Free’s Flag

Onboard the “Randolph”, the Canterbury Association’s 2nd ship, was the Free family.  The head of the family was John Free – a labourer – and with him was his wife Mary and their 7 children.  Believe it or not, the Free’s weren’t the largest family group to emigrate to Canterbury. The family settled beside the …

Fireworks Threatens Christchurch’s Highest Icon – 4th May 2016

Sugarloaf Scenic Reserve was once part of a grand farm known as Cashmere.  The main farming hub sat snug beside the Port Hills while the most southern boundary of grazing paddocks once reached up over the hills as far as Governors Bay.  Cashmere’s founder, India born Sir John Cracroft Wilson led his family and seventeen …

DALGETYS & CO

The old Dalgetys building on the south west corner of Moorhouse Ave and Colombo Street has always caught my eye and curiosity. Whenever entering Harvey Norman for a bit of shopping, my eyes instantly stray above the produce to take in the vast space before me. There is no mistaking that fact that the building …

The Doone Grave – Alice Cecilia Serecombe George (1885 – 1887)

When little Alice Cecilia Serecombe George was born in June 1885, her family were living in Porirua, Wellington.  Her dad, William ‘Willie’ George worked as a labourer and her mother, Emily Serecombe, had her hands full raising their young family.  On 28th November that year, her parents were married. It seemed the family moved a lot.  Alice’s oldest sister …

Rev. Charles Fraser (1823 – 1886)

Date and Place of Birth: 29th July 1823 at Aberden, Scotland Date and Place of Death: 25th August 1886 (place unknown) Roles in Early Canterbury: *Canterbury’s First Presbyterian Minister *Founder of St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church (situated at Rangi Ruru Girls High School since 1986), St Andrew’s College and Hagley Community College *Founding Member of the …

The Apothecaries Hall

In 1859, on the Southwestern corner of Colombo and Armagh Streets, a handsome, new two story wooden structure was built for Drs. Hilson and Turnbull. Designed by Thomas Tomes, the two doctors had wanted a bigger facility to replace their current quarters in Cashel Street which would not only house consultation & surgery rooms but …