William Guise Brittan (3 December 1809 –18 July 1876),mostly known as Guise Brittan and commonly referred to as W. G. Brittan,was the first Commissioner of Crown Lands for Canterbury in New Zealand.
Brittan was born in Gloucester,Gloucestershire,England,in 1809[1] into a respectable middle-class family that originated from Bristol.[2] He received his education at Plymouth Grammar School,after which he studied medicine.[3] He undertook several journeys on the General Palmer to China or India.[4]
Later,he lived in Staines and then in Sherborne,Dorset,where,together with his older brother Joseph,he was proprietor of the Sherborne Mercury,a newspaper covering the area beyond the boundaries of Dorset.[4][5] He married Louisa Brittan (née Chandler) and his brother married her sister Elizabeth Mary Brittan (née Chandler).[1][2]
He joined the Canterbury Association,despite being of much lower class than most of its members.[3] When a Society of Canterbury Colonists formed in 1850,with the objective of representing land purchasers (referred to as colonists,as opposed to 'emigrants' for labourers and artisans),Brittan was called to the chair for the first meeting on 25 April 1850. A management committee was formed,where Brittan was joined by James FitzGerald and Henry Sewell.[6] Brittan impressed Edward Gibbon Wakefield,one of the instigators of the Canterbury Association. Wakefield wrote to John Robert Godley,the other driving force behind the colonisation scheme who was already in New Zealand,and suggested that Brittan be given a role of responsibility.[4]
Brittan came to Christchurch on Sir George Seymour in December 1850 and was thus one of the Pilgrims (the term adopted for all those early arrivals). His wife and four children travelled with him. He chose land at Papanui Bush and alongside the Avon River just outside the initial town area (these days the area to the east of Fitzgerald Avenue),where he built his first substantial home,Englefield Lodge.[4] His older brother Joseph followed him to Christchurch in 1852 and established his farm some 800 metres (2,600ft) downstream,which he called Linwood.[7]
Political ambitions
Brittan declared his candidacy in the Christchurch Country electorate for election to the 1st New Zealand Parliament by advertisement in the Lyttelton Times on 18 June 1853.[8] In late July,Henry Sewell decided that he would also stand for Parliament;the question was whether he should run in the Town of Christchurch or the Christchurch Country electorate.[9] There was one position to be filled in the town electorate,and two in the rural electorate.[10] Sewell sought counsel from some friends,who recommended for him to stand in the rural electorate,but he did not want to oppose Brittan. Sewell thought that whilst Brittan was unpopular with the constituency,it would nevertheless be useful to have him in Parliament. The complication with the town electorate was that John Watts-Russell had already received a pledge from the majority of that constituency,but there were rumours that he would not stand,and it was known that he was just about to go travelling during the time of the election campaign.[11] Sewell talked to Brittan,who fully supported him standing in the town electorate,and Brittan pledged that he would get his brother-in-law,Charles Fooks,to canvas for him.[11] Sewell first advertised his candidacy in the Lyttelton Times on 30 July.[12] In the same edition of the newspaper,James Stuart-Wortley advertised his candidacy for the Christchurch Country electorate.[12]Jerningham Wakefield reiterated his candidacy for the Christchurch Country electorate in early August upon his return from Wellington.[13] At the same time,Fooks announced his candidacy for the Town of Christchurch electorate.[13] With James FitzGerald,who had just been elected the first Superintendent of the Canterbury Province,apparently in support of Watts-Russell,Sewell decided to withdraw from the contest,but decided to go ahead with a public meeting to 'speak his mind'.[14] On 4 August,[15] he held a meeting at the Golden Fleece,a hotel on the corner of Colombo and Armagh Streets,[16] and addressed between 30 and 40 electors. He discussed all the issues that Parliament should deal with,but finished by saying that he would not be available as a candidate,as Watts-Russell had been pledged the support of the constituency. After an awkward period of silence,Richard Packer stood up and replied:[17]
We are in an awkward position. Here was a Gentleman who told [us] all sorts of things which a Representative ought to attend to and then declined standing himself,because of another Candidate whose intentions no one knew anything about—and who was just on the point of starting for an excursion without giving any one an opportunity of learning his sentiments about anything.
