Charles Stuart Curtis
Encyclopedia
Charles Stuart Curtis was a storekeeper
and local politician
in Taranaki, New Zealand
, and played a leading role in the development of the town of Stratford
.
, Taranaki, on December 15, 1850. His parents and siblings had emigrated to New Zealand from London
earlier that same year. Arriving at Port Nicholson, his father had walked overland from Wellington
to New Plymouth
, and made preparations for his family, who arrived there on February 7, 1850. They took up a farm in the new settlement of Omata, and George also became the senior partner of Curtis and Watt, a wholesale
merchant
and agent of Lloyd's
in New Plymouth.
. They remained there until the hostilities ceased in 1861, then returned to their land at Omata.
matters in the province of Taranaki, representing Omata on the Taranaki Provincial Council. Charles worked with his father in their Omata store, and quickly picked up the same business acumen which proved invaluable to his own commercial ventures in the new settlement of Stratford.
y in the nearby settlement of Inglewood
, and together with Charles he established a similar operation at Stratford. The business operated as a butchery, a merchant store, and also a bakery
, and due to its quick growth the Curtis Brothers replaced their temporary premises with a two-storey building and bakehouse in January 1879. The store also provided postal
services for the town until a railway station was erected in 1880. On April 3, 1880, Curtis married Emma Clara Low at Omata Church. Together they had two children; Minnie and Henry.
Curtis was a member of the Town Board from its inception in 1882, and in 1885 was elected Chairman, replacing his brother George who had been the inaugural Chairman from 1882. Charles continued as Town Board chairman, or Town Clerk, until 1890. A private development of Curtistown was named for the family, as was a street in this development. The streets of Curtistown remained in private ownership until 1899.
Curtis also made a name for himself as he and his brothers explored the eastern slopes of Mount Taranaki/Egmont and cut the original track on that face. With T. H. Penn and Frank Arden he completed the first recorded alpine circuit of the mountain over Christmas 1888, during which they named an eastern ridge
and a Manganui River
waterfall
after Curtis. Charles' wife Emma was also a mountaineer, and was the first woman known to reach the summit by the Stratford Road track. Curtis was also a founding member of the Stratford Bowling
Club.
Curtis and his wife eventually retired to New Plymouth. He died on April 4, 1923, aged 72.
Storekeeper
Storekeeper is an enlisted rating in the United States Coast Guard; until 2009 it was also a United States Navy rating, the most common supply rate in US Navy vs. CS and SH and very much equivalent to the MOS 92 of the US Army...
and local politician
Local government
Local government refers collectively to administrative authorities over areas that are smaller than a state.The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government...
in Taranaki, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, and played a leading role in the development of the town of Stratford
Stratford, New Zealand
Stratford is the only town in the central Taranaki district of Stratford District, New Zealand. It lies beneath the eastern slopes of Mount Taranaki/Egmont, approximately half-way between New Plymouth and Hawera, near the geographic centre of the Taranaki region. The town has a population of...
.
Family background
Charles Stuart Curtis was born to George Curtis and Eliza Curtis (née Newsham) in OmataOmata
Omata is a locality in Taranaki, in the western North Island of New Zealand. It is located on State Highway 45 just southwest of New Plymouth.The population was 474 in the 2006 Census, an increase of 27 from 2001....
, Taranaki, on December 15, 1850. His parents and siblings had emigrated to New Zealand from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
earlier that same year. Arriving at Port Nicholson, his father had walked overland from Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
to New Plymouth
New Plymouth
New Plymouth is the major city of the Taranaki Region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after Plymouth, Devon, England, from where the first English settlers migrated....
, and made preparations for his family, who arrived there on February 7, 1850. They took up a farm in the new settlement of Omata, and George also became the senior partner of Curtis and Watt, a wholesale
Wholesale
Wholesaling, jobbing, or distributing is defined as the sale of goods or merchandise to retailers, to industrial, commercial, institutional, or other professional business users, or to other wholesalers and related subordinated services...
merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
and agent of Lloyd's
Lloyd's of London
Lloyd's, also known as Lloyd's of London, is a British insurance and reinsurance market. It serves as a partially mutualised marketplace where multiple financial backers, underwriters, or members, whether individuals or corporations, come together to pool and spread risk...
in New Plymouth.
