William Wilson (mayor)
Encyclopedia
William Barbour Wilson also known as "Cabbage" Wilson, was the first Mayor of Christchurch
in New Zealand
in 1868.
in Kirkcudbrightshire
, Scotland
. He was the eldest child of Jane Thomson and her husband, William Wilson. He arrived in New Zealand in August 1850 at Port Chalmers
on the ship Mariner, and travelled to Nelson
, Wellington
and Auckland
before arriving in Lyttelton
in late July 1851. The Mariner left London
on 7 April 1850 and arrived at Port Chalmers on 6 August 1850.
He married Elizabeth Williams on 19 November 1856. His wife was the daughter of John Williams, who arrived in Lyttelton with his family in December 1850 on one of the First Four Ships, the Randolph
. John Williams was found dead four days after arrival, having possibly died from heat exhaustion. Her mother Isabella worked as a draper and had a shop on Colombo Street, Christchurch
. Isabella Williams died in 1882.
Their oldest son was William John (born ca. 1856), and their second son was Charles James.
His first nursery in New Zealand, Bricks Farm, was next to The Bricks 43.52540°N 172.64510 °W, a locality on the Avon River in central Christchurch
. He bought up land in sought after areas for his nurseries and then operated them until the land became too valuable, and he subdivided it for development. At its maximum, he held 18 acres in the central city. He specialised in shelter plants and hedges and became the dominant nurseryman in Christchurch. He was one of the first in New Zealand to publish product catalogues.
Apart from his extensive landholdings, he had a general trading company, a real estate and auctioneering business, a controlling stake in the Halswell
quarries, and a half partnership in the trading vessel Rifleman.
on the 4th Council from June 1864 to May 1866, representing the Kaiapoi electorate. He then represented the City of Christchurch electorate on the 5th Council from June 1866 to March 1870.
Before 1916, elections for Christchurch City Council
were held annually. He was elected onto the town and later city council four times: in 1862, 1867, 1868 and 1878. In 1867, he was elected chairman of the town council. The town council held a meeting on 10 June 1868 to elect its first mayor. In those days, the councillors elected one of their group as mayor, i.e. the position was not elected at large (by the voting public) as is the case today.
The following councillors attended the meeting: William Wilson, James Purvis Jameson, T. Tombs, George Ruddenklau, Henry Thomson, W. A. Sheppard, W. Calvert and John Anderson
, who chaired the meeting. Thomson moved that Wilson be elected as the first mayor of Christchurch, and Tombs seconded the motion. The chairman put the motion to the meeting and it was carried unanimously. With the meeting, the council had brought itself under the Municipal Corporations Act 1867.
On 16 December 1868, the town council held its annual general meeting. Councillor Anderson was elected unanimously as the second mayor of Christchurch.
Although Canterbury was an Anglican settlement, the first three mayors were all Presbyterian
Scotsmen
; Wilson in 1868, followed by John Anderson in 1869 and Andrew Duncan
in 1870.
In 1876 Wilson was accused of fraud and as it was usual in those days, the court proceedings of well-known people were reported in fine detail in the newspapers. He lost the case on all counts and this brought to an end Wilson's public life, with him resigning from his various roles.
Wilson died on 8 November 1897. He was buried the following day at Linwood
Cemetery.
Mayor of Christchurch
The Mayor of Christchurch is the head of the municipal government of Christchurch, New Zealand, and presides over the Christchurch City Council. The mayor is directly elected using a First Past the Post electoral system...
in 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...
in 1868.
Early life
Wilson was born in Castle DouglasCastle Douglas
Castle Douglas , a town in the south of Scotland in Dumfries and Galloway, lies in the eastern part of Galloway known as the Stewartry, between the towns of Dalbeattie and Gatehouse of Fleet.-History:...
in Kirkcudbrightshire
Kirkcudbrightshire
The Stewartry of Kirkcudbright or Kirkcudbrightshire was a county of south-western Scotland. It was also known as East Galloway, forming the larger Galloway region with Wigtownshire....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. He was the eldest child of Jane Thomson and her husband, William Wilson. He arrived in New Zealand in August 1850 at 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....
on the ship Mariner, and travelled to Nelson
Nelson, 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....
, 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...
and Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
before arriving 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....
in late July 1851. The Mariner left 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...
on 7 April 1850 and arrived at Port Chalmers on 6 August 1850.
