“It would be difficult to imagine a greater contrast than that which exists between the level grass levels plains in the east of the Canterbury Province, and the rugged forest-covered country of the west. Tasman, in 1642, described the west coast of New Zealand as a ‘great land uplifted high,’ reminding him of the ‘Island …
Through his own drunken haze, 41 year old Donald Fraser felt rather at unease that night, or so he mentioned in passing. He staggered through the bar of the Riccarton Hotel (built 1883), which was operating beyond the law as alcohol was not to be sold after 6pm but yet again, it was almost 11pm …
*image courtesy of http://christchurchcitylibraries.com*
Grace McIlraith (nee Lyons) was only 10 years old when she came to stay at Riccarton in 1854. In the company of her parents, they had walked up to the Deans Cottage (which then faced the Avon, just a few metres from a cattle track that we know as Kahu Road today) and was met …