Anama Estate Celebrates 100 Years Of Settlement

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27471, 4 October 1954, Page 3

Anama Estate Celebrates 100 Years Of Settlement

Perfect weather, a charming setting and an attendance of about 200 persons combined to make the centenary celebrations of the Anama estate on Saturday a memorable event for the Mid-Canterbury district and Canterbury province. Cloudless skies behind a backdrop of tall, dark pines made a picturesque setting for the celebrations, and stately fir trees, eucalypts, apple blossom, sycamores, willows and wattles looked their best for the many visitors and guests who arrived from many parts of the country and province for the first ceremony of the day—the ceremonial planting of three trees.

The trees—Spanish chestnuts —were planted on a flat about 100 yar,ds north c of the residence of Mr and Mrs W. C. j Quantock, joint owners of the run. , Placed in a triangular pattern, the trees are in memory of three owners i of the property—George Gawfer Russell, the first owner, who took up residence in 1854 (planted by Mr lan t Graham, a grandson of Mr A. Graham, 1 a former manager of Anama, and Mrs I Geoffrey Peter, a relative of Mr W. S. < Peter), Mr W. S. Peter and Mrs peter < (planted by Mrs R. Addison, of Christ- . church, and Mr Lyndon Peter, of Kai- J koura, a daughter and son of Charles 1 Peter, and grandchildren of Mr W. S. < Peter), and Mr and Mrs Job Quantock, < sen. (planted by Mr and Mrs W. J. and W. C. Quantock, sons of Job Quantock). The blessing of the trees was performed by the Revs. B. Price (Mount Somers) and N. E. Oakley , (Springburn). A thanksgiving service was then ; held on the site of the original homestead, now occupied by the house of Mr and Mrs W. J. Quantock. It was jointly conducted by Mr Oakley and Mr Price. After the hymn, ‘‘Abide with Me” was played by the Geraldine Silver Band, the service was opened with the hymn, “AU People that on Earth do Dwell,” followed oy a prayer of thanksgiving which was pronounced by Mr Price, who then led the guests in The Lord’s Prayer. The Lesson was followed by the hymn, ‘‘The Lord’s my Shepherd,’’ after which Mr Oakley gave the centenary address. The hymn, “O, God of Bethel” and the Benediction (pronounced by Mr Oakley) concluded the service. Parade of Period Dresses A display of the minuet, danced in Georgian dress by seven couples from the Ashburton Girl Guide group, was given before an outstanding parade of period dresses, which the compere (Miss Margaret J. Scott) described as “covering a period of approximately 100 years.” The dresses, ranging from sombre black silk “parlour” dresses of Victorian times to an all-white tennis frock of the early 1900’s, were varied in colour, style and material, silks, brocades, taffetas, crepes, and crinolines being represented. The mannequins, with their dresses, were:—Miss Jill Marsden (Lincolnfields, Anama), cream radienta frock: Miss Jan Turton (Alford), 1884 model of brown silk with cinnamon piping; Miss Shirley Buick (Clent Hills), a dress of gold taffeta with lace fashionable in 1865; Misses Geraldine Williamson and Stephanie Williamson . (Geraldine), dresses of heavy grey ’ taffeta under lace, and cream silk . marocain with green trimmings re- . spectively; Miss Lavinia Pratt (Christchurch), violet dress fashionable in I 1855- Miss Perry ’Quantock (Anama), ' black wedding dress of the 1854 era; ! Miss Margaret Withell (Rangiora), ’ frock with a black trained skirt; Miss . Shiela Salisbury (Timaru), black ’ dress with a lace collar and cuffs; Mrs . E. R. McDonald, an 1870 dress of ! heliotrope-coloured silk crinoline’ Mrs N. Oakley (Ashburton), a black - quilted satin dress with a chiffon - mantle; Miss Jan Turton, a 70-year--3 old white ribbon-striped muslin wedding gown with cream cording; Miss

Shirley Buick, a brown dress with a short train. Tributes to the foresight of the pioneers were paid by various speakers at the centenary banquet held in a marquee near the two homesteads in the afternoon. Mr W. J. Quantock welcomed the guests and visitors, and the master of ceremonies (Mr T. p. Chapman) proposed the toast to the Queen. Proposing the toast to the pioneers, Mr J. H. Grigg (Longbeach) said he wanted to emphasise the great virtue of courage that the pioneers possessed.' They lived in the future, not in the past, and had inspired the present generation to do likewise. The toast was replied to by Mr Lyndon Peter. Mr R. G. Gerard, M.P.. said the celebrations marked an historic occasion for one of the oldest stations in Canterbury—the Anama run. He was pleased to be associated with the function. “You (the owners) are doing something that is unparalleled in the history of the Ashburton county—celebrating the first hundredth anniversary of a local station,’’ said the chairman of the Ashburton County Council (Mr J. Davidson). “It is said that New Zealand has been built on the bent backs of the pioneers, and I think we should be proud to be able to carry on that splendid heritage,’’ he said. Other speakers were Messrs C. A. B. Pilbrow (Mid-Canterbury Federated Farmers), W. Vance. Ernest Roberts, J. Mclver, and A. J. Blakiston. Mrs K. Taylor (Women’s Division of Federated Farmers), and Miss H. Lili (Country Women’s Institutes). The centennial cake was cut by Mrs R. Addison and Mr Lyndon Peter. Visitors and Relatives

Official visitors included Mr R. G Gerard, M.P., and Mrs Gerard; Mr E. C. Bathurst (Mayor of Ashburton) and Mrs Bathurst; Mr H. W. Williamson (deputy-Mayor of Geraldine); Mr J. Davidson (chairman of the Ashburton County Council); Mr M. D. McDowell (county council); Mr H. C. B. Withell (county council) and Mrs Withell;. Mr A. McKenzie (county council) and Mrs McKenzie; Mr C. A. B. Pilbrow (Federated Farmers) and Mrs Pilbrow; Mr C. W. Anderson (Ashburton Electric Power Board) and Mrs Anderson (Ashburton Red Cross); Mr A. J. Burmester (Timaru Harbour Board); Mesdames J. T. Ambler (Country Women s Institute) and K. Taylor (Women’s Division of Federated Farmers), and Miss H. Lili (Country Women’s Institutes). Among relatives and friends present were Mr J. H. Grigg (Longbeach) and Mrs Grigg; Messrs Peter and Giles Grigg; Mr Jack Graham (Cust) (a son of Alexander Graham, who married Miss Elizabeth Peter, a daughter of Mr W. S. Peter); Mr E. C. D. Withell (Rangiora), who married Miss E. B. Quantock. a sister of the present owners: Mrs M. L. Bennett (a sister); Miss H. S. Bonifant (Christchurch), a second cousin of Mrs W. S. Peter; Mr K. Ballantyne (Gawler Downs); Mr S. Gaulter (Geraldine) and Mr Ernest Gaultor (of Timaru). grandsons of Mr W. S. Peter; Mr Geoffrey Peter (Motunau), grandson, and Mrs Peter; Mr A. J. Blakiston (Waimate). manager of the Tripp (Orari) run, adjacent to Anama, for 33 years; Mr J. Acland (Mount Peel); Mr James Mclver (an employee on the Anama Estate from 1894 till 1896, and 1910 till 1913) and Mrs McIver; Mr Ernest Roberts (Mount Somers): Mrs J. Grieve (an employee in 1910 when Mr Charles Peter was the owner); and Messrs G. McCredie and H. Gould (Christchurch), executors of the Peter Estate. Mr John Peter, aged 90 years, of Geraldine, the only surviving member of the family of the late Mr W. S. Peter, was unable to be present . through ill health.