Mr. Robert Parker came to Lyttelton in 1864 by the ship “Captain Cook.” He was born at Greenwich, England, in 1832, and was brought up as an engineer. For some time after arriving in New Zealand Mr. Parker was employed on coastal vessels, trading between Lyttelton and Westland, and was at one time wrecked at Hokitika. In 1872 he settled in the Leithfield district, where he found employment as an engineer up to the time of his death. He was drowned in the Kowai river in 1880. Mr. Parker was married, in 1861, to a daughter of Mr. J. Pepperill, carrier, of Christchurch, and had eight sons and seven daughters. One son and one daughter are dead.

Mr. Alfred Rhodes was born in Stepney, London, in 1818, and was brought up to the sea. He first saw New Zealand in 1845, as a sailor on the ship “Ralph Burnell,” which during that year called at Wellington and at Nelson. Not long afterwards he sailed to Lyttelton with a small schooner, which brought Messrs Greenwood Brothers to Purau and Motunau, and also Messrs Prebble Brothers, who gave their name to Prebbleton. He also conveyed stores from Wellington in the “Sarah Jane,” a vessel owned by Mr. Fitzherbert, for the first surveyors in Otago; and his was the first boat that entered the Molyneux river. Some time afterwards Mr. Rhodes settled at Lyttelton, whence by direction of Captain Thomas, he was sent with a large sealing boat to the Waimakariri, the future site of Kaiapoi, with stores for the Canterbury Association's surveyors, of whom Mr. J. C. Boys was the chief, and Mr. Alfred Weston and the late Mr. Charles Denby were page 534 assistants. Mr. Rhodes and his crew ascended the Kaiapoi river for about six miles; they found it navigable all the way, and were able to sail for most of the distance. The Maoris witnessed the progress up the river with great interest, and assisted in guiding the voyagers to the survey party. Beyond the open land, where Kaiapoi now stands, there was then a dense bush of about a thousand acres. That was all before the arrival of Mr. J. R. Godley, the founder of Canterbury, and the “pilgrims” of the first four ships. Mr. Rhodes afterwards became a Canterbury settler under the Canterbury Association. He lived till 1862 in Lyttelton, where he found plenty of work for the lighters and coasting vossels, in which he was interested. In that year he settled in the Mount Grey Downs district, and afterwards devoted his time to farming. Mr. Rhodes was married on the 4th of December, 1852, to the eldest daughter of the late Mr. W. G. Chainey, of Christchurch, one of the passengers by the “Randolph,” in 1850, and had eight sons and seven daughters. Three sons and one daughter predeceased him. Mr. Rhodes died at his residence, Leichfield, on the 2nd of October, 1902.

Mr. John Smellie, who was connected with the district of Leithfield for over forty years, was born in Peebleshire, Scotland, on the 13th of April, 1832. He was brought up as a stonemason, and came to New Zealand in 1858 by the ship “Indiana,” which landed at Lyttelton. Soon afterwards he took up land at Leithfield, but also worked for some time at his trade in Christchurch. In 1866 he settled permanently at Leithfield, where he farmed successfully until April, 1902, when he retired in favour of his son. Mr. Smellie was a member of the Leithfield school committee for twenty years, and three times chairman, and for several years he was treasurer of the Kowai Rifle Club. He was identified with every movement and organisation beneficial to the district, especially the founding of the district library, public school, and Presbyterian Church, and endeared himself to the people of the Leithfield distriot by his warm, generous, and cheerful disposition. Mr. Smellie was married in New Zealand in 1865, and has a family of one son and three daughters. He now (1903) lives in retirement at 46 Armagh Street, Christchurch.

Mr. J. Smellie.

Mr. Samuel Wornall was one of the band of settlers who landed in Lyttelton from the ship “Sir George Seymour” on the 16th of December, 1850, and was born in County Wicklow, Ireland, in 1810. He settled at Leithfield, in 1859, and is said to have been the first settler who made his home on the north side of Saltwater Creek. Mr. Wornall imported one of the first thrashing machines used in the district. He was married, in 1843, to a daughter of the late Mr. A. Jackson, of County Wicklow. Mrs Wornall, who was born in 1820, survives her husband, who died in March, 1892. The family consists of seven sons and two daughters, and there are thirty-eight grandchildren, and sixty-eight greatgrandchildren.

Photo lent by Mr. J. J. Collins, of Collins of Harman.
Mount Gray Downs Homestead.