Patrick Donald MacDonald
Patrick Donald MacDonald, nicknamed Paddy (born 21 July 1909, Bells Hill, Scotland - died June 1987, Surrey, England)[1]) was the colonial secretary and is believed to have likely known "everything there was to know about the bones found on Nikumaroro."
On 8 April 1940 MacDonald became acting assistant secretary WPHC under Vaskess.[2], taking the job over from Harry Maude, who had been seconded to Pitcarn[3] On 2nd May 1940 he relinquished this post and on 24 May became acting secretary until 11 July when he again became acting assistant secretary,Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag
In 1941 MacDonald rose from assistant secretary to colonial secretary, a prestigious and important position. Ron Gatty later recalled, "The Governor was a ceremonial figure and might set policy, but the Colonial Secretary was the CEO. He had three telephones on his desk, gave orders, and approved spending. Paddy was pretty damn good."
- 24th April 1941 personnel file says he "proceeded(?) on duty with HC (sic: High Commissioner) to BSIP & HH." BSIP would be British Solomon Islands Protectorate; don't know about HH. Sir Harry, on page 179 of "From a South Seas Diary," notes that on 20th April he sailed on Viti with "Dr. Macpherson, Tomblings and Paddy Macdonald" for the Solomons; they got back on 14th May. Our copy of Macdonald's personnel file ends with the 24th April 1941 entry.
- Took the bones from the office to Hoodless at FSM in summer of 1941.
- Colonial Secretary and in charge of boxing things up in 1978. Acting Archivist from the time that Burne retired (or quit) in 1976 until at least April 6, 1978.
- Both files and office equipment were sent to London. Lists of files were drawn up and typed. They were then packed in small archive boxes--no more than 5 files to a box. The small boxes were then stacked in a wooden packing crate. They fit perfectly, with no need of any kind of straw or other packing material.
- Tofiga remembers Paddy as "fair, firm and meticulous."
- Ron Gatty:
- Daughters: Hillary and Sally? Hillary is now Hillary Roberts, living in Bermuda as of 2007 (See below). She worked for BOAC and got reduced fare flights for her father (RG).
- May have had a part-interest in the Grand Pacific Hotel. Ron Gatty saw him there in a humble role--acting, perhaps, as the manager or desk clerk.
- Died in the late 1990s?
- .
- Employed by WPHC from ~1941 to 1978.
Family
- Wife: Delia Edith MacDonald (3 Aug 1913, Westcliff, England, to November, 1994, in Hove, Sussex).
- Son: Neil Mateson MacDonald, Auckland, New Zealand. 1940 or 1941.
- Daughter: Hillary (~1947?). Hillary Roberts ("The daughter of former Fiji deputy Governor Patrick Macdonald...") lived in Bermuda until November 2007 and perhaps could be contacted through the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club.
- Daughter: Sally.