There is something extra special about a man who could hold a subdued conservation with the likes of William Sefton Moorhouse about the Railway coming to Christchurch (with a cigar in hand I’m sure) whereas on the flipside he could also fit in at a local tavern full of the rough and tumbles from the …
Arthur Morton Ollivier (1851 – 1897) Died of illness Place of Death: Christchurch * Professional New Zealand Cricketer 1867 – 1883 * Founded the Canterbury Chess Club 1877 * President of the Old Boys’ Association of Christ College 1895 – 1897 * Remembered in the naming of Mount Ollivier, Canterbury Buried at the …
John Ollivier (1812 – 1893) Died of old age Place of Death: Christchurch * Member of the Canterbury Provincial Council 1855 – 1866 * Member of Parliament 1856 – 1860 * Member of the Executive Council 1857 – 1860 * Member of the Christchurch Town Council 1863 – 1865 * Reason of the …
It was late 1853 when the Ollivier family stepped off the ‘John Taylor’ to seize all the opportunities that were on offer in Canterbury and that they did, for generations to come. John Ollivier, the head of the family, was a publisher by trade. After receiving the best education in France, the British born teenager …
It always stops you in your tracks when you come across a grave of a child. It’s hard to comprehend a young life finished and when by accident, it’s even worse. William Dixon Jnr was only 8 years and 7 months when he accidentally drowned in the family home on the 23rd October 1869. He …
When driving down Ferry Road, heading east through what is regarded as Woolston Village, I always find myself seeking out a building that I simply know as “…the Catherine Street…” abode and the fact that embedded in its walls, is the road sign for Catherine Street makes it even more intriguing. Now the home of …
There was one thing that people knew about Clement Goodwin Jones for sure – he did not like motorbikes. On the 23rd December 1908, he showed up at Lancaster Park to climb aboard that very thing. Known as ‘Scorcher Jones’, Clement was a very well known Christchurch based cyclist. His whole life revolved around the …
“Without a moment’s warning, while busy at his play, this bight and fun loving fair-haired boy, was quickly snatched away”. On the day of the 22nd March 1882, 7 year old George Victor Moncks and friend were playing alongside the Avon Heathcote Estuary, not far from the Moncks’ Redcliffs home. The pair was trying to …
In spite of the traffic that began to use the Heathcote River from the arrival of the first four ships in 1850, Woolston did not show real signs of life until the building of its church – St John the Evangelist – in 1857. Just a little cob building, a community began to settle in …
Not being able to ignore such a strong historic name, in spite of being 90% sure this was no relation to William Sefton Moorhouse, I just had to make sure. I stood there for a moment, recalling that William had arrived in Lyttelton in 1851 with his two brothers, Benjamin and Thomas…who was this J.C. …
