GODLEY EXPECTED A SHED, BUT FOUND WEATHERBOARD HOUSE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19255, 17 December 1930, Page 7 (Supplement)

GODLEY EXPECTED A SHED, BUT FOUND WEATHERBOARD HOUSE.

Pioneer’s House Stands Stoutly To-day, After Eighty Years Occupation In Lyttelton. (Specially written for the “Star” by E. R. WEBB.)

IN John Robert Godley’s journal describing his arrival in Lyttelton in April, 1850, he says:— In a square railed oft close to the jetty are four excellent houses, intended for Emigrant Barracks, with a cook-house in the centre. Next to this square comes a small house, which Captain Thomas now inhabits himself, and which he destined for an Agent’s Office. Behind this, divided from it by a plot of ground, intended for a garden, stands a stately edifice which was introduced in due form to us as “ our house.” It is weather-boarded, has six very good-sized rooms, and a verandah ; in short, after seeing it, we could not help laughing at our own anticipations of a shed on the bare beach with a fire at the door. The house was built of timber from Hobart Town, and was so well constructed that after eighty years it is still standing, and appears in the

1 photograph taken last week. If any- . one is interested, it is the house on the Sumner road just past the Fire Brigade Station and Library. It has been used for many purposes since. Mr S. R. ’ Webb tells me the Union Bank once oc- > cupied part of it. When the Lyttelton - borough came into being in 1863 it be--1 came the borough offices. Amongst t the early town clerks were H. C. La 2 Nauze, Perrin and H. V. Rogers. In 1884 the council moved into the t building across the road. Godley’s t house was then let to Mr Mark Thomas, a the launch proprietor, and since he " left it has been occupied by council 1 employees, the first of these being 3 Newstone. r The other photograph, in which the - barracks can be seen, was taken about * 1866. It is the earliest photo I have r seen of Lyttelton. Previous to this * the only picture was a sketch by William, afterwards Sir William, Fox. * The barracks held about 800 people l and were used to accommodate the - emigrants until they built or found 3 houses for themselves. Christ’s Col--3 lege was started in one of them in

- 185.0, but moved to Christchurch in ; 1552. ; In 1855, Mr Henry Sewell, Godley’s 1 successor, established what was called . “The Lyttelton Grammar School.” In _ his diary he says:—“The school was l said to be much wanted, as there were a parcel of big boys above the lower class learning nothing but mischief.” t TJie Rev George Cotterill was ap--1 pointed headmaster, with Mr Pollard as second master. Rooms for the head ' master and his family were found in 3 the barracks. , Amongst “the parcel of big boys” i were A. J. Cotterill, R. M. D. Waitt. 1 C. E. Gundrv, 11. T. Dudley, A. D. DobSi son, J. M. Ollivier, 11. Parsons, H. Shrimpton, A. F. C. Alport and E. B. 3 Alport. t There was also a commercial school 3 under Mr Mayow, and a girls’ and in--3 fant school under Mrs Mayow. Towards the 'seventies, the barracks were taken down and erected at Ad--3 ding ton. 3 The long one-storev building to the L of Mr Godley’s in the photograph - was the old “lock-up” and police i station. E. R. WEBB.