“Corsets and narrow waists should be regarded as absurdities akin to Chinese bandages and stunted feet, and be shunned by all possessed of a few grains of common sense. If Dame Nature has cast us in a generous mould, let us rejoice and not attempt to dwarf her handiwork” ~ 1892 Kate Sheppard (1847 – …
“It was no idle boast that the moral tone of Canterbury was higher and its public men better educated, more honourable, and public-spirited than those of any other New Zealand settlement at that time”. Sir James ‘Doc’ Hight (1870 – 1958) * Canterbury Historian/Author * History, Political & Science Economy Professor at the Canterbury College …
What Edward William Seager lacked in wealth and breeding, he made up with his humanity and love of a good joke! As the young Seager was making his way into his working life as a porter in a London law firm, he learned of the Canterbury Association and their plans from an old school chum, …
Pictured here in 1904 is not only High Street’s taxi stand but also a clochmere, lantern in all! If you are anything like me, you would have to google the word ‘clochmere’ but by the looks of the photo, you can see it’s a toilet! What a word tho! This photo was taken at the …
As the five Oram brothers stepped off their ship (the ‘Glentanner’) at Lyttelton, they were the classic example of those chasing the New Zealand dream. It was Canterbury, 1857 and if you were willing to roll up your sleeves and do the hard yards, you could find success and fortune. The English born brothers wanted …
Charlotte Godley, the wife of Canterbury founder John Robert Godley wrote the most delightful letters home to her mother back in England and no one and I mean NO ONE escaped the fury of her pen – good or bad! I have selected the following extracts from her letters cause she shares about places we …
Just this past weekend (3rd Jan 2015) Chris and I took a delightful drive to Timaru to soak up some history that I have wanted to see since learning about the pioneering, Rhodes brothers. Here’s a short summary of their story: The Rhodes and Waitaha (Canterbury) were first introduced in 1836 when the whaling Captain …
“Please help us!!! Mummy is hurt, covered in blood!” Kenneth and Agnes Ritchie didn’t know what to think as two blood-covered teenage girls ran up to them at Victoria Park’s Tea Kiosk from the nearby walkway. Agnes recognised them as just having eaten in the tearooms just minutes earlier. As she led the distressed girls …
“Of what use are blankets, soap, tools and iron posts, when we are going to war? What does it matter whether we die cold or warm, clean or dirty, hungry or full? Give us two-barreled guns, plenty of muskets, lead, powder, cartridges, and cartouch-boxes”. Te Rauparaha – Chief of the Ngati Toa iwi based on the …
It’s a very well known feature of Victoria Square but do many people actually know what is was for and how old it is? As a teenager and before my historian gene really exploded, I just presumed it was for boats to be launched into the Avon. It is really hard to imagine this today …
