“…with all his failings, was perhaps the best superintendent of his time in New Zealand”. Written by James Edward Fitzgerald (Canterbury’s 1st Superintendent) about William Sefton Moorhouse (Canterbury’s 2nd Superintendent) – 1863 *text from ‘Blest Madman’ by Edmund Bohan *image courtesy of http://earlycanterbury.blogspot.co.nz* Illustrated London News, March 20, 1886; pg. 292; Issue 2448
Rose Mairehau Hutton nee Rhodes (1894 – 1991) Died of old age Place of Death: Christchurch * The suburb of Mairehau is named in Rose’s memory. * She is the sister of Arthur Edgar Gravenor Rhodes – Christchurch’s 24th Mayor 1901/02 * She is the niece of William Sefton Moorhouse. * She …
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 …
Those walking or travelling down Riccarton Road – known as Harewood Road in them days – during 1851 or thereabouts, I’m sure would have slowed their step and craned their neck in wonder at what was rising out of the Shands Estate. What was that crazy John Shand up too? Is that a tower? Widower …
Redcliffs in Maori is ‘Raekura’ and for some historians, the name of Redcliffs came about in the attempt of the European trying to spell and pronounce ‘Raekura’ correctly. ‘Raekura’ means ‘red glowing headlands’ so on the flip side of the ‘naming’ coin is the obvious red cliffs of Redcliffs. The first European name for the …
Known by the locals as Aylesbury’s Bend, the intersection of Railway, Bealey, Aylesbury, West Coast (once known as Bealey’s Track) and Station Roads in Aylesbury, Canterbury used to be known as Bealey’s Crossing. Bealey Road begins here and ends in Hororata. As the West Coast Road was once known as Bealey’s Track, this would have …
The view of Waitaha (Canterbury Plains) from the top of the Te Poho o Tamatea (Port Hills) in the late 1830’s wouldn’t be hard to imagine – swamp, grass, cabbage trees, flax and Toi Toi. Was it a place where a future could begin for someone not afraid of hard work? William Barnard Rhodes (pictured) …
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. …
When Superintendent William Sefton Moorhouse approached Julius von Haast in 1860, he was hoping for a miracle. Just a newcomer to Canterbury, German born Julius was finding that life was taking him on a completely different road than he mapped out for himself before his arrival. There were no complaints from Julius though as he …
The Christchurch Tramway Board, the Christchurch Drainage Board, Waimairi County Council and the Lyttelton Harbour Board I’m sure kept Wilfred John Walter very, very busy! He did find the time and seized the opportunity to name the area that would be known as the suburb of Mairehau. He named the area after Mrs. Rose Mairehau …
