James Park (2 July 1857 – 28 July 1946) was a Scottish-born geologist, director of school of mines, university professor, explorer, and writer, who was active in New Zealand. He was director of the Thames School of Mines for seven years, and went on to become the dean of the mining faculty at the University of Otago for 18 years.
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Early life
He was born in Kintore, Aberdeenshire, in Scotland on 2 July 1857 to James Park and Mary Snowie.
His father and grandfather were engineers.
He studied at the Royal School of Mines in London from 1872 until 1874. He emigrated to New Zealand with his sister in 1875. Initially he worked as a cadet on a sheep farm near Castlepoint, then in 1878 he started work with the Geological Survey of New Zealand as a field assistant where he made geological and botanical expeditions.
Career
From 1882 to 1885, he worked for the Department of Lands and Survey as a computing draughtsman. While there, he organised expeditions around Nelson and he made the first ascent of Mt Franklin. In 1883, he starting laying the foundations that formed the Nelson Philosophical Society. In 1885 he returned to the Geological Survey, this time as a mining geologist. Park's duties included exploration and he made surveys in the districts of Taranaki, Nelson and West Coast districts.