THE LATE REV. J. RAVEN.

Press, Volume XLIII, Issue 6546, 15 September 1886, Page 2

THE LATE REV. J. RAVEN.

I a News has been reoeived in Christohurch of the death in England of the Rev. J. Raven. The deceased gentleman, who was one of the oldest settlers iv the Woodend district, will be remembered by many of the older colonists, and thefew particulars we give concerning hia will doubtless be read with interest. _r Raven was educated at the University «( Cambridge, and upou his taking holy ' orders was appointed incumbent of a pariah in Leicestershire. He came out to New Zealand as chaplain of the ship Minerva, which arrived in Lyttelton ia February, 1853, and among his fellowpassengers were tho late Mr _. Gibbon Wakefield and Mr Henry Sewell. Mr Raven was a land purchaser under the Canterbury, Association, taking; up a block at Woodend. Very soon after hiß arrival in the colony he was licensed by the Com—ißßarieß of the Bishop of New Zealand (the Biahoprio of Chrta—toiroh not then having been filled) to the cure of Kaiapoi. Subsequently he built a hot—sand went to reßioe on hiß land at Woodend, where he also erected a church, and gave a piece of laud as a site for a parsonage. Tbe Hon. H. B.Gresson now occupies the hdosft built by Mr Raven. Mr Raven became the , possessor of that block of land opposite the Canterbury College, between Montreal and '• Antigua streets, and it was in a building,' at the corner of Montreal and Gloucester. street b, on this block, that the first —Iraeof the Passs was printed. Mr Raven —as -' an active member of the first General.-. Synod, which was held in Wellington, ' under the presidency of the late Bishop-, Selwyn (then Bishop of New Zealand), in the year 1859, and afterwards, until <■■ his return to England, iv the 'year < 1865, he was a zealous member of tha _• Diocesan Synod in Chriatchurch, and wa_'„ made a Fellow of Christ's College. L___ -' early days he was prominent and iotaa • tial among the farming community, and the example he set by his courage, perseverance and industry was the means of stimulating many others who, with himself, had to " rough it." Subsequent to his return to England Mr Baven suffered a severe bereavement >in the loss of his wife. She was a remarkably clever woman, and well known for her literary taste and ability. Their family consisted of three eons and two daughters. In the year 1872 Mr Riven, came back to Canterbury, bringing his two daughters with him, and resided in the house in Armagh street now known ss . Spencer bouse. Ia the earlier period of hia colonial life he took muoh interest in educational matters, and during his last stay in Christohuroh he contributed a, _ number ot articles to the press upon public education. After residing two or three years in Chris tchurch, Mr Baven returned to England, and married again.