James Jellie was born in Grey Valley, Greymouth in 1889. Even as a young lad, James seemed drawn to the wide open spaces and loved being in the outdoors. He moved to Christchurch in 1917 and purchased 26 acres in Burnside/Bryndwr. He used the land as a commercial grower but lived at 321 Russley Road …
So, what are cities built on? Before all the politically correct answers start rolling through your mind, the answer is much simpler than that…a city is built on a dream. Edward Gibbon Wakefield (Owner of the New Zealand Company) and John Robert Godley (pictured) shared the same dream. In 1848, they founded the Canterbury Association …
The Fire Brigade respond with great haste to a fire in Christchurch in 1900. *image courtesy of the http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/*
*Painting done by A.A. Stewart*
There would have been no hope for this old ledger if it hadn’t been behind glass at the Canterbury Museum. A ledger of land purchased up to the 30th April 1868 – section numbers, purchaser’s surnames, where and what acreage. Some names just jumped out of the page at me, I was so buzzing that …
William Bayly Bray (1812 – 1885) Died of old age Place of Death: Christchurch Behind the naming of the suburb of Avonhead. Buried at Woolston Cemetery, Christchurch The story of William Bayly Bray: http://www.peelingbackhistory.co.nz/avonhead-william-bayley-bray-1812-1885/ Photo taken by Annette Bulovic.
William, his wife Harriet and their four children arrived in Lyttelton in June 1851. Engineer by trade, William purchased 500 acres and called it Avonwood Farm. William discovered quite a few springs on his land that made the beginning of the Avon River so as it was the head of the Avon River, it was …
Just had to share this wonderful description of the beginnings of Linwood and Avonside written by Rosamund Rolleston, the granddaughter of a very influential Canterbury founding father – William Rolleston. To give a very quick background check, William Rolleston was Canterbury’s last Superintendant and remembered today in the naming of Rolleston Ave, his (currently missing/under …
While pigging out on KFC one Friday evening with Chris, parked up on Picton Street in Riccarton, I noticed something pinned on these particularly large Cabbage Trees. This photo doesn’t do justice to the size. I had commented to Chris on other occasions about the size, remarking that these Cabbage Trees must have been around …
A cattle drive to the Addington Saleyards in 1952. The stockmen from left to right are Keith Harrison, Bob Petheram, Denny Bunz and Lester Sparks. Unfortunately I do not know where they worked or where this photo was taken. *Image courtesy of Rural Livestock Ltd Canterbury*
