On the last Sunday of October 1853, in a small carpentry shop in Cashel Street, owned by James Johnston, a small group of Scottish Presbyterian settlers gathered together. Among them were John and Jane Deans. Not only was this an historic day for the Anglican based Canterbury but it was a day of reflection and …
The 50 acres that Captain Harvey took up on the Port Hills in 1852 was considered one of Christchurch’s most beautiful spots. Heavy lush woodlands swept up the nearby valley and like most men of the new settlement, the Captain looked over his new source of timber with dollar signs in his eyes. He named …
Date and Place of Birth: 3rd December 1809 at Gloucester, South West England. Date and Place of Death: 18th July 1876 at Cashel Street West, Christchurch. An Canterbury Association Settler: Arrived on the ‘Sir George Seymour’ – 17th December 1850 Roles in Early Canterbury: * Member of the Canterbury Association * Acting Surgeon Superintendent on …
William Free was just 10 years old when he arrived in Lyttelton on the “Cressy”. 10 or so days earlier, William Guise Brittan had arrived on the “Randolph” and took his post at the Land Office. These two settlers would make history again 10 years later in 1860. Very likely, John Free, William’s father dealt …
So, how long do you to take before you marry the sister of your dead wife? Not long enough when it concerned Dr. Joseph Brittan. The scandal that chased Joseph and his new bride Sophia (pictured) down the church aisle was bad enough to make emmigration to Canterbury look real good!!! Dr. Joseph Brittan, the …
“…nothing said about the Pilgrim mothers? Yet, they bore the same discomforts, hardships and privation and in addition had to put up with the Pilgrim fathers.” Mary Rolleston – Woman’s Division of the Farmer’s Union – Year Unknown As the bells of The Holy Trinity of Avonside tolled over the eastern side of Christchurch – …
John Barton Arundel Acland was born in Devon, England. After the best of education, John followed his father’s footsteps and became a lawyer. Through a fellow colleague, Charles George Tripp, John met some of the big names of The Canterbury Association including Christchurch’s founder John Robert Godley. Liking what they were hearing about Canterbury, the …
Phillip Hill must have been a pretty ‘bad boy’ to have been disinherited by his father, John Hill Senior. Luckily for Phillips’ sons – John Jnr. and James – the disinheritance only went as far as their father.John Hill Senior actually went all out and beyond to make sure his grandsons had the best chance …
William Guise Brittan arrived in Christchurch on the Sir George Seymour, one of the first four ships. William’s main occupation before his journey was as a surgeon, serving as the doctor on board the Sir George Seymour! But once in Christchurch, he never practised medicine again. He became the Commissioner of Crown Land and was …
In January 1850, a shipment of wood from Tasmania arrives at Lyttelton. A jetty and 4 immigration barracks are built – ready for the arrival of the first ships due later that same year. One of the builders was Joseph Johnston who went on to build the first school house that became Christ College and …