He married Elizabeth Williams on 19 November 1856. His wife was the daughter of John Williams, who arrived in Lyttelton with his family in December 1850 on one of the First Four Ships, the Randolph
Randolph (ship)
Randolph was a 664-ton ship-rigged merchant vessel constructed in 1849 in Sunderland. She was one of the first four ships to settle Christchurch, New Zealand ....
. John Williams was found dead four days after arrival, having possibly died from heat exhaustion. Her mother Isabella worked as a draper and had a shop on Colombo Street, 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...
. Isabella Williams died in 1882.
Their oldest son was William John (born ca. 1856), and their second son was Charles James.
Professional life
In Scotland, Wilson was an apprentice as a nurseryman and worked as an overseer on estates.His first nursery in New Zealand, Bricks Farm, was next to The Bricks 43.52540°N 172.64510 °W, a locality on the Avon River in central Christchurch
Christchurch Central City
Christchurch Central City is the geographical centre and the heart of Christchurch, New Zealand. It is defined as the area within the four avenues and thus includes the densely built up central city, some less dense surrounding areas of residential, educational and industrial usage, and green...
. He bought up land in sought after areas for his nurseries and then operated them until the land became too valuable, and he subdivided it for development. At its maximum, he held 18 acres in the central city. He specialised in shelter plants and hedges and became the dominant nurseryman in Christchurch. He was one of the first in New Zealand to publish product catalogues.
Apart from his extensive landholdings, he had a general trading company, a real estate and auctioneering business, a controlling stake in the Halswell
Halswell
Halswell is a satellite town of Christchurch, New Zealand, located in open country nine kilometres southwest of the city centre on State Highway 75...
quarries, and a half partnership in the trading vessel Rifleman.
Political career
Wilson had an active political life. He was a member of the Canterbury Provincial CouncilCanterbury 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...
on the 4th Council from June 1864 to May 1866, representing the Kaiapoi electorate. He then represented the City of Christchurch electorate on the 5th Council from June 1866 to March 1870.
Before 1916, elections for Christchurch City Council
Christchurch City Council
The Christchurch City Council is the local government authority for Christchurch in New Zealand. It is a territorial authority elected to represent the people of Christchurch. Since 2007, the Mayor of Christchurch is Bob Parker, who stood as an independent candidate...
were held annually. He was elected onto the town and later city council four times: in 1862, 1867, 1868 and 1878. In 1867, he was elected chairman of the town council. The town council held a meeting on 10 June 1868 to elect its first mayor. In those days, the councillors elected one of their group as mayor, i.e. the position was not elected at large (by the voting public) as is the case today.
The following councillors attended the meeting: William Wilson, James Purvis Jameson, T. Tombs, George Ruddenklau, Henry Thomson, W. A. Sheppard, W. Calvert and John Anderson
John Anderson (mayor)
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 the...
, who chaired the meeting. Thomson moved that Wilson be elected as the first mayor of Christchurch, and Tombs seconded the motion. The chairman put the motion to the meeting and it was carried unanimously. With the meeting, the council had brought itself under the Municipal Corporations Act 1867.
On 16 December 1868, the town council held its annual general meeting. Councillor Anderson was elected unanimously as the second mayor of Christchurch.
Although Canterbury was an Anglican settlement, the first three mayors were all Presbyterian
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
Scotsmen
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
; Wilson in 1868, followed by John Anderson in 1869 and Andrew Duncan
Andrew Duncan (mayor)
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...
in 1870.
Private life and death
Wilson was involved with several clubs and societies. For many years, he chaired the Christchurch Horticultural Society. He was the first president of the Christchurch Poultry, Bantam & Pigeon Club. He was responsible for the construction of the first Town Hall in Christchurch's High Street.In 1876 Wilson was accused of fraud and as it was usual in those days, the court proceedings of well-known people were reported in fine detail in the newspapers. He lost the case on all counts and this brought to an end Wilson's public life, with him resigning from his various roles.
Wilson died on 8 November 1897. He was buried the following day at Linwood
Linwood, New Zealand
Linwood is an inner suburb of the city of Christchurch, New Zealand. It lies to the East of the city centre, mostly between Ferry Road and Linwood Avenue, two of the major arterial roads to the Eastern suburbs of Christchurch.-History:...
Cemetery.