The Peacock Fountain was bought by the Christchurch Beautifying Society from money bequeathed by John Thomas Peacock, a trader, politician and philanthropist. The fountain was unveiled in 1911, moved to a new location some years later, and put into storage in 1949. After a $270,000 renovation, it was commissioned again in 1996, in its third location in the Christchurch Botanic Gardens. It has an elaborate colour scheme and is a much photographed tourist attraction.
Peacock (1827 – 20 October 1905) came to Lyttelton in 1844 with his parents. Settlement organised by the Canterbury Association started in December 1850, so the Peacocks were in the colony at a very early stage. He built the first substantial wharf in Lyttelton Harbour and was well established as a merchant when the First Four Ships arrived in 1850. He later owned several ships, traded as J.T. Peacock and Co. and was successful enough that he could retire from business in 1863, aged 37. [1]
Peacock bequeathed a substantial sum of money (either 500 [2] or 1,000 [3] pounds - sources give conflicting information) to the Christchurch Beautifying Association "for the purpose of beautifying the reserves and gardens in the City of Christchurch and improving the Avon River." [3] The idea was promoted by the Christchurch City Council, with the Andersons Ltd (the foundry of the late John Anderson) supplying details of the prefabricated fountains which were created at the Coalbrookdale Iron Works. A Coalbrookdale fountain was agreed upon, to bear the following inscription: [2]
Erected by the Christchurch Beautifying Association from funds bequeathed by the late Hon. J. T. Peacock.
The fountain, unveiled in June 1911, was always controversial. It was first located in the Botanic Gardens adjacent to where the Robert McDougall Art Gallery was later built, but was moved to the Archery lawn a few years later. The head of the Canterbury College School of Art, Robert Herdman Smith, stated in a letter to the Press in 1911 that "it exhibited no more taste than the gaudy decoration used by travelling showmen to embellish their merry go-rounds." [3]
Recurring maintenance problems led to the decision in 1949 to dismantle the fountain. It was put into storage and the parts transferred to Ferrymead Historic Park in the 1980s. Of the 309 cast iron pieces that made up the fountain, many went missing over the years or deteriorated, so that 158 of them had to be re-cast. The restored fountain, with a new colour scheme (again controversial), was recommissioned by Cr Margaret Murray and Mayor Vicki Buck on 26 May 1996 to the south of Canterbury Museum, now in its third location. One letter to The Press claimed that the new colour scheme was "cause(ing) flu-like symptoms when looked upon." The total cost of the restoration project was $270,000. [3] [4] [5]
Hagley Park is the largest urban open space in Christchurch, New Zealand, and was created in 1855 by the Provincial Government. According to the government's decree at that time, Hagley Park is "reserved forever as a public park, and shall be open for the recreation and enjoyment of the public." Hagley Park is characterised by its trees and broad open spaces. Hagley Park was named after Hagley Park, the country estate of Lord Lyttelton, who became chairman of the Canterbury Association in March 1850.
The Christchurch Botanic Gardens, located in the central city of Christchurch, New Zealand, were founded in 1863 when an English oak was planted to commemorate the solemnisation of the marriage of Prince Albert and Princess Alexandra of Denmark. The gardens sprawl over an area of 21 hectares and lie adjacent to the loop of the Avon River next to Hagley Park. The Christchurch Botanic Gardens have a variety of collections of exotic and local plants of New Zealand, several conservatories, a nursery, playground and Climatological Station.
Henry Thomas Joynt Thacker was a medical doctor, New Zealand Member of Parliament and Mayor of Christchurch.
John Evans Brown was a 19th-century Member of Parliament in New Zealand. Born in Pennsylvania, he came to New Zealand after spending time in Australia, where he was a farmer and US Consul. He farmed in Canterbury, where he was known as "Yankee" Brown. Three of his brothers in law, through his first wife, served as his fellow Members of Parliament. He married a second time, as his first wife died young, and moved back to the United States. On his father's land in Asheville, he came to considerable wealth due to the mining of mica.
