John Joyce (New Zealand)
Encyclopedia
John Joyce was a New Zealand
Member of Parliament
for Akaroa and Lyttelton, in the South Island
.
, England
in 1839. As a boy, he worked in the deep sea fishing industry. He was made the master of a schooner at age 19. In 1854, he emigrated to Victoria
and worked for the Water Police in Williamstown
, Melbourne
. He emigrated to New Zealand in 1961, to work for the Water Police in Port Chalmers
. He was appointed clerk in the magistrates' court, before joining the legal firm of Howorth and Hodgkins in Dunedin
. Joyce was admitted a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court in 1873. He found a partner in Mr. J. A. D. Adams, and they set up the firm of Joyce and Adams.
He moved to Canterbury and started his own legal practice in 1879, with offices in Lyttelton
and Sydenham
. He was elected onto the Sydenham Borough Council and was the third mayor for the borough. Joyce moved to Lyttelton and was elected onto the Lyttelton Borough Council in 1885.
John Joyce represented Lyttelton
(1887–90; 1893–99) and Akaroa (1890–93) in the New Zealand House of Representatives
. He was a "staunch supporter of the Liberal Party"
.
campaign when he started to have heart problems. He saw a doctor in the morning, was prescribed rest, and died in the early evening during his sleep.
His funeral was described as one of the largest ever in the colony, and was attended by several thousand people. Due to his previous involvement with the Canterbury volunteer forces, he was given a full military funeral. The railways estimated that they transported 400 soldiers and about 2500 others to Lyttelton to the funeral.
Joyce was married in 1864 to a daughter of Mr. G. Coates (a jeweller from Christchurch
), and he was survived by his wife, four sons and six daughters. Joyce Street in Lyttelton is named after him.
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...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Akaroa and Lyttelton, in 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...
.
Early life
Joyce was born in CornwallCornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, 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 1839. As a boy, he worked in the deep sea fishing industry. He was made the master of a schooner at age 19. In 1854, he emigrated to Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
and worked for the Water Police in Williamstown
Williamstown, Victoria
Williamstown is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 8 km south-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Hobsons Bay. At the 2006 Census, Williamstown had a population of 12,733....
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. He emigrated to New Zealand in 1961, to work for the Water Police in Port Chalmers
Port Chalmers
Port Chalmers is a suburb and the main port of the city of Dunedin, New Zealand, with a population of 3,000. Port Chalmers lies ten kilometres inside Otago Harbour, some 15 kilometres northeast from Dunedin's city centre....
. He was appointed clerk in the magistrates' court, before joining the legal firm of Howorth and Hodgkins in Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
. Joyce was admitted a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court in 1873. He found a partner in Mr. J. A. D. Adams, and they set up the firm of Joyce and Adams.
He moved to Canterbury and started his own legal practice in 1879, with offices in Lyttelton
Lyttelton, 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....
and Sydenham
Sydenham, New Zealand
Sydenham is an inner suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand, located two kilometres south of the city centre, on and around the city’s main street, Colombo Street...
. He was elected onto the Sydenham Borough Council and was the third mayor for the borough. Joyce moved to Lyttelton and was elected onto the Lyttelton Borough Council in 1885.
Member of Parliament
John Joyce represented Lyttelton
Lyttelton (New Zealand electorate)
Lyttelton is a former New Zealand Parliamentary electorate. It existed from 1853–90, and again from 1893–1996, when it was replaced by the Banks Peninsula electorate.-Population Centres:...
(1887–90; 1893–99) and Akaroa (1890–93) in the New Zealand House of Representatives
New Zealand House of Representatives
The New Zealand House of Representatives is the sole chamber of the legislature of New Zealand. The House and the Queen of New Zealand form the New Zealand Parliament....
. He was a "staunch supporter of the Liberal Party"
New Zealand Liberal Party
The New Zealand Liberal Party is generally regarded as having been the first real political party in New Zealand. It governed from 1891 until 1912. Out of office, the Liberals gradually found themselves pressed between the conservative Reform Party and the growing Labour Party...
.
Death and commemoration
Joyce died suddenly on 1 December 1899. He was in the midst of the 1899 general electionNew Zealand general election, 1899
The New Zealand general election of 1899 was held on Wednesday, 6 December in the general electorates, and on Tuesday, 19 December in the Māori electorates to elect a total of 74 MPs to the 14th session of the New Zealand Parliament. A total number of 373,744 voters turned out to...
campaign when he started to have heart problems. He saw a doctor in the morning, was prescribed rest, and died in the early evening during his sleep.
His funeral was described as one of the largest ever in the colony, and was attended by several thousand people. Due to his previous involvement with the Canterbury volunteer forces, he was given a full military funeral. The railways estimated that they transported 400 soldiers and about 2500 others to Lyttelton to the funeral.
Joyce was married in 1864 to a daughter of Mr. G. Coates (a jeweller from 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...
), and he was survived by his wife, four sons and six daughters. Joyce Street in Lyttelton is named after him.