John Charles Watts-Russell
Encyclopedia
John Charles Watts-Russell JP
(1825 – 2 April 1875) was a 19th century New Zealand
politician, a member of the Canterbury Provincial Council
and a member of the Legislative Council
. He was supposedly the wealthiest of the early settlers, and his homestead became the centre of entertainment in Christchurch
. He was a significant runholder and, together with a business partner, was responsible for building up the Canterbury sheep stock.
Watts-Russell was born in Ilam Hall
in Staffordshire
, England
in 1825, one of nine children and the youngest son of the family. His father was Jesse Watts-Russell (1786–1875), a wealthy industrialist, and his mother was Mary Watts. His father, who was originally called Jesse Russell, took on the new family name of Watts-Russell in March 1817. Ilam
in Staffordshire
was built by his father. The valley and surrounding hills reminded his father of the Alps
, and consequently he had some new cottages built in a Swiss chalet
style and rehoused most of the villagers, who were living in estate-owned houses anyway. In 1857 he built a school matching in style and funded its operation, at a time when schooling was not compulsory.
Watts-Russell became a member of the 17th Lancers
and was stationed in Ireland
. There, in 1850, he married Elizabeth Rose Rebecca Watts-Russell (née Bradshaw). They decided to emigrate, and this decision might have been influenced by him wanting to escape the social stigma of having married beneath his social class. He was also a chronic
asthma
tic and was hoping for improved health from the change in climate. This was at a time when the Canterbury Association
was actively selling land in New Zealand. He sold his commission as lieutenant
and purchased 500 acres (2 km²) of land in the colony.
on 17 December 1850, on the Sir George Seymour
, one of the First Four Ships. For the first while, they lived on the ship. Returning to the ship from shore on 5 January 1851, their boat with nine passengers capsized. Elizabeth managed to hold onto a rope, but her husband, thinking that she was in trouble, attempted to rescue her. As he could not swim, he himself got into difficulty, so now Elizabeth tried to save him. They had already sunk twice before they got pulled out of the water.
Land parcels were allocated in early 1851. The order by which the settlers could choose was determined by ballot. Watts-Russell's name came up early and he chose land adjacent to the farm established by the Deans brothers in the early 1840s at Riccarton Bush. That land parcel was bounded by what are now Riccarton, Waimairi and Clyde Roads and the Waimairi Stream. While a cob house was built for them on their land, they lived with Charlotte and John Robert Godley
; Godley is considered the founder of Canterbury. He called their home Ilam after his birthplace.
The Watts-Russells were wealthy and could afford staff; they were supposedly the richest settlers from the First Four Ships. This allowed them the time to participate in social and charitable activities. His wife was known for her charm and vivacity, and their home became one of the centres of entertainment in Christchurch.
Watts-Russell took an interest in sheep and horses when most other farmers concentrated on agricultural farming. He and his friend and business partner, Alfred Richard Creyke
, were instrumental in establishing and building up the Canterbury sheep stock. Creyke was employed by him to manage his runs.
Creyke had a large sheep run on the Canterbury Plains
that he managed together with Watts-Russell on behalf of an absentee land holder. Creyke also owned some of the land. The run's homestead was located at Racecourse Hill, about half way between Darfield
and Waddington
. Creyke sold the station in 1860 or 1861.
Watts-Russell bought the Dalethorpe run off the Deans brothers in 1851 and owned it until 1866. In the early years, he had this run managed by Creyke. Watts-Russell had named it Dalethorpe after a family property back in his native Staffordshire. It was located in the Malvern Hills (named after the English Malvern Hills
) behind Homebush, with Dalethorpe Road leading into the area.
Whilst their sheep ventures were most beneficial to the South Island
economy, another of their ventures proved disastrous, as they introduced rabbits.
James FitzGerald
founded The Press
, and it was conceived at Watts-Russell's homestead. FitzGerald documented the occasion in a letter dated 5 June 1861:
In February 1856, they returned to England after having leased their house and sold all their furniture. His wife was quite sick at the time. They returned in January 1858 on the Westminster and had Elizabeth's sister, Mary Ann Bradshaw, with them. They also brought 20,000 bricks with them for a new house.
France
In 1866, Watts-Russell sold many of his properties and leased their homestead. This implies that they may not have intended to return to New Zealand. They spend much of their time away in France
. They did return in 1871, though, and lived adjacent to Cathedral Square
until his death.
lawn, with the Avon River
winding through.
