Around 6th December 1850, Charlotte Godley (pictured later in life), the wife of Canterbury Founder John Robert Godley, became the first European woman to venture west of the Deans’ farm of Riccarton. She was in a party of nine people heading to Harewood (Oxford) Forest for a exploratory camping trip – roughly ten days before …
In 1849, the Canterbury Association’s Chief Surveyor Captain Joseph Thomas and his team stood on a beach of one bay of Lyttelton Harbour (Rapaki I believe) and dared to dream – they were there to build the foundation of a future settlement. With only £2000 to play with, Captain Thomas had to choose his projects …
On the 15 June 1850, Canterbury had its first European wedding! Samuel Farr (pictured) became engaged to fellow ship passenger, Miss Pavitt before leaving England. They planned to marry upon landing. They arrived at Akaroa on the 2nd April 1850. Having no official to marry them and no wedding ring, the wedding was put on …
Scottish born carpenter, James Johnstone, was offered a job that he just couldn’t refuse. He had been happily living in Tasmania, Australia after immigrating with his wife Janet and their children in 1843. Now, as the new Foreman Carpenter for the Canterbury Association – earning 63 shillings a week – he made his plans to …
As the Bridle Path was being sliced into the side of the Port Hills in 1849 – above Lyttelton which was well under construction – at the path’s foot, another structure was rising, under the watchful eye of its owner – Major Alfred Hornbrook. It was to be Canterbury’s first commercial enterprise, hotel and humble …
On 21st November 1849, Maori workers of Road Gang No.1 walked off the job in Lyttelton after laying a complaint to the Canterbury Association of having ‘ill language’ used against them and also in response to the threat of a pay cut. This was Canterbury’s first industrial action. The following day, Superintendent George Compton handed …
On the 25th December 1848, Christchurch had its first Christmas Day. On the newly named Canterbury Plains, 9 people (maybe the only people on the plains that day) crowded into the Deans Cottage to make the most of the day. Some of those who attended were Captain Joseph Thomas (Chief surveyor for the Canterbury Association …
On the 15th December 1848, Canterbury Association surveyors, Captain Joseph Thomas, Thomas Cass, Charles Orbin Torlesse (pictured) and New Zealand Company Agent William Fox arrived at Port Cooper (Lyttelton) – almost two years to the day before the arrival of the First Four Ships. They stepped ashore on the beach at Rapaki and surrounded by …
On 12th June 1848, forty Ngai Tahu chiefs signed the ‘Kemp Deed’ (also known as the Ngaitahu Purchase) at Akaroa. The New Zealand Company, acting on behalf of the Crown, purchased just over eight million acres of Te Wai Pounamu (the South Island) from the native people for £2000. The Waitaha area of this purchase …
As Edward Gibbon Wakefield – the director of the New Zealand Company – was recovering from a stroke at Malvern, England, he got chatting with a new up and coming colonisation promoter who was beginning to make a name for himself. His name was John Robert Godley and this meeting was the birth of the …
