The Hart family are a classic example of what us Cantabs come up with when we think of a Canterbury Association settler and what they must have endured. Here was a family from the ‘Cressy’ (the Canterbury Association’s 4th ship) that were struggling through the sea of tussock of the Canterbury Plains (after tramping over …
On 15 December 1873, the foundation stone of New Zealand’s first teacher trainee/mainstream school – to be named Normal School – was laid by New Zealand’s Governor, Sir James Fergusson. A Normal or Model School is a school where trainee teachers can observe a classroom first hand. This was New Zealand’s first Teacher’s College. It …
On 6th June 1873, the Canterbury College was opened, welcoming students from both sexes, all classes and denominations. Today we know this institution as the University of Canterbury. It had been the dream of the Canterbury Association that Christchurch’s Cathedral and college be at the heart of the new settlement. Rev. Henry Jacobs had been …
Dr. A.C. Barker (pictured at the Godley Statue) sought opportunities and fortune – and we should be so grateful that he did. He couldn’t pass up the great opportunity of becoming the on-board doctor of the Canterbury Association’s first ship ‘Charlotte Jane’ in 1850. This not only gave him free passage for he and his …
On 27th January 1873, after the passing of the Canterbury Public Domain Act 1872 by the Canterbury Provincial Council, the Christchurch Domain Board was formed. Their main role was the protection and development of North and South Hagley Park in conjunction with the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society. Throughout the 1860s, the Public Domain (Hagley Park) wasn’t …
With the game of golf believed to have been introduced to New Zealand by her Scottish settlers, it’s not hard to believe that in 1871, Otago was the first region in the country to establish a golf club. Canterbury followed suit two years later by the founding of the Hagley Golf Club, our first. Its …
In 1872 – in a breakaway move from The Christchurch Club which opened in 1856 – The Canterbury Club was founded. Land was needed to build their clubhouse so a ballot was organized and a section on the corner of Cambridge Terrace and Worchester Street was selected. Designs were soon drawn up by Fredrick Stout …
Cyrus Davie will always hold the most interesting record regarding our First Four Ships. He was the only passenger who made this historic journey on two of them! Charmingly, this resulted in him making the voyage from England to Canterbury two days faster than any other of his fellow settlers. Purchasing a passage on the …
Eliza Robinson had no idea what to think when loud screaming from the hallway made her look up from her cup of tea. She had been enjoying a hot drink with her daughters and house guest Patrick Campbell in the dining room, when, suddenly, her maid Margaret Burke burst into the room, stumbling down onto …
In 1871, Canterbury’s first Catholic Church was opened on Shands Road, near the intersection with Boundry Road, near Rolleston. The parish of this tiny church (Church of the Most Blessed Sacrament) stretched from The Conway (Kaikoura) to the Rangitata River! (Ashburton) The land was gifted by Patrick Henley and the first Father was named Chervier. …