The meeting expressed dissatisfaction with Watts-Russell and that they would not hold themselves bound to support him. FitzGerald spoke in support of Watts-Russell,but was not well received. Fooks then spoke,but mainly to attack Sewell.[18] The following day,Sewell met with FitzGerald and discussed that either himself or Watts-Russell should retire from the contest,but that if he himself was to retire,then Watts-Russell or at least some of his friends should inform the constituency about his intentions. FitzGerald's impression was that it should be Watts-Russell who should retire.[18] Later that day,Watts-Russell wrote an announcement that he would retire from the contest,which was published in the Lyttelton Times on 13 August.[15]
On 9 August,the Colonists' Society held a meeting at the White Hart Hotel. Christchurch's first hotel was on the High Street (then called Sumner Road) and Cashel Street corner,with Michael Hart as proprietor. The 50 to 60 attendees were addressed by Sewell,Stuart-Wortley,and Wakefield. As a result,committees were formed that were to achieve the return of these three candidates.[19][20] At this point,Sewell thought that Brittan would not have a chance of getting elected,as he was most unpopular,and he refused to go canvassing.[21] Over the next few days,Octavius Mathias,the vicar of St Michael and All Angels,was Sewell's main antagonist.[22]
The nominations for the town and country electorates were held together on Tuesday,16 August.[23] The hustings were erected in front of the Land Office (these days the site of Our City).[24] The three candidates for the Christchurch Country electorate spoke first,with Stuart-Wortley and Wakefield winning the show of hand,and Brittan visibly offended,but demanding a poll.[23] Sewell was proposed by John Hall,and seconded by postmaster and storekeeper Charles Wellington Bishop. Fooks was proposed by Joshua Charles Porter (a lawyer;later Mayor of Kaiapoi),and seconded by the publican Michael Hart.[23] Whilst Sewell's speech was well received,Fooks was laughed at and interrupted (Sewell said that Fooks did him "more service than [he] could have done [him]self").[25] The show of hands was in favour of Sewell;[23] no more than five hands were raised in support of Fooks.[26]
The election in the town electorate was held on Saturday,20 August,between 9am and 4pm.[26] The method of voting at the time was that an elector would tell the returning officer his choice of candidate. As this happened in public,a tally of the votes could be kept,and Fooks was initially ahead,[27] but within an hour,Sewell passed him. The result was 61 votes to 34 for Sewell,who was thus declared elected.[26][27]
The election in the country electorate was held one week later,on 27 August,in the same place and with another polling station in Lyttelton. In both locations,Brittan came a distant last.[28] There were rumours at the time that Stuart-Wortley was under age;to be eligible to vote or to be elected,one had to 21 years of age. According to Burke's Peerage,he was not of full age,but the family lawyer confirmed that he was.[29] These days,we know that Burke's Peerage had it right and Stuart-Wortley was only 20 years and 7 months old at the time of his election.[30]
Family
Gravestone of Guise Brittan (left) and William Guise Brittan Jr at St Paul's Anglican Church in Papanui
Guise Brittan died on 18 July 1876 at his home in Cashel Street West,Christchurch,and is buried at St Paul's Anglican Church in Papanui.[31] It was his wish to be buried there,as his son Frederick was minister at the church at the time of his death.[32] The Brittan brothers were Anglican,though the Brittan family had been Methodist.[33] Guise had been a lay reader at Holy Trinity Avonside,which he had helped start and supported.[34]
Brittan's wife Louisa died in 1901,aged 92.[35] The four children that emigrated with them were Emily Sophia (18 December 1842 –30 December 1897),[36] William Guise (12 June 1844 –5 March 1916),[35] Harriette Louisa (four when she arrived),[37] and Frederick George (19 February 1848 –10 September 1945). Frederick Brittan was the last survivor from the First Four Ships,and his funeral service was held at ChristChurch Cathedral.[38]
Harriett (1846–1934) married Rev. Charles Carlyon Coates in 1881. Their grandson was Charles Hazlitt Upham,VC and bar.[39])
Henry Sewell was a prominent 19th-century New Zealand politician. He was a notable campaigner for New Zealand self-government, and is generally regarded as having been the country's first premier, having led the Sewell Ministry in 1856. He later served as Colonial Treasurer (1856–1859), as Attorney-General (1861–1862), and twice as Minister of Justice.
William Sefton Moorhouse was a British-born New Zealand politician. He was the second Superintendent of Canterbury Province.
James Frederick Stuart-Wortley JP was a politician in New Zealand and the UK. He was New Zealand's inaugural Baby of the House and remains the youngest member of parliament in the country's history; in fact he was too young to even be legally elected.
James Edward FitzGerald was a New Zealand politician. According to some historians, he should be considered the country's first premier, 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 self-governance. He was the first Superintendent of the Canterbury Province.
Dingley Askham Brittin (1823–1881) was an English solicitor. He spent three years in New Zealand as a runholder and during that time, he represented the Christchurch Country electorate in the New Zealand House of Representatives for one term.
Samuel Bealey was a 19th-century politician in Canterbury, New Zealand.
Christchurch Country was a parliamentary electorate in the Canterbury region of New Zealand from 1853 to 1860. It was thus one of the original 24 electorates used for the 1st New Zealand Parliament.
