoy Boyle, great-granddaughter of Roger Boyle, 1st Earl of Orrery and Lady Margaret Howard. This connection made him a descendent of many notable figures including his thirteenth great-grandparents Elizabeth Tilney and Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk. He was the grandson of John Davies Ormond and brother-in-law of the politician Sir Hugh John Dyke Acland. His great uncle was Edward John Eyre, former governor of Jamaica. His cousin is the headmistress, Ormond Felicity Lusk. He married Judith Wall on 26 August 1939. They had four sons and one daughter.

He started out with a large sheep and cattle run. Later he was elected to the Waipukurau Branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union. Earlier in his life he went to Christ's College, New Zealand. His sports were tennis and rugby. In the 1938 election, he contested the Napier electorate for the National Party, but was beaten by the incumbent, Labour's Bill Barnard.