William Barbour Wilson, also known as Cabbage Wilson, was the first Mayor of Christchurch in New Zealand in 1868. A nurseryman by profession, he had large landholdings in Christchurch. His reputation was dented by a fraud conviction, and when he was subsequently elected onto the city council once more, five councillors resigned in protest.
John Anderson was the second Mayor of Christchurch in New Zealand 1868–1869, and a successful businessman. He had a close connection with three buildings that have later received Category I heritage registrations by Heritage New Zealand. Two of these buildings were demolished following the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake.
Andrew Duncan was Mayor of Christchurch 1869–1870. From a working-class background in Scotland, he emigrated to New Zealand as a young man and became a highly respected member of the Christchurch community. He is remembered for his later work as an immigration agent in Scotland on behalf of the Canterbury Province.
John George Ruddenklau JP was Mayor of Christchurch from December 1881 to December 1883. A baker from Germany, he was later the proprietor of the City Hotel. He was very active with a number of organisations, founded the German Benefit Association, and was the driving force behind the establishment of the German Church.
Harry Joseph Beswick was Mayor of Christchurch in 1896.
John Thomas Peacock MLC JP was a New Zealand businessman, philanthropist and politician. He came to Canterbury in 1844, several years before organised settlement started.
Henry Richard Webb JP FRMS was a New Zealand businessman and politician. He represented Lyttelton in Parliament for 2½ years and was a supporter of education in his later years. Born in Australia, he came to Canterbury in 1868.
John Charles Watts-Russell JP 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.
The Godley Statue is a bronze statue situated in Cathedral Square in Christchurch, New Zealand. It commemorates the "Founder of Canterbury" John Robert Godley. It was the first statue portraying a person in New Zealand. The statue fell off its plinth in the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake and time capsules were discovered inside the plinth. It was four years before the statue was returned to its position.
The Lyttelton Timeball Station is a heritage-registered time ball station and prominent local landmark in Lyttelton, New Zealand. The original station was significantly damaged by a series of earthquakes and aftershocks in 2010 and 2011, and finally collapsed on 13 June 2011 after a magnitude 6.4 aftershock. The tower was subsequently reconstructed, reopening in November 2018.
The Lyttelton Times was the first newspaper in Canterbury, New Zealand, publishing the first edition in January 1851. It was established by the Canterbury Association as part of its planned settlement of Canterbury and developed into a liberal, at the time sometimes seen as radical, newspaper. A successor paper, The Star, is published as a free bi-weekly newspaper.
Robert Allan was a prominent businessman and manufacturer of Christchurch, New Zealand.
St Saviour's at Holy Trinity is an Anglican church in Lyttelton, Christchurch, New Zealand. St Saviour's Chapel was relocated from West Lyttelton to Christchurch's Cathedral Grammar School in the 1970s. Following the earthquakes and the demolition of Holy Trinity Church, Lyttelton, St Saviour's was returned to Lyttelton to the site of Holy Trinity in 2013.
Captain Joseph Thomas (1803–?) was a British explorer and the chief surveyor for Lyttelton, Sumner and Christchurch in New Zealand. He took up surveying after service in the British army, gaining the rank of lieutenant. In the 1840s, he explored many parts of New Zealand and worked for the New Zealand Company. This gained him employment with the Canterbury Association, which sent him to New Zealand in 1848. Thomas' role was to find a suitable site for their proposed settlement, and what became the Canterbury region with Christchurch as its capital was the result of his efforts. He was dismissed in early 1851 over quarrels with John Robert Godley, the agent of the Canterbury Association, just after the first settlers had arrived in the colony. Thomas' life after 1853 is unknown. Having allowed for Hagley Park as a generous central city green space is regarded as his major achievement, and it is his lasting legacy.
Chippenham Lodge is a heritage building in the Christchurch, New Zealand suburb of St Albans.
Orton Bradley Park is a forest park of some 650 hectares with its entrance close to the south shore of Lyttelton Harbour / Whakaraupō in New Zealand. It is managed as a not-for-profit private enterprise with a board of governors appointed by local communities and a chair appointed by the Government of New Zealand.
