Throughout the three months at sea, Canterbury Association settlers, James Edward Fitzgerald and Dr. A.C. Barker baited each other about who would be first to step ashore from the ‘Charlotte Jane’ if she were the first ship out of the four to arrive at Lyttelton. On 16 December 1850, the ‘Charlotte Jane’ was indeed the …
Elizabeth Reid McCombs knew what it was like to grow up in hard times. The early death of her father had sent her family into quite a spiral but with the great influences that were over the young Elizabeth’s life, she went on to take her place in Christchurch’s and New Zealand’s history. Born in …
On 10th August 1932, the statue of Captain James Cook – the first European to do a circumnavigation of New Zealand – was unveiled in Victoria Square by the Governor General, Lord Bledisloe. Gifted to the city by bookmaker and philanthropist, Matthew Barnett, he launched a competition amongst the Christchurch architects to design a memorial …
As a small child back in the 1980’s, with my hand firmly inside my mother’s, we would dash across Cathedral Square in all kinds of weather, usually heading towards the five story, art deco designed building that housed the women’s restrooms. If we were going south across the Square, my eyes would always stray to …
Robert Ewing McDougall was just a child when his family moved to Christchurch from Melbourne, Australia. Born to Scottish parents, McDougall grew to be small and frail in body but it was once remarked that his very blue eyes were ones that held many dreams. He first appears as an adult in Christchurch’s history as …
On 1 April 1932, the Honourable Mayor D.G. Sullivan opened a new 40 shop complex named New Regent Street. At that time, Christchurch, like the rest of the world, was in the grip of The Great Depression. Regent Street Limited were forced to offer their retail space rent free – at first – to get …
On 26th February 1931, the Bowker Fountain began operation in Victoria Square. Since 1864, Henry Layton Bowker had worked his land and estate business opposite Market Place (Victoria Square) on Colombo Street. Quite often he caught himself glancing out his window thinking how nice it would be to have a fountain to look at. When …
On 16 December 1930, a stone memorial was built around a natural spring that the first settlers used for water – just a few metres from Settler’s Corner in Hagley Park. Over 700 pilgrims flooded into Lyttelton between 16 and 27 December 1850 from our First Four Ships. Although many public works had occurred to …
The north eastern corner of Lichfield and Manchester Streets has had quite a life. During the 1850’s, William ‘Cabbage’ Wilson (remembered in the naming of Wilsons Road) ran his market garden there. Wilson was quite a presence – 6 feet tall and weighing in at 18 stone. He was a man of immense energy and …
On 11 December 1929, the Edmonds Band Rotunda was opened. The Rotunda had been one of a few constructions paid for by the Edmonds family in celebration of their 50th year of living in Christchurch, a city they cared about very much. Sadly, the rotunda was lost to Canterbury quakes of 2011/2012. The dome and …
