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8 Wednesday <strong>February</strong> 7 <strong>2018</strong><br />
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi<br />
SELWYN TIMES<br />
History of the district: Homebush<br />
Due to strong public interest after the Rolleston 150 th<br />
celebrations in 2015, <strong>Selwyn</strong> District councillor Jeff<br />
Bland and Wayne Stack, a historian who also works<br />
for the district council, recognised that continuing to<br />
promote local history would have long-term social<br />
and economic benefits within the district. Although<br />
both hail from the West Coast, they have previously<br />
served as policemen in the <strong>Selwyn</strong> District and have<br />
gained an affinity with its people and heritage. Mr<br />
Bland currently holds the arts and heritage portfolio<br />
within the district council. One initiative taken by the<br />
pair, with support from <strong>Selwyn</strong> <strong>Times</strong>, is to provide a<br />
series of monthly features focusing on various historic<br />
places and people who have stories that add value<br />
to the district’s heritage. The first feature relates to<br />
early industry in the area. Anyone with suggestions for<br />
future features can contact Wayne on 021 119 91<strong>07</strong><br />
THE SELWYN District is rich<br />
in human history, dating back<br />
to the migration of Maori and<br />
colonial settlement, through to<br />
the present day.<br />
With the recent rapid growth<br />
within the district resulting in<br />
increased urban and industrial<br />
development and an influx of<br />
permanent residents, many<br />
coming from overseas, there is<br />
now a greater need to identify<br />
and promote features of historic<br />
significance before they are lost.<br />
Promoting an understanding<br />
of our local history and how the<br />
district has developed over the<br />
years will help strengthen a sense<br />
of identity and belonging within<br />
communities.<br />
The Homebush Brick,<br />
Pipe and Terra-Cotta<br />
Works, Glentunnel<br />
Since the time of colonial<br />
settlement the area that the<br />
<strong>Selwyn</strong> District now covers was<br />
primarily developed through an<br />
Our Great<br />
history<br />
WITH WAYNE STACK<br />
HISTORY: The Homebush Brick, Pipe and Terra-Cotta Works in<br />
1984. PHOTO: GLENTUNNEL MUSEUM<br />
agricultural economy. However,<br />
there was also opportunity<br />
for industry to thrive through<br />
investment from prominent<br />
local landholders and through<br />
the extraction of natural<br />
resources within the area. In the<br />
late 1900s, the prime example<br />
of this was the establishment<br />
of the Homebush Brick, Pipe<br />
and Terra-Cotta Works at<br />
Glentunnel, which played an<br />
important role in the overall<br />
development of Canterbury and<br />
especially Christchurch.<br />
Homebush Station, west of<br />
Darfield, was established by<br />
William and John Deans in 1851.<br />
After emigrating from Scotland<br />
in 1843, the brothers were<br />
some of the earliest European<br />
settlers in Canterbury and had<br />
originally farmed a large holding<br />
at Riccarton on the current site<br />
of Riccarton House and Bush.<br />
When the Canterbury Association<br />
subsequently planned the<br />
settlement of Christchurch, the<br />
Deans’ brothers exchanged some<br />
of their land at Riccarton for<br />
the 33,000 acre (13354ha) run<br />
in the Malvern Hills. Originally<br />
the domestic and out buildings<br />
on the property were built using<br />
red bricks that were first made<br />
from kiln-firing on site and later<br />
from the family-owned local<br />
brickworks.<br />
The Homebush Brick and Tile<br />
Works was first established at<br />
Glentunnel by John Deans in<br />
1870. There was an abundance<br />
of suitable clay in the area and<br />
the coal used for manufacturing<br />
was sourced from the Homebush<br />
Colliery (which Deans also<br />
owned) located in the hills on<br />
the north side of the Glentunnel<br />
Valley.<br />
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Arts Culture<br />
& HeritageSELWYN<br />
Need funding for your creative project?<br />
Creative Communities <strong>Selwyn</strong> can help!<br />
Funding is available to groups or individuals with<br />
community-based creative projects that promote arts<br />
or culture in <strong>Selwyn</strong>.<br />
Applications for this funding round close at 5pm,<br />
Friday 23 <strong>February</strong>.<br />
Visit www.selwyn.govt.nz/artsfunding for more<br />
information and to apply.
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