SCRAPS OF OLD HISTORY

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17352, 17 May 1924, Page 1

SCRAPS OF OLD HISTORY

A QUESTION AND ANSWER COLUMN. A contributor to the Old Colonist columns of the •' Star " has suggested that a good many interesting points about the early days could be cleared tin through the agency of a question and answer column The • Star ” has adopted the suggestion. which will lie given effect to in Saturday issues. Correspondence should bo addressed to the editor. • Roany' 1 asks if any citizen can remember ReUmayne, the city bellman, who. with a may displaying theatre anti otner posters, used to uing-dong u bell calling attention to Ins advertisements. “ Ratepayer ” has asked the date ot the big‘lire at Brices Corner and along Ohiombo Street. The papers hx it at dune 4. 1664. beven shops aent up in smoke and five others were pulled down. Jhe damage was a:t'2.ooo, and the insurances £6BOO. “A Red Coat” wants to know when the C.Y.'C. was formed under Colonel Reader. The first meeting was in ti e vicinity of October, 186 ). Majm- Slater’s book on early Volunteer days would be the best for reference on Canterbury military history. To “ Ratepayer” ft is a far cry to ask when Christchurch obtained municipal government, but it appears that about December, 1861, a petition was being signed and 300 signatures were secured in one day, and the first municipal election was on March 3 in the next year, when J. Hall, .1. Arcierson. G. Miles. \\ . Wilson. W. D. Barnard. B Reece. J. Barratt, H. E. Alport, and G- {3-oulii were elected tha first council, with Mr Hall as chaii-

Anslev Bull, writing of “ KTioler’s ” gardens, says: “These gardens were situated at the corner of Lincoln Road and Selwyn Street, and were there sixty years ago. They extended from the West Christchurch School grounds to the corner of Selwyn Street, and along Selwyn Street midway to Moor house Avenue." then known as the South Belt. Jn the gardens, facing Lincoln Road. was a cob house, which was licensed to sell wine and beer. At the rear of the house was a large hall, used for dancing and other purposes. There was an extensive lawn, a maze, and swimming baths. The gardens were surrounded bv trees and shrubs and were adorned by a number of statues. The house afterwards lost its license and was occupied for many years as a dwelling-place by a Mr Taylor. The gardens during that time •were known as Taylor’s gardens. Richmond Terrace now' runs through the gruond where the gardens were situated.” Mr R F Green writesT not 5 that “ Enquirer** wishes to know if there were some gardens known as Kohlers, etc. Yes. Richard Kohler had public gardens on the Lincoln Road, which were the same grounds as now occupied bv the Christchurch Most School. There was a “ maze ” in the gardens and sometimes some visitors found much difficulty in finding their way out. 1 have been through the gardens many times. This would he earlv in the ’sixties, and afterwards Kohler also had a license to sell wine and beer m 1860. J believe Kohler was a carpenter by trade, "r 1 should say (like most of the early settlers), he was a “jack of all trades.” and did not belong to the C’an*t-be-done familv.” He was the first to build a tricycle i n Christchurch. It was of large proportions and hail fairly high wooden wheels w ith iron tyres, a seat, and a nlatform *•11 which he carried his tools. This !»'* propelled with a four-cylinder engm- which were his own four limbs and his gasoline was the sweat of h> brow This was (he kind of power that early settlers nsed in those day.-. Richard Kohler, like many of t’’e good old settlers, has long since passed away. I have often heard it said that Kohler’s Gardens were in Cathedral Square. That is not cor.l. F...Coker had gardens o». the east of the Square, of which T will tell you more next week. Mr C. F. Money'writes: “Kohler’s garders are very well known even to the later generation of early colonists. They were iust below the West Christ church School. I n the earliy days the masters of that school were Scott and Montgomery. Of the earlv pupils I remembe- -John Anderson. Johnnie Deans, Clemen Duncan and Struthers Williams. Mr Anderson. I think, is the only survivor. A later garden was Coker’s, near Cathedral Square. Coker had a butcher’s shop in Colombo Street where Cookham House is. Coker and the father of Mr H. G. Ell were in partnership. It was ore of Coker’s su.„. iug jokes, when he was busy, to tell customers “ to go to Ell.’ ” “ Reader” writes regarding mail carriers: Mr Ashworth does not remember "William Moore, the mail carrier. He drove the mail cart for Mr C. \Y Bishop who. as early as April, 1853, ran it as tar as Martins' Cottage in the Jleathcote Valley. Mr R. ('. Bishop well remembers “ Bill ” Moore as be was then called, and the white horse that he drove. It is very interesting to read the names of these srvants of the public. The late Mr Phil. T. Larva man, if not the first postman, was one of the first to carry the mail over the hill from Lyttelton. fie carried it on foot and brought it along the old Maori track through St Martins. It is related of him that on his first trip he met some Maori women an the way, and was rather scared when they stoplied ami spoke to him. Messrs Lake and Parkinson. Jagoe and Read, AY. G. Norman. Thus. Bruce, and C. AV. Bishop, as well as AVheeler and Nurse, all curried letter in the ’fifties between (Jhristhcurch and Lyttelton and as Mr Ashworth states that Mr Fred Newberv or Newborough had the mail contract in 1853, quite a uumber of people were connected with the postal service Probably Fome more of your readers can edd to tho foregoing list ul names.