HISTORIC HEATHCOTE—II Coming Of The Railway And Swing Bridge

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31676, 11 May 1968, Page 5

HISTORIC HEATHCOTE—II Coming Of The Railway And Swing Bridge

'Specially written for "The freer" bv

GORDON OGILVIE

Even by 1859, Heathcote Valley had a well-settled look about it. The Rev. James Stack, passing by, noted in that year that “the road from the foot of the pass to the Ferry was bordered on either side by quickset hedges, and the settlers’ houses looked comfortable, as if owned by prosperous people.” Orchards, market gardens and dairy farms completed this most attractive scene.

in 1860, Isaac Cookson, anticipating an increased interest in Heathcote property with the prospect of a tunnel going through the head of the valley to Lyttelton, put his “Green Hammerton" estate on the market in quarter-acre allotments. Noone bought one. He tried again in 1863 with a public auction at Birdsey's Hotel at the foot of the Bridle Path. The sections were still too small to be saleable. Settlers could not be bothered with such minute parcels of land when across the plains 1000-acre runs were available. The estate was resurveyed into larger allotments and gradually disposed of. When Cookson moved out, the district's name was changed from Hammerton to Heathcote in honour of Sir William Heathcote, M.P. for Wiltshire and a member of the Canterbury Association. The very term Heathcote is itself misleading for in these times it was loosely used to describe almost everything between Mt Pleasant and Halswell. The Valley, plus Woolston and Opawa, were generally referred to as Lower Heathcote.

On January 27, 1860, Samuel Butler landed at Lyttelton off the Roman Emperor. He dined at the Mitre Hotel (founded by Major Hornbrook of Mt Pleasant), grieved at the high price of beer, noted with interest the “shaggy clearcomplexioned men with rowdy hats” who were to be bis companion colonists. and plodded off up the Bridle Path.

Butler was disappointed by the view from the top. The mountains in the distance were not rugged enough, and the plains were too empty. The prospect immediately below in the Heathcote Valley was more pleasing, however: “a few pretty little box-like houses in trim pretty little gardens, stacks of corn and fields, a little river with a craft or two lying near a wharf, whilst the nearer country was squared into many-coloured fields.” Butler refers elsewhere to the Colony’s “little boxes.” He might almost have written the song! At the foot of the hill, Butler and his companion were met by a car and taken to Ferrymead, thence on to Christchurch.

The “car” Butler refers to would be one of two Irish jaunting cars owned by Dale the ferryman who used to meet travellers at the bottom of the Bridle Path and transport them to Ferrymead. As we noticed last time, there had been a parsonage in Heathcote Valley since early on. The Canterbury Association's plans had allowed for two parsonages in the new settlement, one of which was to be at Heathcote. It was built in 1851 and the Puckles were the first to use it.

The Association had also allowed for a church to be built in the Valley and a temporary church is mentioned as early as 1857. The present St Mary’s church was erected in 1860 on a site halfway along the Bridle Path Road, from where it was shifted in 1926 to its present situation near the railway viaduct. Heathcote Valley is justly proud of St Mary’s. It was the only church, apart from the Cathedral, which was allowed for in the Canterbury Association’s first plans of Christchurch’s layout. Hence it is one of the oldest in the diocese. Its window frames came out in the hold of one of the First Four Ships, and its communion vessels carry the coat of ciation. Train Service The erection of a church and a visit from Samuel Butler were an eventful start to the 60s. But much more was to come in this exciting decade. Work began at the Heathcote end of the tunnel in 1861. .A new wharf, later to be called the Railway Wharf, was built at Ferrymead. Here were unloaded Christchurch’s first train and railway equipment. Other wharves were spaced out upstream as far as Radley Street. A post office started business. The Ferrymead train service began in 1863. And the valley's first permanent school was opened in 1864.

In the same year the Heathcote swing bridge was opened and the expensive and inconvenient ferry was put out of business. Sailing ships and steam vessels passed to and fro along the river bearing such picturesque names as Maid of the Mill, Linnet, Emu. Dancing Wave and

Merry Lass. By 1867 the Moorhouse tunnel had been completed and though business at Ferrymead began to dwindle, the upper end of the valley now had direct access to both Lyttelton and Christchurch. So Heathcote continued to prosper as a communications centre, but the focus now was on “the hole in the hill” rather than the river.

First Industries The first signs of valley industry could also be seen. Vegetables and fruit had been grown there with success since early times. Isaac Cookson had delighted Bishop Harper with his strawberries and the Rev. E. Puckle had won prizes at Christchurch’s first horticultural show with his vicarage produce. Quarries were opened at an early date high up the valley opposite Castle Rock, and on the hillside behind Ferrymead. A slaughterhouse or “boiling down works” existed in the 80s on the river bank at the end of Truscott’s Road. A soap and candle factory was established in 1894 by the mouth of the river. Tanneries, glue works and lime kilns were built upstream. The first malthouse dates from about 1871, and a brick factory on the same site was developed. In 1886, the Wigram brothers bought the malthouse and brickyard. Later on one of these became better as Sir Henry Wigram, pioneer aviator. A nail factory built on adjoining land was a failure. In about 1900 a pottery works was started near the top end of the malthouse but was also a failure. From 1906 the Canterbury Seed Company has owned the maltworks. Between then and now, the enterprise has expanded and flourished until it has become, as the Canterbury Malting Company, Heathcote's biggest - single enterprise. The valley is still capable » of a sensation or two by way’ / of fire, flood, drought or hurricane, but in the main it is a restful spot. Yet as you swing along high up on the tunnel road approach, 20 cent piece at the ready; or cruise around the valley perimeter alert for cheap fruit or gaping at storm damage, spare a thought for Heathcote’s past. It has had more than its share of interesting moments. (Concluded)