Bealey’s Crossing

Known by the locals as Aylesbury’s Bend, the intersection of Railway, Bealey, Aylesbury, West Coast (once known as Bealey’s Track) and Station Roads in Aylesbury, Canterbury used to be known as Bealey’s Crossing. Bealey Road begins here and ends in Hororata. As the West Coast Road was once known as Bealey’s Track, this would have …

St George’s Chapel, Barbadoes Street Cemetery

Today, all that marks where the St George’s Chapel (pictured) stood in the Barbadoes (should have been spelt Barbados – a 1849 typo that wasn’t corrected) Street Cemetery is a large plaque with a grave map and an acknowledgement to all that were buried there without ceremony or marker. Barbadoes is considered to be Christchurch’s …

HILLSBOROUGH – Edward Garland (1824 – 1893)

Edward and Annie Garland arrived at Lyttelton in 1854. No one today could begin to relate to what was going through Annie’s mind as she was led over the Bridle Path on the back of a white bullock! Edward got himself some land between the hills and the Heathcote River and built a little cob …

RICHMOND – Joseph John Anderson (1832 – 1912)

Morice Bing was born in Hungary in 1830. He served in the army before emigrating to Australia in 1852. For eight years he made his way in New South Wales before arriving in Christchurch in 1860. He made a living farming sheep and classing wool. He became a well known face around the Addington Saleyards. …

Leontine Standish – Countess de Lapasture (1843 – 1869)

Leontine Standish was described as a charming, graceful social butterfly. She must have been that and more as she caught the eye of a Count who clearly adored her – Gerald Gustaus Ducarel, the 4th Marquis de Lapasture. They were married in England on the 4th July 1864. Even though Gerald was from a long …

John Bealey (1817 – 1867)

John Bealey (1817 – 1867)            Died of illness        Place of death: Christchurch The brother of Canterbury’s third Superintendent, Samuel Bealey. For the story of the Bealey’s: http://www.peelingbackhistory.co.nz/samuel-bealey-1821-1909/ John is buried at Barbadoes Street Cemetery. *photo taken by Chris Bulovic*

Samuel Bealey (1821 – 1909)

As the Bealey brothers – Samuel and John – made the most of their sea voyage to Lyttelton in 1851, they shared their ship, the ‘Cornwall’ with the Moorhouse brothers – William, Benjamin and Thomas – totally unaware how together, they would make Canterbury history. Samuel (pictured) was born in Lancashire, England in 1821. He …

Dr. A.C. Barker (1819 – 1873)

Date and Place of Birth: 5th January 1819 at Hackney, London Date and Place of Death:  20th March 1873 at Christchurch (from Meningitis) A Canterbury Association Settler:  Arrived on the ‘Charlotte Jane’ – 16th December 1850 Roles in Early Canterbury: *Surgeon Superintendent on the ‘Charlotte Jane’ *Set up the first Doctor’s surgery in Christchurch – …

Dr. A.C. Barker (1819 – 1873)

Dr. A.C. Barker sought opportunities, fortune and we should be so grateful that he did.Born in Hackney, London in 1819, A.C. was a well established young doctor and surgeon. He couldn’t pass on the great opportunity of becoming the on board doctor on the ‘Charlotte Jane’ in 1850. This not only gave him free passage …

Bishop Henry James Chitty Harper (1804 – 1893)

Bishop Henry James Chitty Harper was the first Bishop of Canterbury. He started his religious career as the Chaplin of Eton and then was the Vicar of Stratfield Mortimer in Berkshire. It was there that he was approached by Bishop George Augustus Selwyn (who was the Bishop of New Zealand) who asked him to become …