Date of birth

20 January 1841 at Reading, England

Died

31 October 1912

Married

Married Hannah Whitefoord 4 December 1873

Children

One son and three daughters (born in Oamaru)

Education

• King Edward VI Gramma School, Ludlow
• Dr Benham’s Commerical School, Gloucester

Career

• Travelled to New Zealand on the “Queen of the Mersey” 1862
• Draper, Christchurch 1863
• Editor, Oamaru Times 1867
• Otago Provincial Council 1875-76
• Mayor of Oamaru 1875-77
• Member of House of Representatives for Waitaki 1871-75
• Newspaper Proprietor (purchased the Waimate Times 1879) and later the Ashburton Mail and Guardian
• Represented Waimate in Parliament 1881-1912 (in 41 yeas in Parliament missed attendance only once due to steamer breakdown)
• Speaker of the House 1891-1893
• Member Legislative Council June 1912
• Also known as “The Beast with a Bill” a title given to him by his parliamentary colleagues, because of his passion for the introduction of bills to the House

Honour

• Knighted 1902
• Memorial tablet erected in St Augustine Church, Waimate

Other activities

• Member Waimate High School Board
• Member Ashburton High School Board
• Member South Canterbury Board of Education
• Served on Dock Trust and its successor the Harbour Board
• Instrumental in establishing Government settlements at Nukuroa, Waitaki and Wainono
• Promoted the acquisition of the Waikakahi and Pareora Estate for closer settlement

Interests

• Volunteer Rifle Companies
• Horticultual Society

Publications

• Volume of Poems “Carmina Varia” 1867
• “The Rhyme of the Mapourika” 1903
• “Parliamentary Procedure” 1904
• “The Vision of Aorangi” 1906

Last updated: 16 Sep 2021