Watts-Russell sold the homestead in 1866. It burned down on 22 August 1910, but was rebuilt by the then-owner, ornithologist Edgar Stead
. The house and grounds passed to Canterbury College
, now the University of Canterbury, in 1950. For many years, the house was the residence of the rector
(now the vice-chancellor
), and is these days used as the staff club for the university.
He was the first Grand Master of the Freemasons in Canterbury.
Watts-Russell died after a short and severe illness on 2 April 1875 in Christchurch. He is buried in the Upper Riccarton
church graveyard.
His wife's sister died only four months later, and Elizabeth left for England, never to return to New Zealand. She married Alfred Richard Creyke
, who had worked for her first husband as a station manager. After Creyke died in 1893, she arranged for the western porch of the Christ Church Cathedral to be built in his memory. On the south side of the cathedral's nave
, there is also a Watts-Russell Memorial Window. She died on 7 October 1905 at Horsham
, West Sussex
.
The suburb of Ilam
was named after his homestead. The name was formalised by the Waimairi County Council in 1959. Dovedale
Avenue in Ilam is named after their staff member Sarah Hodgkinson's birth place.
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
(1825 – 2 April 1875) was a 19th century 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...
politician, a member of the Canterbury Provincial Council
Canterbury Province
The Canterbury Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. On the east coast the province was bounded by the Hurunui River in the north and the Waitaki River in the south...
and a member of the Legislative Council
New Zealand Legislative Council
The Legislative Council of New Zealand was the upper house of the New Zealand Parliament from 1853 until 1951. Unlike the lower house, the New Zealand House of Representatives, the Legislative Council was appointed.-Role:...
. He was supposedly the wealthiest of the early settlers, and his homestead became the centre of entertainment in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
. He was a significant runholder and, together with a business partner, was responsible for building up the Canterbury sheep stock.
Early life
Ilam Park
Ilam Park is a country park situated in Ilam, on both banks of the River Manifold five miles north west of Ashbourne, England, and in the ownership of the National Trust...
in Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1825, one of nine children and the youngest son of the family. His father was Jesse Watts-Russell (1786–1875), a wealthy industrialist, and his mother was Mary Watts. His father, who was originally called Jesse Russell, took on the new family name of Watts-Russell in March 1817. Ilam
Ilam, Staffordshire
Ilam is a village in the Staffordshire Peak District, lying on the River Manifold. This article describes some of the main features of the village and surroundings.- Ilam village :...
in Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
was built by his father. The valley and surrounding hills reminded his father of the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
, and consequently he had some new cottages built in a Swiss chalet
Chalet
A chalet , also called Swiss chalet, is a type of building or house, native to the Alpine region, made of wood, with a heavy, gently sloping roof with wide, well-supported eaves set at right angles to the front of the house.-Definition and origin:...
style and rehoused most of the villagers, who were living in estate-owned houses anyway. In 1857 he built a school matching in style and funded its operation, at a time when schooling was not compulsory.
Watts-Russell became a member of the 17th Lancers
17th Lancers
The 17th Lancers was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, notable for its participation in the Charge of the Light Brigade in the Crimean War...
and was stationed in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. There, in 1850, he married Elizabeth Rose Rebecca Watts-Russell (née Bradshaw). They decided to emigrate, and this decision might have been influenced by him wanting to escape the social stigma of having married beneath his social class. He was also a chronic
Chronic (medicine)
A chronic disease is a disease or other human health condition that is persistent or long-lasting in nature. The term chronic is usually applied when the course of the disease lasts for more than three months. Common chronic diseases include asthma, cancer, diabetes and HIV/AIDS.In medicine, the...
asthma
Asthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
tic and was hoping for improved health from the change in climate. This was at a time when the Canterbury Association
Canterbury Association
The Canterbury Association was formed in order to establish a colony in what is now the Canterbury Region in the South Island of New Zealand.- Formation of the Association :...
was actively selling land in New Zealand. He sold his commission as lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
and purchased 500 acres (2 km²) of land in the colony.
Life in New Zealand
The couple plus some of their staff (Elizabeth's personal maid, Johanna Wornall; Sarah Hodgkinson née Mellor and her husband Charles) arrived in LytteltonLyttelton, New Zealand
Lyttelton is a port town on the north shore of Lyttelton Harbour close to Banks Peninsula, a suburb of Christchurch on the eastern coast of the South Island of New Zealand....
on 17 December 1850, on the Sir George Seymour
Sir George Seymour (ship)
The Sir George Seymour was one of the first four ships in 1850 to carry emigrants from England to the new colony of Canterbury in New Zealand. The other three ships were Cressy, Charlotte-Jane and Randolph.-Voyage:...
