Victory Day – The End of WWII – Colombo Street

You can almost hear the roar of the rejoicing here in Colombo Street on the 15th August 1945 at the news that World War II was finished with the surrender of Japan. It’s good to see as a city we still know how to party and be victorious, even while and after facing huge odds …

Bryndwr Lake

Near the corner of Wairakei and Breens Roads, the Ashby brothers opened the Fendalton Quarry in the early 1900’s. The stones and gravel that now lay in the foundations of many of the roads around Burnside came from this quarry. The main development of Burnside as a suburb took place after World War I. The …

Cobb & Co

Charles Cole arrived in Dunedin from Victoria, Australia in 1861 into the madness of the Otago Gold Rush but he wasn’t chasing gold…well, not that way. He brought with him quite a cargo; 1 coach, 5 wagons and 54 horses. Within a week, he had his first service run; the coach leaving the Provincial Hotel …

Ted “Froggie” D’Auvergne (1906 – 1941)

The first time I heard about Ted d’Auvergne was from the comedian Billy Connolly during his New Zealand tour so I was chuffed to come across the story again as it was a great one. “Froggie” as his mates would call him, was born in Rangiora in 1906. His french ancestors arrived in Akaroa in …

Edward Ward’s Journal Entry From The Charlotte Jane

“This, the first day of heavy gales, produces something strange and uncomfortable every hour. Dinner was an awful scramble, plates and dishes falling about, of course, but that was the least. You were as likely to find your neighbour in your plate as your plate in your neighbour’s lap, or your lap in your neighbour’s, …

Ship Slops – Meals of the Charlotte Jane

Hope you are hungry! So, what was for breakfast and dinner aboard the ‘Charlotte Jane’ – the first of our first four ships? Things were much more palatable for those in upper class, complete shocker! Breakfast was at 8.30am and consisted of roast beef or beef steaks. Dinner was at 3pm and consisted of soup, …

Mrs. Emma Barker’s Journal Entry From The Charlotte Jane

Was totally delighted to come across a diary entry from Mrs. Emma Barker, wife of the well known early Canterbury doctor and photographer, Dr. A.C. Barker (pictured), while she was aboard the Charlotte Jane. I have always known of the belief that cats were bad luck to have on a ship so I was surprised …

List Of Canterbury Association Ships – 1850/51

It’s well known knowledge that the first four ships were the Charlotte Jane, the Randolph, the Sir George Seymour and the Cressy. 16 more Canterbury Association ships followed them in 1851 :- * Castle Eden * Isabella Hercus * Travancore * Duke of Bronte * Steadfast * Labuan * Bangalore – pictured above – arrived …

The Canterbury Association Plaque

We celebrate (well, we should more often) the arrival of the First Four Ships – the Charlotte Jane, Randolph, Sir George Seymour and the Cressy – when in reality, they should number as the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th ship instead! The Canterbury Association sent over 16 ships to Lyttelton before the Charlotte Jane sailed …