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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Canterbury Provincial District]

Old Colonists

Old Colonists.

Mr. Thomas Crowe has been a settler in the Oxford district for many years. He was born in Essex, England, in 1821; came to Lyttelton by the ship “Ambrosyne,” and commenced dairy farming at Oxford, where he followed that occupation until reaching the age of eighty years, when he sustained an accident, and has since been confined to his bed. Mr. Crowe was married, in 1845, to a daughter of the late Mr. S. Turnbridge, of Essex, and has five sons and five daughters, forty-five grandchildren, and eighteen great-grandchildren.

Mr. Thomas Ellis, sometime of Ashley Gorge Station, near Oxford, was the son of Dr T. Ellis, of Birmingham, England, and was born in that city. He married Miss Cumming, of Tipperary, Ireland, and arrived in Christchurch shortly after the first four ships. Mr. Ellis was the first proprietor of the Golden Fleece Hotel, Christchurch, and in those early days hotelkeeping was very different from what it has become in later years.
The late Mr. T. Ellis.

The late Mr. T. Ellis.

Mr. Ellis was successful in his business, and then entered into pastoral pursuits. In this connection he settled down as lessee of the Ashley Gerge station, near Oxford. The land on the run was then in a very rough state, but by hard work and good management Mr. Ellis made the station a valuable property, and he secured the freehold of the best of the land around the homestead. After working the property and residing on it for about fourteen years, Mr. Ellis returned to England for the purpose of educating his family, and he resided there till the time of his death, which occurred about the year 1890. His English home was near his native city, Birmingham, and there, while he lived, he always gave a cordial and hospitable welcome to visitors from Canterbury. Mrs Ellis died about two years after her husband, leaving two sons and two daughters. The sons visited New Zealand in the latter part of the year 1900.

Mr. Henry Ffitch arrived by the ship “Sir George Pollock,” in Lyttelton, in 1831, and has been well known in Canterbury. He has been engaged in farming for a number of years, and has held office as inspector of farms for the Church Property Trustees since 1896. Mr. Ffitch served on the Oxford Road Board for four years, and was for about five years chairman of the Kiri Kiri school committee He was married, in 1885, to the daughter of Mr. G. Dunnage, of Papanui, Christchurch, and has two sons and one daughter.

Mr. John Fisher arrived in Lyttelton in 1858 by the ship “Strathallan.” He was born in Middleten, Lancashire, England, in 1847, and was brought up to country life in the Oxford district. For eight years and a half Mr. Fisher was proprietor of the Terminus Hotel, Oxford, and for a number of years afterwards worked a threshing plant. Since November, 1901, he has been engaged in dairy-farming at East Oxford, where he owns 100 acres of land. Mr. Fisher was married, in 1872, to a daughter of Mr. W. Crump, of Dannevirke, and has ten sons and five daughters living. One son and one daughter are dead.

Mr. John Ingram left Scotland in 1868 for South Africa. After a residence there of nine months he went to Australia, whence he came to Canterbury at the close of 1869, and has resided in the Oxford district since 1870. He was for about four years engaged as clerk and surveyor to the Cust Road Board, and then started in business at Oxford as estate agent in 1873 and as auctioneer in 1882. He was chairman of the Oxford Road Board and member for the Oxford riding in the Ashley County Council in 1883. In 1884 he was placed on the commission of the peace, and was for some years chairman of the East Oxford School Committee. Mr. Ingram has been generally Identified with most public matters since his residence in Oxford.

Mr. J. Ingram.

Mr. J. Ingram.

Mr. Frederick Luers was born at Dedesdorf on the Rhine in 1837. He left his native land at the age of ten or eleven, and went to London. When eighteen Mr. Luers came out to Lyttelton, and was for a short time at Papanui. Afterwards he spent a few years in the Rangiora district, and finally settled at Oxford in 1862. Scon afterwards he commenced farming, and also owned teams engaged in carrying on the road for a short time. About 1864 Mr. Luers acquired the hotel known as “The Harewood Arms,” at East Oxford, and conducted it for twelve years. In the meantime he had become interested in the sawmilling business, and was actively engaged in connection therewith till his retirement in 1882. Mr. Luers was an active member of the Oxford Road Board, and also served on the school committee for a number of years. In 1862 he married a daughter of the late Mr. W. Knowles, of Oxford, formerly of Papanui, and at his death, in 1896, left three sons and two daughters.

MrsMrF. Luers.

Mrs [sic: Mr]F. Luers.

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Mr. Charles Marshall Lugar arrived in Australia in 1854. In 1866 he came to Hokitika, and after a few months, walked overland to Canterbury, where he has since been a settler in the northern districts. He has been closely identified with Oxford since 1868. After working in the bush for some years, he was incapacitated by an accident, and has since found occupation in clerical work, and the compilation of statistics and census work for the Government. He was married, in 1867, to the widow of the late Mr. George Gibbs, of Woodend, and has six daughters and one son. At the time of his marriage, Mrs Gibbs had two sons and two daughters.

Mrs E. Newnham, Widow of the late Mr. W. T. Newnham, and daughter of the late Mr. T. Coster, of Harewood Road, Papanui, was born in Gloucestershire, England, and came to Lyttelton in 1851, with her parents, seven sisters and one brother. Her husband was born at Cardiff, Wales, in 1839, and educated at the Bluecoat School, London. He came to Lyttelton in the ship “Sir Edward Paget,” in 1857. For six years Mr Newnham was clerk for Messrs Peacock and Co., in Christchurch, and afterwards entered into business as a general storekeeper with Mr. Buddle at Beehive Store, Kaiapoi. At a later date Mr. Newnham had another store in Kaiapoi, and carried it on until his death, in 1870. A son of Mrs Newnham is storekeeper and postmaster at Ohoka.

Mr. James George Stevenson was born in Bexley, Kent, England, in 1832, and was brought up to country life. He landed at Lyttlton in 1854, and was settled at Akaroa for nineteen years. In 1874 he settled at West Oxford, and has been engaged in dairy farming. He was married, in 1855, to a daughter of Mr. J. Pawson, of Akaroa, an old Port Nicholson settler, and has five sons and three daughters.

Mr. Alexander Smith came to Lyttelton in 1855 as second mate of the ship “Oriental.” He was born in Montrose, Scotland, in 1832, and was apprenticed to the sea. He resided for a short time at Kaiapoi, and for four years at Waimate, before settling in the Oxford district in 1869. Mr. Smith was married, in 1857, to the daughter of the late Mr. L. Giles, of Kaiapoi, and has seven daughters and three sons.

Mr. James Whyte, sometime of West Oxford, was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1841, and arrived at Lyttelton by the ship “Blue Jacket,” in 1864. Mr. Whyte was engaged in country life as a contractor for ploughing, or as manager of stations for a considerable number of years, and settled at Oxford. He was married, in 1866, to a daughter of the late Mr. J. Edwards, of Dublin, and left four sons and five daughters, when he died in 1889. One daughter has since died.