NAMING OF NEW BRIGHTON

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25741, 1 March 1949, Page 3

NAMING OF NEW BRIGHTON

UNEXPECTED VISIT BY OFFICIAL SIGNBOARD HASTILY WRITTEN The account of the circumstances of the naming of Beckenham has led a correspondent to write to “The Press,” describing how New Brighton got its name. The first settlers at New Brighton were Mr Stephen Brooker and family. Mr John Free, and a man whom he believes was called Walker, writes the correspondent. Mr Brooker, who was born near Brighton, England, took up a selection of 200 acaes at North New Brighton. After being there for some months, Messrs Brooker and Free started pit-sawing logs for building timber at a landing in the Avon river just below the present traffic bridge. While they were working there one day, Mr Free saw a boat coming up the river, conveying James Fitz Gerald, at that time ActingSuperintendent of the province. On recognising Mr Fitz Gerald, Mr Free said “Good gracious, Steve, its the s perintendent and we haven’t even a name for the place.” *Mr Brooker replied: “Get me a piece of board.” He hastily sawed off a length and with a piece of chalk used for marking the logs wrote on it “New Brighton.” He then nailed it on the end of the log. The next day a paragraph appeared in the “Lyttelton Times” to the effect that the Acting-Superintendent had been absent the day before paying a visit to the settlers at New Brighton. Mr Brooker arrived in New Zealand from Australia in 1851. says the correspondent, who says he obtained his information from Mr Brooker’s son. He first settled in Redcliffs and built the sod hut which has now been restored on the road to Sumner. He was engaged as a milkman running his cows between Redcliffs and Sumner. Later he was a guide for the Canterbury Provincial Council and guided many early settlers to their runs and selections on the plains and foothills of Canterbury. Before settling at New Brighton he was for eight years manager of the Castle Hill run. The journey from Christchurch to Mr Brooker’s selection at New Brighton was made by bullock waggon over swamps and sandhills, a trip taking a whole day, says the writer.