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William Deans Settles At Putaringamotu (Riccarton) – 21st February 1843
“William Deans stood all alone by the only dwelling on the vast plain, watching and waiting to welcome them. As the canoe with its contents could not be brought further up the river on account of the shallows, and the distance being too great for the children to walk, each father and boatman on landing …
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The Deans Cottage Gets Built – 1843
For the oldest dwelling on the Canterbury Plains, there is very little written about the intimate details of the Deans Cottage build – not even the actual date was thought important enough to be recorded. All we know – is that it was constructed sometime in the latter half of 1843 from Kahikatea and Matai …
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Quail Island Earned Its Name – September 1842
“Having reached the island which Quail Island raises to about 250 ft above the level of the harbour I landed at a shelly beach and ascended the hill in order to correct and complete my sketch. During my walk there I flushed several quail and from that circumstance I gave it the name Quail Island.” …
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William Deans Got His First Look At Riccarton – September 1841
I’m sure as the schooner ‘Ballet’ sailed down the east coast of the Middle (South) Island from Port Nicholson (Wellington), William Deans leaned against the deck railing and watched the passing coastline with great interest. He was aboard Captain Edward Daniell’s schooner as an approved stow-away and he held great hopes for what he might …
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