Margaret Alington

Margaret Hilda Alington, ONZM, née Broadhead (30 September 1920 – 15 October 2012) was a New Zealand historian, whose work contributed much to the knowledge of architectural history in New Zealand.

Much of Alington's research centred on the life and work of the Revd Frederick Thatcher, architect of noted New Zealand buildings including St Mary's Church (New Plymouth), and Old St Paul's (Wellington). The culmination of this investigation was Alington's book, An Excellent recruit: Frederick Thatcher, architect, priest and private secretary in early New Zealand, published in 2007.

She was the wife of New Zealand architect Bill Alington.

Biographic details
Margaret Alington was born and educated in Christchurch, New Zealand. She has worked as a librarian in the Canterbury and Auckland University College libraries, Leeds University Library, University of Illinois library (Urbana, USA), and the Alexander Turnbull Library (part of the National Library of New Zealand).

She died at her home in Wellington, New Zealand on 15 October 2012.

Articles
Alington, Margaret "Commanding a high point" New Zealand Historic Places (May 2001) n. 81, pp. 35–37 [history of St Mary's Church, Karori]

Alington, Margaret "Peace for troubled ground" New Zealand Historic Places (Aug 2001) n. 82, pp. 11–12 [history of the organisation set up in 1977 to preserve and protect the Bolton Street Cemetery]

Alington, Margaret "Mortuary chapel, Karori Cemetery" Stockade (1999) n. 32, pp. 3–5 [history of the chapel, built in 1891]

Alington, Margaret "Church and community" New Zealand Historic Places (Sep 1996) n. 60 pp. 28–30. [history of the 150 year old St Mary's Church, New Plymouth]

Alington, Margaret "St Mary's homes" Stockade (1994) n. 27, pp. 7–13. [history of the children's home that operated in Messines Road, Karori]

Alington, Margaret "Place also of life" New Zealand Historic Places (Sep 1991) n. 34, pp. 22–23. [history of the Bolton Street Cemetery. Abridged and edited version of a speech]

Alington, Margaret "How I came to Karori" Stockade (1989) n. 22, pp. 9–10.

Alington, Margaret Bibliography of material relating to Surville's voyage to New Zealand, 1769-1770 compiled by Margaret H. Broadhead. ([Wellington, N.Z.]: Alexander Turnbull Library, 1956)

Alington, Margaret Christ Church Taita: notes giving some reasons why it could not have existed in 1845 Held: Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of NZ.

Alington, Margaret An Excellent recruit: Frederick Thatcher, architect, priest and private secretary in early New Zealand (with architectural assistance from William H. Alington) (Auckland, N.Z.: Polygraphia Ltd., c2007)

Alington, Margaret Frederick Thatcher and St. Paul's: an ecclesiological study (with drawings and an appendix by William H. Alington.) (Wellington, N.Z.: Government Printer, 1965)

Alington, Margaret Goodly stones & timbers: a history of St. Mary's Church, New Plymouth (New Plymouth [N.Z.]: The Church, 1988)

Alington, Margaret High point: St Mary's Church, Karori, Wellington, 1866-1991 (Wellington, N.Z.: Parish of St Mary: Karori Historical Society, 1998)

Alington, Margaret Niue Island: a bibliography compiled by M.H. Broadhead. ([Wellington, N.Z.]: Alexander Turnbull Library, [1954])

Alington, Margaret Old St. Paul's, Wellington; a pictorial record (prepared by Margaret and William Alington with the help of Dallas Moore) (Wellington, Friends of Old St. Paul's Society, 1968)

Alington, Margaret Old St. Paul's, Wellington [edited by Margaret Alington and Tony Murray-Oliver; colour photography by Gavin Woodward]. (Wellington, N.Z.: Published and distributed by Friends of Old St. Paul's, 1988)

Alington, Margaret St. Mary's Church, New Plymouth: building research report (prepared for the New Zealand Historic Places Trust by Margaret Alington between March 1979 and January 1982).([Wellington, N.Z.] : New Zealand Historic Places Trust, [1982])

Alington, Margaret Unquiet earth: a history of the Bolton street cemetery (Wellington: Wellington City Council, 1978)