John Joseph Dougall

John Joseph Dougall
Portrait of John Joseph Dougall
30th Mayor of Christchurch
In office 31 July 1911 – 1 May 1912
Preceded by	Tommy Taylor
Succeeded by	Henry Holland
Personal details
Born	1860 Aberdeenshire
Died	5 September 1934
Profession	solicitor

John Joseph Dougall (1860 – 5 September 1934) was Mayor of Christchurch in 1911–1912. He was a solicitor by profession. In his later life, the Navy League was his main interest.

Dougall was born in Aberdeenshire in Scotland in 1860. He attended Greyfriars Parish School in Aberdeen. Mary Dougall (a dressmaker aged 35 or 25) came to New Zealand with John Dougall and his younger brother Alexander in 1871 on board the ship Merope. The ship left Gravesend on the River Thames on 9 June and arrived in Lyttelton on 25 August.

Dougall attended Mr Gee's School in Worcester Street, Christchurch Central City.

Dougall started his training with Garrick, Cowlishaw and Co in 1876 or earlier. He was admitted as solicitor to the Supreme Court in 1896. Dougall and John Hazlitt Upham (the father of Charles Upham) had an office in 148 Worcester Street and acted as commissioners for the Australian States and South African colonies. In later life, he was one of the directors of Regent Street Limited, the company that developed Christchurch's New Regent Street.

Dougall stood as council candidate in the Linwood Borough for the election on 10 September 1896, but he came fifth, and as there only three positions available, he was not successful. He was a member of the Riccarton Road Board (1901–1910). He joined the Christchurch Tramway Board in its first year of existence when the Riccarton – Sockburn sub-district was added.

He successfully stood for Christchurch City Council in the Central Ward in the April 1909 election, coming fifth out of ten candidates vying for six available positions. Henry Holland, a later mayor, came eight in this election and was thus unsuccessful. At the next election in April 1911, he was returned at the head of the poll in the Central Ward (with Henry Holland in second place).