Mim Ringer
Also known asAgnes Miriam Ringer
BiographyMim was born in Auckland in 1926. She went to school at Auckland Girls Grammar School and then went on to Auckland University in the 1940’s to study a Bachelor of Science. Whilst in Auckland she became a student assistant in the city museum’s botany section. After completing her degree, Mim married and had four children, and taught biology at Waiuku Secondary School. She went on to run the Waiuku Museum for 11 years before her and husband Bill retired to Horseshoe Bay, Matapouri.
Not content with just gardening and admiring the sea views, Mim became an activist for the City Council’s collection in the early 80s under a PEP scheme. Later she followed the artefacts up to Maunu as a volunteer curator–cum-helper at the new museum. At this time she undertook a postgraduate Diploma of Museum Studies from Massey University. Mim was the Honorary Curator/Historian for the Whangarei Museum for over 20 years and during this time accomplished much on behalf of district.
She was the writer/researcher for the historical plaques in our beautiful Cameron Street Mall, the motivating force behind bringing the Adele Younghusband paintings back to Whangarei. She unearthed many precious photographs of Northland’s past, restoring historical photos rescued from the rubbish dump, and retrieved artefacts from water damage whilst in temporary storage after the closure of Plaisted House. She was a great leader and inspiration for the volunteers group who worked under her guidance for many years.
Mim was the founding and long-standing president of the Whangarei Historical Society, a published author, qualified biologist and museologist and an accomplished speaker on local history. She has been described as a workaholic, with a keen mind and the most amazing memory for facts. For her dedication to the joy and passion of local history; researching, writing and caring for its preservation, conservation and presentation we honour her.
Date of Birth1926Place of BirthAucklandOccupationMuseologist, writer, researcher
BiographyMim was born in Auckland in 1926. She went to school at Auckland Girls Grammar School and then went on to Auckland University in the 1940’s to study a Bachelor of Science. Whilst in Auckland she became a student assistant in the city museum’s botany section. After completing her degree, Mim married and had four children, and taught biology at Waiuku Secondary School. She went on to run the Waiuku Museum for 11 years before her and husband Bill retired to Horseshoe Bay, Matapouri. Not content with just gardening and admiring the sea views, Mim became an activist for the City Council’s collection in the early 80s under a PEP scheme. Later she followed the artefacts up to Maunu as a volunteer curator–cum-helper at the new museum. At this time she undertook a postgraduate Diploma of Museum Studies from Massey University. Mim was the Honorary Curator/Historian for the Whangarei Museum for over 20 years and during this time accomplished much on behalf of district.
She was the writer/researcher for the historical plaques in our beautiful Cameron Street Mall, the motivating force behind bringing the Adele Younghusband paintings back to Whangarei. She unearthed many precious photographs of Northland’s past, restoring historical photos rescued from the rubbish dump, and retrieved artefacts from water damage whilst in temporary storage after the closure of Plaisted House. She was a great leader and inspiration for the volunteers group who worked under her guidance for many years.
Mim was the founding and long-standing president of the Whangarei Historical Society, a published author, qualified biologist and museologist and an accomplished speaker on local history. She has been described as a workaholic, with a keen mind and the most amazing memory for facts. For her dedication to the joy and passion of local history; researching, writing and caring for its preservation, conservation and presentation we honour her.
Date of Birth1926Place of BirthAucklandOccupationMuseologist, writer, researcherScrapbook
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Mim Ringer. Northland Room Digital Collections, accessed 04/04/2026, https://wdc.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/4822
