Twelve-thousand Biographies Of Canterbury People

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30633, 26 December 1964, Page 4

Twelve-thousand Biographies Of Canterbury People

{Reviewed by

J.C.WJ

Dictionary of Canterbury

Biography. By

donald

G. R. Mac-

A little over 12 years ago, Mr G. R. Macdonald began, at the Canterbury Museum’s suggestion, to assemble information for brief biographies of some of Canterbury’s early settlers. He took as a convenient starting point for his research the Museum’s portrait collection, which at the time was comprised of photographs of the colonists and emigrants who had come out under the Canterbury Association Scheme, during the years 1850-52. He quickly moved beyond these narrow limits and raised his sights a rood deal higher. When, at the end of last month he handed over the finished work to the Canterbury Museum for safe keeping, he had compiled over 12,000 biographies of Canterbury people. Mr Macdonald’s task, which he has done so well, was of considerable magnitude, both in scope and effort. Over 20 years ago, Dr. G. H. Scholefield published his Dictionary of New Zealand Biography: this remains the standard work, in fact, the only one in this field. Of necessity it was restricted to the biographies of men prominent in New Zealand history, especially in politics, exploration and mission work. Many who were prominent in provincial matters are therefore not included in Scholefield’s Dictionary. Mr Macdonald has made the first attempt to do for a region what Scholefield has done for the nation. Concerned only with Canterbury people, he has been able to be more catholic in his choice of subjects and has sought to include people from every stratum of Canterbury society. Few, if any, of those who have had an important influence on the province’s development from the years immediately before its settlement by the Canterbury Association until the turn of this century have escaped his notice; but what is likely to be more important to those interested in the social and economic evolution of Canterbury is that he has assembled a great many useful and interesting facts about the lives of several thousands of ordinary settlers who, though not prominent in public life, were the warp and weft of Canterbury history. In recent years, a great deal more attention has been shown by New Zealand historians to “the grass roots” approach to history; and this emphasis on the growth of settlement in the provinces is likely to continue. While a good deal of research in Canterbury’s history has already been done, Mr Macdonald’s Dictionary of Biography opens up new opportunities especially for those interested in the social development in the province and its interaction with political and economic factors. For those with more limited interests, those for example with questions to ask on their family history—and there are a large and growing number of genealogists—these biographies will be an excellent source of reference.

The supreme importance of the farming industries to the province’s economic growth, is reflected in these biographies; run-holders, sheepfarmers and the smaller arable farmers are all heavily represented. Mr Macdonald has paid full attention to the squatters of the provincial period and as a result he has added considerably to our knowledge of these men. L. G. D. Acland’s “Canterbury Runs” still remains the authoritative work on this subject; Mr Macdonald has, however, discovered a good deal of new and important information; and he has been able to correct errors and confusions in facts, which Acland as a pioneer in this particular field of study was bound to make. The biographies include those of Charles Hunter

Brown of Double Corner; John Macfarlane of Lowburn; George Douglas of Broomfield; the Lance brothers of Heathstock and Horsely Downs; J. B. Acland of Mt. Peel and Charles Tripp of Orari Gorge. These are only a few of the more successful Canterbury runholders; the total number of persons who had some part in the business of runholding in Canterbury in these first 25 years was more than 600. One of the interesting thoughts, prompted by a study of some of the bio-

G. R. MACDONALD graphics is, that the common belief that the Canterbury squatters constituted a closely knit economic, social and political class is largely illusory. In fact the biographies reveal wide differences between them; in family, educational and social backgrounds; in experience; in financial strength: and also in personal qualities. Indeed, it was these latter qualities that were often the decisive factor in their success or failure. .

There are also full biographies of all those who were prominent in provincial politics; they include the members of the Canterbury Provincial Council and a large number of those who served on Road Boards and other small local authorities. James Edward Fitzgerald, Samuel Bealey, William Sefton Moorhouse, William Rolleston, John Hall, Edward Jollie, Thomas Maude, Robert Wilkin and Edward Dobson are among those who had an important part in provincial administration. Those who believe that the methods of the Namier School of historians could be usefully applied to the study of New Zealand history will find these biographies a useful starting point for research in Canterbury. Mr Macdonald has drawn on many sources for his facts. He has searched the Canterbury newspapers of the time exhaustively; he has made extensive use of manuscript collections held in the Canterbury Museum and other New Zealand libraries; for some biographies he has pursued his enquiries from people and institutions overseas. The parish registers and the gravestone inscriptions yielded information on questions of birth, death and marriage dates: the immigration registers and other shipping records were carefully combed for information on the arrival not only of the assisted emigrant to Canterbury but also of the large numbers of people who came to the province independently of the association and the later Provincial immigration schemes; and by interview with people who still had a direct link with the past he was able to draw on family records and knowledge. He has been careful to document his biographies wherever possible.

Mr Macdonald’s “Dictionary of Canterbury Biography” has not been published in book form—the cost of printing alone was a sufficient bar to this. The biographies have been recorded on cards and filed in envelopes alphabetically in steel cabinets. He has compiled a most useful subject index which reveals, even at a cursory glance, the broad field of his research; included in the index are the many occupational groups, doctors, dentists, dressmakers, builders, tinsmiths and so on: there are also references in the index to churches, hotels, music and other cultural societies; schools; sporting associations; and the volunteer movement in Canterbury. These biographies are to be freely available at the Museum to bona fide students and to those interested in their family history. The Museum will, however, retain a control over the access to the records to prevent improper or irresponsible use of them.

The Trade Winds column in the “Saturday Review” recently invited suggestions for a new sentence to replace the tired and dog-eared typing exercise "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.” Sample responses containing each letter of the alphabet included: By Jove, my quick study of lexicography won a prize. “Dick,” quoth Liz, “beware of sexy, vamping jades.” The quixotic women find love’s zest by joyous parking. Alex Z. Waverley Q. Buckingham Stopford, Jr. The quick brown DOG jumps over the lazy FOX.