HarrisFamily

Once upon a time, in the town of Chepstow (which is just over the border into Monmouthsire), there lived a family with the surname of Harris. They had a son who was Sidney Buckland Harris. A pretty impressive name for a young man born into a family of bakers and confectioners. He was the eldest son born 24 Mar. 1851.

In 1873 at the age of 21 Sydney met Hannah Gale at a church function. It was love at first sight and soon after they were married.

In 1874 they decided to start a new life in New Zealand after seeing an advertisement in the window of the general store. On the 27th of June, 1874 they set sail for Lyttleton, NZ on the "Merope" and arrived at their destination on 27th September.

It is at Little River that he built

"Beaufort", a large, two storey

house on the hill.

It was named after theSquare in

Chepstow where his family

resided and had the bakery.

The house is thought to have

been built in 1893.

It overlooks the easternend of

Little River and originally boasted

stables, a croquet lawn and rifle

range.

The ceilings in the house were

very high, so most of the rooms

had a fireplace to heat the house

in winter. It was the largest home

in Little River and stood in a very

prominent position.

Sidney centre of three seated men.

A year after Sidney and Hannah arrived in New Zealand they had their first child. They had twelve children in all.

Mary Bertha b. 15 Aug. 1875 named after his sister Bertha Ellen

Blanche Hetty b. 28 July, 1876

Sidney Thomas b. 16 Sept. 1877

Fenton George b. 19 Mar. 1879 named after his brother Fenton George

Mary b. 27 Feb. 1881 named after sisters Anne Mary and Bessie Mary

Edith Annie b. 1 Mar. 1883

Amy b. 30 June 1885

Clarabelle b. 28 May 1887

Oliver George b. 30 May 1889 named after brother George Edwin

Cluny b. 29 Jan. 1891

Maud b. 23 Dec. 1892

Edgar Gale b. 10 Jan. 1897 named after brother Edgar and wifes maiden name

The inscription on the tombstone reads: In Loving Memory of Sidney Buckland, beloved husband of Hannah Harris of Little River, N.Z., who died 23rd October 1908 aged 57 years. Thy will be done.

Sidney was about 5' 5" tall and in later life weighed about 17 stone, so was extremely barrel shaped. He had dark auburn, bristly hair and a beard. As he was a good singer, he was often asked to sing at weddings on the Penninsula. He was a strict Victorian parent and it seemed that his children were scared of him as he also had quite a bad temper.

Sidney was always honest in his business dealings and over the years he lived in Little River, bought a number of farmlets in the area. He also had a leasehold property, Blue Duck Station, at Kaikoura, thought to be between 9,000 and 25,000 acres and the Glencoe and Hermitage Stations in North Canterbury.

Sidney always took a keen interest in Rifle shooting and for many years was a prominent member of the local Defence Club. At several meetings of the N.Z Rifle Association he took a leading place, being an excellent shot. In his private capacity he accompanied the Bisley Team to Gretna, Britain, on the occasion of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee (1897) and at the meeting shot remarkably well, getting a number of prizes. Because of his shape he shot lying on his back with the rifle resting on his belly!

In 1890 he was elected to a seat on the Akaroa County Council, founded in 1876, and since that time took a prominent part in local affairs, representing the Akaroa couty on the Hospital Board and many other bodies.

Just before going on holiday to England with his wife and oldest daughter, Mary Bertha, he announced his intention of being a candidate for the Ellesmere seat in Parliament.

While on holiday, in his hometown, he died of a stroke and was buried there. It is thought that his doctor had suggested the holiday for health reasons.

Sidney Buckland Harris

They lost three children at a young age and they are all buried in the same grave by St. Andrew's Anglican Church. The inscription reads: In Loving Memory of Blanche Hetty who died May 16th 1879 aged 2 ½ years also Fenton George who died March 4th 1887 aged 7 ½ years. Beloved children of Sidney and Hannah Harris. "Asleep in Jesus". Also Maud, yougest daughter, died February 10th 1894 aged 13 months.

The gravestone can be found at the bottom of the graveyard and is not tended, unlike the more recent ones closer to the church..

They started off in Cooptown, which is situated at the end of the valley at the head of Lake Forsythe, and at the foot of Bank's Penninsula.