, one of the First Four Ships. For the first while, they lived on the ship. Returning to the ship from shore on 5 January 1851, their boat with nine passengers capsized. Elizabeth managed to hold onto a rope, but her husband, thinking that she was in trouble, attempted to rescue her. As he could not swim, he himself got into difficulty, so now Elizabeth tried to save him. They had already sunk twice before they got pulled out of the water.
Land parcels were allocated in early 1851. The order by which the settlers could choose was determined by ballot. Watts-Russell's name came up early and he chose land adjacent to the farm established by the Deans brothers in the early 1840s at Riccarton Bush. That land parcel was bounded by what are now Riccarton, Waimairi and Clyde Roads and the Waimairi Stream. While a cob house was built for them on their land, they lived with Charlotte and John Robert Godley
John Robert Godley
John Robert Godley was an Irish statesman and bureaucrat. Godley is considered to be the founder of Canterbury, New Zealand, although he lived there for only two years.-Early life:...
; Godley is considered the founder of Canterbury. He called their home Ilam after his birthplace.
The Watts-Russells were wealthy and could afford staff; they were supposedly the richest settlers from the First Four Ships. This allowed them the time to participate in social and charitable activities. His wife was known for her charm and vivacity, and their home became one of the centres of entertainment in Christchurch.
Watts-Russell took an interest in sheep and horses when most other farmers concentrated on agricultural farming. He and his friend and business partner, Alfred Richard Creyke
Alfred Richard Creyke
Alfred Richard Creyke JP was a 19th century Member of Parliament in Canterbury, New Zealand. He was a significant landholder in Canterbury...
, were instrumental in establishing and building up the Canterbury sheep stock. Creyke was employed by him to manage his runs.
Creyke had a large sheep run on the Canterbury Plains
Canterbury Plains
The Canterbury Plains are an area in New Zealand centred to the south of the city of Christchurch in the Canterbury Region. Their northern extremes are at the foot of the Hundalee Hills in the Hurunui District, and in the south they merge into the plains of North Otago beyond the Waitaki...
that he managed together with Watts-Russell on behalf of an absentee land holder. Creyke also owned some of the land. The run's homestead was located at Racecourse Hill, about half way between Darfield
Darfield, New Zealand
Darfield is a town in the Selwyn District of the South Island of New Zealand. It is located 35 kilometres west from the outskirts of Christchurch, New Zealand on State Highway 73 and the town is on the Midland railway line, route of the famous TranzAlpine train service...
and Waddington
Sheffield and Waddington, New Zealand
Sheffield is a small village located in the Selwyn District of the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island, near the Waimakariri Gorge....
. Creyke sold the station in 1860 or 1861.
Watts-Russell bought the Dalethorpe run off the Deans brothers in 1851 and owned it until 1866. In the early years, he had this run managed by Creyke. Watts-Russell had named it Dalethorpe after a family property back in his native Staffordshire. It was located in the Malvern Hills (named after the English Malvern Hills
Malvern Hills
The Malvern Hills are a range of hills in the English counties of Worcestershire, Herefordshire and a small area of northern Gloucestershire, dominating the surrounding countryside and the towns and villages of the district of Malvern...
) behind Homebush, with Dalethorpe Road leading into the area.
Whilst their sheep ventures were most beneficial to the South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
economy, another of their ventures proved disastrous, as they introduced rabbits.
James FitzGerald
James FitzGerald
James Edward FitzGerald was a New Zealand politician. According to some historians, he should be considered the country's first Prime Minister, although a more conventional view is that neither he nor his successor should properly be given that title. He was a notable campaigner for New Zealand...
founded The Press
The Press
The Press is a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is owned by Fairfax Media.- History :The Press was first published on 25 May 1861 from a small cottage in Montreal Street, making it the oldest surviving newspaper in the South Island of New Zealand. The first...
, and it was conceived at Watts-Russell's homestead. FitzGerald documented the occasion in a letter dated 5 June 1861:
Sitting after dinner at Ilam about a month ago, I said I saw no hope for a better state of public policy here unless there was a new newspaper started which would tell the truth without fear or favour. In five minutes the thing was settled. If I would undertake the management of it, it was to be started and five hundred pound was put down on the spot; it was soon found there was a little press and some types to be bought. I promised I would write and would exercise a general superintendence over the matter... The first number appeared three weeks after the conversation referred to.