First Taranaki War
War broke out between settlers and Māori in 1860, and as a result Eliza and the children moved to New Plymouth. George remained at the Omata stockade, but after seeing his home burned to the ground, and to avoid the epidemics plaguing the crowded town of New Plymouth, the Curtis family evacuated to NelsonNelson, New Zealand
Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson-Tasman region. Established in 1841, it is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island....
. They remained there until the hostilities ceased in 1861, then returned to their land at Omata.
Business
George Curtis became a prominent leader in commercialCommerce
While business refers to the value-creating activities of an organization for profit, commerce means the whole system of an economy that constitutes an environment for business. The system includes legal, economic, political, social, cultural, and technological systems that are in operation in any...
matters in the province of Taranaki, representing Omata on the Taranaki Provincial Council. Charles worked with his father in their Omata store, and quickly picked up the same business acumen which proved invaluable to his own commercial ventures in the new settlement of Stratford.
Pioneers at Stratford
In October 1878 Charles and his brother Herbert erected the first permanent building in the newly opened bush settlement of Stratford, a 300 acres (1.2 km²) site for which the first sections had been sold in August of that year. Herbert and another brother George ran a butcherButcher
A butcher is a person who may slaughter animals, dress their flesh, sell their meat or any combination of these three tasks. They may prepare standard cuts of meat, poultry, fish and shellfish for sale in retail or wholesale food establishments...
y in the nearby settlement of Inglewood
Inglewood, New Zealand
Inglewood is a town in the Taranaki Region of New Zealand's North Island. The population was 3,090 in the 2006 Census, an increase of 144 from 2001. Inglewood lies 200m above sea level....
, and together with Charles he established a similar operation at Stratford. The business operated as a butchery, a merchant store, and also a bakery
Bakery
A bakery is an establishment which produces and sells flour-based food baked in an oven such as bread, cakes, pastries and pies. Some retail bakeries are also cafés, serving coffee and tea to customers who wish to consume the baked goods on the premises.-See also:*Baker*Cake...
, and due to its quick growth the Curtis Brothers replaced their temporary premises with a two-storey building and bakehouse in January 1879. The store also provided postal
Mail
Mail, or post, is a system for transporting letters and other tangible objects: written documents, typically enclosed in envelopes, and also small packages are delivered to destinations around the world. Anything sent through the postal system is called mail or post.In principle, a postal service...
services for the town until a railway station was erected in 1880. On April 3, 1880, Curtis married Emma Clara Low at Omata Church. Together they had two children; Minnie and Henry.
Curtis was a member of the Town Board from its inception in 1882, and in 1885 was elected Chairman, replacing his brother George who had been the inaugural Chairman from 1882. Charles continued as Town Board chairman, or Town Clerk, until 1890. A private development of Curtistown was named for the family, as was a street in this development. The streets of Curtistown remained in private ownership until 1899.
Curtis also made a name for himself as he and his brothers explored the eastern slopes of Mount Taranaki/Egmont and cut the original track on that face. With T. H. Penn and Frank Arden he completed the first recorded alpine circuit of the mountain over Christmas 1888, during which they named an eastern ridge
Ridge
A ridge is a geological feature consisting of a chain of mountains or hills that form a continuous elevated crest for some distance. Ridges are usually termed hills or mountains as well, depending on size. There are several main types of ridges:...
and a Manganui River
Manganui River, Taranaki
The southernmost of New Zealand's Manganui Rivers flows through the Taranaki Region of New Zealand's North Island. It initially flows east from its sources on the slopes of Taranaki/Mount Egmont, turning north close to Midhirst and joining with the waters of the Waitara River ten kilometres from...
waterfall
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
after Curtis. Charles' wife Emma was also a mountaineer, and was the first woman known to reach the summit by the Stratford Road track. Curtis was also a founding member of the Stratford Bowling
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
Club.
Curtis and his wife eventually retired to New Plymouth. He died on April 4, 1923, aged 72.