Christchurch was a parliamentary electorate in Christchurch, New Zealand. It existed three times. Originally it was the Town of Christchurch from 1853 to 1860. From the 1860–1861 election to the 1871 election, it existed as City of Christchurch. It then existed from the 1875–1876 election until the 1881 election. The last period was from the 1890 election to the 1905 election. Since the 1946 election, a similarly named electorate called Christchurch Central has been in existence.
Edward Cephas John Stevens was a New Zealand politician in provincial government in Canterbury, and a member of both the lower and upper houses of parliament. A businessman, he controlled the Christchurch Press for many decades. He was instrumental in introducing cricket to Canterbury and one of his dealings as a land and estate agent resulted in the creation of Lancaster Park.
Isaac Thomas Cookson (1817–1870) was a 19th-century Member of Parliament in Canterbury, New Zealand. He was a prominent merchant in early Canterbury.
John Ollivier was a Member of Parliament in New Zealand, but was better known for his membership of the Canterbury Provincial Council. He was the second chairman of the Christchurch Town Council.
William Thomson was a 19th-century politician from Christchurch, New Zealand, originally from Scotland. He held office at all levels of government, from Parliament and Provincial Council to chairman of a road board. In his professional life, Thomson was an auctioneer, accountant and commission agent. He had rural holdings in Governors Bay and at the Esk River.
Linwood House was built as the homestead for Joseph Brittan, who, as surgeon, newspaper editor and provincial councillor, was one of the dominant figures in early Christchurch, New Zealand. The suburb of Linwood was named after Brittan's farm and homestead. Brittan's daughter Mary married William Rolleston, and they lived at Linwood House following Joseph Brittan's death. During that time, Rolleston was the 4th Superintendent of the Canterbury Province, and Linwood House served for many important political and public functions.
Joseph Brittan was a New Zealand surgeon, newspaper editor, and provincial councillor, was one of the dominant figures in early Christchurch. Born into a middle-class family in southern England, he followed his younger brother Guise Brittan to Christchurch, where he and his wife arrived in February 1852 with four children. Joseph Brittan soon got involved in the usual activities of early settlers and gained prominence in doing so. He had bought 100 acres on 10 July 1851 and took up 50 of this to the east of Christchurch that he converted to farmland. There, he built the family residence, and the suburb of Linwood was subsequently named after Brittan's farm and homestead of Linwood House.
The Town of Christchurch by-election in 1860 was triggered by the resignation of Richard Packer as the Member of the House of Representatives for the Town of Christchurch electorate, and occurred during the term of the 2nd New Zealand Parliament. The previous representative of the electorate, the politician Henry Sewell, had returned after three years in England and the general expectation was that Sewell would be the sole contender for election. The Lyttelton Times wrote several provocative editorials, generally endorsing Sewell for his obvious ability, but criticising him for not publicly talking about his policies and plans. Sewell eventually arranged a public meeting the evening prior to nomination day; this was the only public meeting during the election campaign. After a lengthy address, which was favourably received by the Lyttelton Times, a second contender for the office put his name forward at that meeting: the publican Michael Hart. Sewell, a former premier and one of New Zealand's most senior politicians at the time, was successful against the political novice Hart.
Thomas Cass was one of New Zealand's pioneer surveyors.
The Town of Christchurch by-election of 1856 was a by-election held in the Town of Christchurch electorate during the 2nd New Zealand Parliament, on 18 November 1856.
Captain Charles Simeon was one of the members of the Canterbury Association who emigrated to Canterbury in New Zealand in 1851. The family spent four years in the colony and during this time, he held various important posts and positions. He returned to England in 1855. He was devoted to the Anglican church and three of his sons became priests, while two of his daughters married priests.
Lieutenant-Colonel James Campbell was a lieutenant-colonel of the British army who distinguished himself in the Peninsular War. He emigrated to New Zealand and was appointed as a land commissioner, and later as Registrar of Deeds, in Canterbury.
Richard James Strachan Harman was trained as a civil engineer. However, in Christchurch, New Zealand, he worked as a bureaucrat, politician and businessman. He was one of the Canterbury Pilgrims, having arrived in Lyttelton, on Sir George Seymour, one of the First Four Ships. He was a business partner of Edward Cephas John Stevens and senior partner of Harman and Stevens, and together they took financial control of the Christchurch newspaper The Press from its original proprietor, James FitzGerald, over a protracted period. Harman held many important roles with the Canterbury Provincial Council and was the last Deputy-Superintendent.
References
Rice, Geoffrey; Ryman, Frances (2015). Cricketing Colonists: The Brittan Brothers in Early Canterbury. Christchurch, NZ: Canterbury University Press. ISBN978-1-927145-68-5.
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