Other formats

    TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Canterbury Provincial District]

Old Colonists

Old Colonists.

Mr. William James Jenkins, one of the early settlers in the Courtenay district, was born in Oxford, England, in 1833. He went to school at Oxford, and afterwards studied at St. Peter's College, where he was also a chorister. In 1854 Mr. Jenkins left England in the ship “Forest Queen,” for Melbourne, where he joined in the “rush” to the goldfields at Kingour, Mount Korong, and Sandy Creek. He met with only moderate success, and afterwards followed pastoral work on stations on the Murray and Avoca. In 1857 Mr. Jenkins arrived in Nelson, and joined there in the gold “rush,” which proved a failure. He then went to Wellington, but removed thence to Canterbury, where he obtained an engagement in pastoral work on Mr. Allan McLean's estate, Lagmher, near Ashburton. At that time none of the neighbouring runs were stocked. After remaining at Lagmhor for twelve months, he went to Anama, near the Hinds, and for two years was engaged in pastoral work for Mr George Gawler Russell, on his station, He then removed to Prebbleton, and started farming on his own account. About 1862 Mr. Jenkins went to Courtenay, where he was engaged in pastoral work on the Racecourse Hill estate He bought land at Waddington at the same time, and also a holding at Courtenay, where he has ever since resided. His Courtenay property contains some of the best land in the district. Of late years Mr. Jenkins has retired from active life, and the farm is now worked by his son. In 1900 he took a trip to the Old Country, and re-visited the scenes of his youthful days. Mr. Jenkins served on the Courtenay school committee, and has been a churchwarden of St. Matthew's church. He is also a member of the Courtenay. Domain Board. Mr. Jenkins was married at Riccarton, and has a family of three sons and four daughters.

Mr. James Robertson, one of the pioneers of Courtenay, and for many years identified with the district, was born in Caithness, Scotland, in 1825. he was brought up to a pastoral life. In 1851 he left the Old Country in the ship “Isabella Hercus,” and landed at Lyttelton. Soon after landing Mr Robertson went to Courtenay, where he was employed for some years as a shepherd on the Desert run. He took up a farm of Government land in the later fifties, and successfully worked it up to the time of his death, in 1887. Mr. Robertson was one of the first vice-presidents of the Courtenay Agricultural and Pastoral Association. He was married in Scotland, and left a surviving family of two sons and one daughter.