Mr. Thomas Richard Marshall Cresswell was an Old Colonist, who brought his family out in the ship “Sir George Seymour.” He was a builder by trade in London, where he was in business on his own account. On his arrival in Canterbury he followed his calling, and erected many buildings in Christchurch in the early days. The old Clarendon Hotel, so long one of the landmarks of Christchurch, was built by Mr Cresswell as a residence for Mr. William Guise Brittan, who was chairman of the Council of Land Purchasers under the Canterbury Association. Mr. Cresswell also built the residence of Mr C. W. Turner, Papanui Road, that of the late Mr. F. Garrick, the Hon. J. T. Peacock's present residence, and others. After retiring he lived on the Papanui Road, and finally at Carlton Mill Road. He died at the age of seventy-six on the 2nd of May, 1890.