Garland — Hillsborough’s first family

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34047, 10 January 1976, Page 10

Garland — Hillsborough’s first family

GORDON OGILVIE writes the second of two articles on the early history of a Christchurch suburb.

The Rocky Point hillside and most of the land between nearby Port Hills Road and the Heathcote River, as far round as Chapman’s Road, was once part of Edward Garland’s property, “Broomfield Farm,” later renamed “Hillsborough.” Edward and Annie Garland arrived at Lyttelton as newlyweds aboard the Duke of Portland in March, 1854. Edward was from Derbyshire, Annie from Yorkshire, and they had been married in Manchester Cathedral. Annie was borne across the Bridle Path on a white bullock. The young couple lived in a sod cottage to begin with, and later a larger wooden house.

Their nearest neighbours at the outset were the Kennaways at “The Barton”, half a mile further down Cumnor Terrace on the south bank of the Heathcote, and the various owners of “Glenmore” on the near side of Murray Aynsley Hill. Maoris used to cross over from Rapaki via Avoca Valley to catch eels in the river opposite their home. The whole of “Hillsborough’’ farm is now zoned industrial, but it was then open farmland. Garland grazed sheep on Rockey Point and cows on the flat, with a 10-acre paddock put aside for oats or clover. In early times, up to the 1870 s, small schooners and ketches came right up the river past their house, and Annie Garland did quite well selling milk, butter and cheese to the crews. When the railway cut through their property in 1863 the Garlands had easy access to Christchurch with Hillsborough Station < later Woolston Station) right alongside the homestead. The road linking

their home with Opawa Road and the city has since been named Garlands Road.

In 1864 tragedy struck the family with the death within three days of their two eldest sons, Edward, aged eight and William, aged six. Two more sons, Alfred and John Edwin, were born in the next three years, and John Edwin eventually took over the farm when his father died in 1893.

Both Garland daughters, Louisa and Laura, married clergymen — a fitting destiny as the family through several generations had played a leading part in Church of England affairs. Louisa married the distinguished Methodist minister, the Rev. W. M. Baumber; and Laura’s husband was the Rev. D. O. Hampton, who had been appointed mission deacon in charge of the Banks Peninsula Bays in 1873. In John Garland’s time, “Hillsborough” became renowned for its hospitality. Its spacious rooms, fine lawns, trees and gardens were the scene of regular week-end houseparties. Dancing, improvised concerts, crib and bridge were the basis of most of the fun. All eight of Edwin’s children were bom in the homestead. Edwin Garland, to help maintain this large and active brood, bought Edward Queree’s Steam Quarry at Rocky Point. This soon became one of the three largest quarries in the hills area and more valuable to him than the farm. His son Tony took over more and more of the work from the Depression onwards, particularly after Edwin died in 1944, but after the war sold “Hillsborough” to a brother-in-law, Richard Williams. In 1946, after 92 years in the Garland family and with heavy industry cl os-

ing in on all sides, the property was sold to P. and D. Duncan, Ltd. The homestead site is now in the hands of the Railways Department. The fine old home deteriorated fast after it ceased to be lived in, and it was almost a mercv when a fire bug burnt it down in the late forties. The sad remnants of the once gracious garden may still be seen, with blue gums, holly trees and monkey puzzle still showing a strong will to survive. Hillsborough was a sparsely settled district until after the last war. In the 1950 s much of the lowlying land was built up and substantial development has taken place since then, especially around Port Hills Road From Avoca, and along Opawa Road on the stretch leading to Garlands Road. There is an industrial belt to the east, on the boundary with Woolston; west of Opawa Road it is residential. A children’s playground, a park which caters largely for soccer and cricket, shops, a community centre and a tavern by the site of Elijah Gadd’s abortive pub complete the scene.

It is a pity that Edward Garland is not around now to see how his property’s name lives on in one of South Christchurch’s newest and fastest growing suburbs.