Overseas travel
EnglandIn February 1856, they returned to England after having leased their house and sold all their furniture. His wife was quite sick at the time. They returned in January 1858 on the Westminster and had Elizabeth's sister, Mary Ann Bradshaw, with them. They also brought 20,000 bricks with them for a new house.
France
In 1866, Watts-Russell sold many of his properties and leased their homestead. This implies that they may not have intended to return to New Zealand. They spend much of their time away in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. They did return in 1871, though, and lived adjacent to Cathedral Square
Cathedral Square, Christchurch
Cathedral Square, locally known simply as the Square, is the geographical centre and heart of Christchurch, New Zealand, where the city's Anglican cathedral, ChristChurch Cathedral is located...
until his death.
Ilam homestead
The bricks that they imported in 1858 were used for building the ground floor of their new Ilam homestead (43.52442°N 172.57703°W). A much larger house, it was an excellent entertainment venue; it was the largest private residence in Christchurch at the time. It was built in the style of an English mansion and had eight bedrooms, a conservatory, a drawing room and a dining room. The 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) of garden were laid out with extensive lawns, including a croquetCroquet
Croquet is a lawn game, played both as a recreational pastime and as a competitive sport. It involves hitting plastic or wooden balls with a mallet through hoops embedded into the grass playing court.-History:...
lawn, with the Avon River
Avon River, Canterbury
The Avon River flows through the centre of the city of Christchurch, New Zealand, and out to an estuary, which it shares with the Heathcote River, the Avon Heathcote Estuary.- Geology :...
winding through.
Watts-Russell sold the homestead in 1866. It burned down on 22 August 1910, but was rebuilt by the then-owner, ornithologist Edgar Stead
Edgar Stead
Edgar Fraser Stead was a New Zealand ornithologist, engineer, horticulturist and marksman. He was born in Christchurch and educated there at Christ's College and Wanganui Collegiate School...
. The house and grounds passed to Canterbury College
University of Canterbury
The University of Canterbury , New Zealand's second-oldest university, operates its main campus in the suburb of Ilam in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand...
, now the University of Canterbury, in 1950. For many years, the house was the residence of the rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
(now the vice-chancellor
Chancellor (education)
A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....
), and is these days used as the staff club for the university.
Political career
Watts-Russell was a member of the Canterbury Provincial Council. He was appointed to the New Zealand Legislative Council in 1854 and resigned in 1855. He was again appointed by the first Stafford Ministry in 1858 and was a member for ten years.He was the first Grand Master of the Freemasons in Canterbury.
Death and commemoration
Upper Riccarton
Upper Riccarton is a suburb of Christchurch. It is due west of Riccarton.Upper Riccarton is made up of residential, retail and education areas. It includes a major intersection known as "Church Corner"...
church graveyard.
His wife's sister died only four months later, and Elizabeth left for England, never to return to New Zealand. She married Alfred Richard Creyke
Alfred Richard Creyke
Alfred Richard Creyke JP was a 19th century Member of Parliament in Canterbury, New Zealand. He was a significant landholder in Canterbury...
, who had worked for her first husband as a station manager. After Creyke died in 1893, she arranged for the western porch of the Christ Church Cathedral to be built in his memory. On the south side of the cathedral's nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
, there is also a Watts-Russell Memorial Window. She died on 7 October 1905 at Horsham
Horsham
Horsham is a market town with a population of 55,657 on the upper reaches of the River Arun in the centre of the Weald, West Sussex, in the historic County of Sussex, England. The town is south south-west of London, north-west of Brighton and north-east of the county town of Chichester...
, West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
.
The suburb of Ilam
Ilam, New Zealand
Ilam is a leafy suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand about five kilometres west of the city centre. It is the location of the University of Canterbury....
was named after his homestead. The name was formalised by the Waimairi County Council in 1959. Dovedale
Dovedale
Dovedale is a popular dale in the Peak District, England. It is owned by the National Trust, and annually attracts a million visitors. The valley is cut by the River Dove and runs for just over between Milldale in the north and a wooded ravine near Thorpe Cloud and Bunster Hill in the south...
Avenue in Ilam is named after their staff member Sarah Hodgkinson's birth place.