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South Island’s First Maori Mission Church Gives Canterbury Its First Spire – 1867
When the Rev. James West Stack took up his post as the leading missionary of Canterbury’s ‘Maori Mission’ in 1859, he came across a very fragmented and weary Ngai Tahu. The memories of the deadly raids of the North Island’s Ngati Toa Chief, Te Rauparaha, during the late 1820’s weren’t even close to being forgotten. …
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Hagley Park Began To Take Shape – 1867
With the employment of the city’s first full time gardener, Enoch Barker in 1867, the Christchurch Botanical Gardens and namely, Hagley Park began to really take shape. The trees that border Hagley Park, along the side of our main avenues, were planted by him. Before Hagley grew and developed into what we know today, the …
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Moa Bones Find Puts Canterbury On The World Map – 2nd December 1866
The discovery of Moa bones on 2 December 1866 not only put Canterbury on the world map but also helped Julius von Haast with the expansion of what would become the Canterbury Museum’s historic collection. With the discovery of Moa bones at Glenmark Swamp, Julius was able to trade some of the remains with overseas …
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Cantab Surveyor Murdered – 28th May 1866
On 28th May 1866, surveyor George Dobson was riding on horseback alone by the Grey River (near Greymouth) when he was stopped by two men. I’m sure confusion soon turned to terror when firearms were produced and an order for gold was made. For poor George, it was a case of misidentification and being in …
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