A sketch of the Randolph done by James Edward Fitzgerald from the deck of the Charlotte Jane as they left England for Canterbury on the 6th September 1850. Boy, James could draw!!! During its journey, it had the company of 2 ships, one being the Sir George Seymour where Cyrus Davie was transferred over as …
The Sir George Seymour was the third ship to dock at Lyttelton, arriving 24 hours (to the hour) after the Charlotte Jane dropped her anchor. She was though, the last of the four to leave England, carrying 227 souls to a new life. Before her journey to Lyttelton in 1850, she had a history as …
The deck of the Charlotte Jane drawn by one of Canterbury’s future Superintendants, James Edward Fitzgerald. What an amazing window this man has given us of the first ship that arrived at Lyttelton at 10am on the 16th December 1850. James also was the first off the Charlotte Jane, scrambling almost over the side to …
The ‘Castle Eden’ has to be one of the most unrecognised ships that ever docked at Lyttelton. The 5th ship of the Canterbury Association arrived at Lyttelton on the 14th February 1851. She was a ship that didn’t have a smooth run from the beginning. She was forced back to Plymouth by bad weather after …
Awwww, so wished I had seen this!!! Over a week during Christmas 2010, a horse drawn Double Decker tram was dusted off (the tram, not the Clydedales ) and put to work. It was to celebrate the Tramway Extension Project. The tram dates back to the 1880’s. Sadly, of course, this project came to screaming …
Fendalton Park opened in 1935 after the land was purchased from a Miss Kate Gerard. Growing proudly there, are 163 year old (as of 2013) Oaks, the Quercus Robus Acorns that were aboard the Charlotte Jane in 1850. Haven’t yet been able to find the source of the parent trees – maybe the Botanic Gardens …
Stephen, his brother James (pictured) and James’ wife, Harriet, arrived in Canterbury on the Charlotte Jane, the first of the first four ships in December 1850. When James married Harriet, her father brought the pair 100 acres of the new Canterbury settlement. Stephen followed suit by purchasing a further 100 acres neighbouring his brother’s land …
It is unclear what kind of ship it was that Jimmy Quinn deserted off the coast of North Island that day in 1839. Most likely a whaling ship, Jimmy had decided he wanted out and disappeared into the bush of Tpiriri (Bay of Islands). It isn’t known how long he wandered around for but he …
The Coat of Arms for the City of Christchurch, New Zealand. Was designed and adopted by the Christchurch City Council in 1949. A coat of arms is broken down into these things: A Crest, Torse, Escutcheon, Supporters, Compartment and a Motto. So, ready for the break down of this crest for the us common men …
