Background
Macdonald was born in Boulogne-sur-Mer in northern France.
Macdonald was born in Boulogne-sur-Mer in northern France.
He came to Wellington from Australia in July 1871. They lost three son within one month in 1876 during a scarlet fever epidemic. He represented the City of Wellington electorate from 1890 to 1891, when he resigned.
He contested the three-member City of Wellington electorate in the 1899 election, when he came fourth.
He considered standing in the Otaki by-election in January 1900, but the brother of the deceased incumbent consented to stand for the Liberal Party instead. Almost 100 years later, Inverlochy House, his former residence, was given to the academy.
He was appointed to the Legislative Council from 1903 to 1911. The Macdonald family is buried at Bolton Street Memorial Park, and their grave is part of the memorial trail.
He was a founding member of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts in 1882.