I was completely delighted to have been able to purchase this 90 year old booklet about Riccarton Bush last week. What a treasure! I have only had the time for a quick flick through – as I already have two books on the go – but I did come across something I thought was worth …
‘Honest John’ Cordy was manager of Homebush for the Deans from 1854 to 1859. An Englishman, he arrived in Christchurch in 1851 and ran a small run near the Bridle Path where newly arrived hoof-stock could graze before moving on when their owners were ready. On the 1st May 1854, John took over Homebush and …
A mural celebrating and acknowledging our history. “I was quite determined to see the plains if possible and we found a very good, though steep path to the top. The view was very fine, on one side the harbour, as smooth as a lake and quite encircled with high hills and down below, on the …
I’m sure as the schooner ‘Ballet’ sailed down the east coast of the Middle (South) Island, William Deans leaned against the deck railing and watched the passing coastline with great interest. He was aboard Captain Edward Daniell’s schooner as an approved stow-away and he held great hopes for what he might find down on the …
Just love these old Christchurch photos!!! Here’s Armagh Street with Riccarton Bush in the background @ 1860. This photo was taken by Dr. A.C. Barker from the roof of the Provincial Council Buildings.
The news of finding coal at Homebush had been pretty exciting for the Deans and all concerned. James McIlraith – Jane Deans’ half brother and manager of Homebush – and Julius van Haast – the founder of the Canterbury Museum – had made the discovery in the late 1870’s. Just two years later, a coal …
The Maori word ‘Papanui’ has two different meanings, no one knows for certain which one is correct as both seem to relate to the history of this area of Christchurch. Along with Riccarton Bush, there was also the Papanui Bush, both areas could be viewed easily from the Bridle Path in the sea of tussock …
It never seemed to occur to Charlotte Godley that staying behind in England was an understandable option. After all, her husband, John Robert Godley was not to be away in New Zealand for more than 3 years. Charlotte Griffith Wynne was born in North Wales in 1821. One of eight children in a well-to-do family, …
William Deans, Samuel Manson and Jimmy Robinson Clough had quite a journey to complete from the Sumner bar, down the Otakaro (the Avon River) and then on on to Putaringamotu (Riccarton) in 1841. When the party reached what is now the Barbadoes Street Bridge, by Oxford Terrace, they continued in a canoe as the Port …
On 24 February 1917, Governor Lord Liverpool officially opened Riccarton Bush to the public. It had been gifted to the people of Christchurch from the Deans family three years earlier in 1914. One of the conditions of this gift was that the bush was to be preserved for all time. This fulfilled one of the …
