John Ballantyne (1825 – 1899) Died of old age Place of Death: Christchurch * Brought ‘The Dunstable House’ from William Pratt in 1872. This business is now known as Ballantynes. Story of Ballantynes: http://www.peelingbackhistory.co.nz/ballantynes/ John is buried at St Peter’s Anglican Church, Church Corner, Upper Riccarton,Christchurch. Photo taken by Annette Bulovic
I’m sure there weren’t enough descriptive words to explain the excitement Esther Clarkson felt at the first sale of one of her straw hats. As the coins dropped into her hand, maybe she smiled to herself and felt assured that her little business could make something of itself. She had no idea! It was 1854 …
At Church Corner, at the western end of Riccarton Road, opposite Countdown are a series of shops and arcades. Long past their prime and popularity, one arcade there especially doesn’t fit in and that would be the Peerswick Mall. This very British sounding collection of shops is now the hub of Christchurch’s Asian shopping market, …
Donald Fraser (1892 – 1933) Murdered Place of Death: Christchurch * Murdered manager of The Riccarton Racecourse Hotel Buried at the St Peter’s Anglican Cemetery, Church Corner, Upper Riccarton, Christchurch. The story of The Riccarton Racecourse Hotel: http://www.peelingbackhistory.co.nz/murder-at-riccarton-hotel/ Photo taken by Annette Bulovic
William Coles Webb (1834 – 1905) Died of old age Place of Death: Christchurch * Built the The Bush Inn Tavern. Buried at the St Peter’s Anglican Cemetery, Church Corner, Upper Riccarton, Christchurch. The story of The Bush Inn: http://www.peelingbackhistory.co.nz/the-bush-inn-tavern/ Photo taken by Annette Bulovic
Henry Francis Wigram (1857 – 1934) Died of old age Place of Death: Christchurch * The Father of Aviation in New Zealand. Buried at the St Peter’s Anglican Cemetery, Church Corner, Upper Riccarton, Christchurch. The story of Henry Francis Wigram: http://www.peelingbackhistory.co.nz/wigram-henry-francis-wigram-1857-1934/ Photo taken by Annette Bulovic
We all know the adrenaline rush when we see something that grasps our imagination in such a way, that it makes us feel like we could reach up and take the very stars out of the sky. This is what happened to Henry Francis Wigram when he saw his first plane in 1908 and he …
The racket and stink of hundreds of livestock rambling down Yaldhurst Road would make those who lived close by stay inside! Cattle, sheep, and even pigs headed down to the Addington Stockyards on Deans Ave like this for decades – causing such a trying time for residents that the Riccarton Road Board was formed mainly …
Charlotte Godley (wife of Christchurch’s founder John Robert Godley) didn’t miss a thing. During her short time in New Zealand, she observed and met some of the very early colourful characters of Canterbury. None escaped the fury of her pen when she wrote letters home to her mother in England. Mr. Mark Pringle Stoddard was …
William Chisnall and his wife Sarah (some records say Steadman) arrived in Lyttelton a few months before the First Four Ships. As William was a carpenter, he had been employed by the Canterbury Association to help ready the Port for the new settlers. Aboard the ‘Randolph’ was William Derisley (W.D) Wood, Chisnall’s brother-in-law. Together in …