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The Early Canterbury Runs: Containing the First, Second and Third (new) Series

Grassdale — (Run 154)

Grassdale
(Run 154)

This little run on the south branch of the Kowai was five thousand acres, and was taken up in the name of William le Fleming on 27th August, 1855. I think Jackson and Fleming sold it to Longden and Deane with the rest of Easedale Nook in 1860, and that Longden and Deane sold it to Edward Corker Minchin almost at once. Minchin had Grassdale at least as late as May, 1876, and in 1881 it belonged to William Atkinson, who lived at Ayresdale, near Springfield, during the 'eighties.

Minchin was the owner of Mt. White. He always lived in Christchurch, and his sons looked after his station interests.

Atkinson still had Grassdale in 1887, but D. G. Matheson had both Ayresdale and Grassdale in 1890, and about 1895 he bought Benmore to work with them. D. G. Matheson took his sons into partnership-later on, and in 1903 the firm was again changed to Matheson and Wright. Dalgety and Co. took over both stations in 1904. Their manager was F. J. Busch.

H. V. Murray bought Grassdale and Benmore from Dalgety and Co. about 1914, and sold them to J. D. Mathieson, an Otago man, in 1920. Mathieson sold them to the present owner, F. M. Robinson, a son of Gladstone Robinson, of Timaru, in January, 1927.

I have said that Minchin was the owner of Grassdale for many years, because the lease has held in his name, but I do not feel sure that he was more than a mortgagee. Unfortunately I have not met anyone since my notes were burned who remembers the place in the 'sixties and early 'seventies.