Sydney went into business as a butcher and also opened a bakery. He also went into saw-milling. The valleys all around were forest clad with Totara, Matai and Kahikatea with tangled undergrowth and creepers. On the valley floors, flax and toi toi fringed the stoney creeks which flowed down every valley.

The timber from the saw-mills built practically all the early public buildings in Christchurch. At one stage Sydney owned a saw-mill up Weston Valley Rd. behind Little River. He also purchased land at Little River and opened a General Store.

On 26th September 1889 S.B. Harris is recorded as having a fire.

Little River General Store

Butchery and Bakery

Zealandia Boots

(this is what was written on the side of the building)

Hannah Harris, nee Gale.

Sidney Buckland Harris m. Hannah Gale

______________________________________________I_________________________________________________________________________________________________

I I I I I I I I I I I I

Mary Bertha Blanche Hetty Sidney Thomas Fenton George Mary Edith Annie Amy Clarabelle Beatrice Oliver George Cluny Maud Edgar Gale

b. 15 Aug b. 28 Jul b. 16 Sept b. 19 Mar b. 27 Feb b. 1 Mar b. 30 Jun b. 28 May b. 30 May b. 29 Jan b. 23 Dec b. 10 Jan

1875 1876 1877 1879 1881 1883 1885 1887 1889 1891 1892 1897

c. 31 Oct c. 3 Nov c. 25 Sep c. 26 Aug c. 27 Dec c. 25 Mar 1888 c. 19 Mar 1890 c. 21 Feb 1892 c. 8 Oct 1893 c. 25 Apr

d. 1961 d. 16 May 1879 d. 1959 d. 1887 d. 1926 d. 1965 d. 1963 d. 1963 d. 1960 d. 1894 d. 1974

Christchurch Little River Little River Little River

m. m. 26 Mar 1915 m. m. m. m.

Lara William Hannah Gertrude John Whittey William Fisher Jessie Emms

Besley Emms Webb Waller

I I

I _____________

I m. I I

I Clunie Oliver Robin Keith

I Margaret Collins 1916 1917

I d. 9 Apr 1959 m. m.

I Kaikoura Doreen Stubbs Colleen Shaw

I I__________ I I

I_________________ I I_____________ ___________I________

I I I I I I I I

Sidney Thomas Samuel Escott Sidney Buckland Molly Jeanne Mary Nancy Betty Joan

1914 1916 b. 16 Oct 1916 1914 1908 1910 1914

d. 1975 d. 1981 d. d. 1986

Kaikoura

m. m. m.

Betty Gray Roland Edgar Malcolm Duncan

Baxter Jones

Roger

1940

Susan Craig

d. 1985

______________

I I

Fiona Michael

1970 1972

Notes:

AMY 1885: Christened St Andrews, Little River by Walter F Knowles, curate.

BLANCHE HETTY 1876: At the time of her baptism her father was a sawyer of Little River - sponsors were Henry Edward Tyson, Annie Powson and her mother. Died aged two and a half years.

CLARABELLE BEATRICE 1887: Christened St Andrews, Little River by Walter F Knowles, curate. Married William Fisher Waller, 40 yrs, bachelor, agent, b. ChCh., residing and usual residence ChCh., son of John Waller, formerly timber merchant (deceased) and Mary Ann nee Nelson. Clarabelle 20 yrs spinster, domestic duties, residing and usual residence Little River. Married at St Andrews, Little River by Rev. A Reginald S Holloway. Witnesses - Sidney Buckland Harris, farmer, Little River, Francis Dalziel Waller, Papanui Rd, teacher, and Amy Harris.

CLUNEY 1891: Christened St Andrews, Little River by PJ Cocks.

EDGAR GALE 1897: Christened St Andrews, Little River by P H Pritchett.

EDITH ANNIE 1883: Christened St Andrews, Little River by R F Garbett.

FENTON GEORGE 1879: Christened St Andrews, Little River by E H Wyatt.

MARY BERTHA 1875: Married Lara William Besley, 31, bachelor, baker, b. Bampton, Devon, residing and usual residence Little River, son of Samuel Besley (deceased) and Eleanor Escott. Mary Bertha 38 yrs, spinster, b. Little River, domestic duties. Married St Andrews, Little River by Rev. Bertram George Fox, by licence. Witnesses - S. Harris Storekeeper, Little River and Ann Harris. " Bertie" and "Ponty" lived most their married life at 163 Seaview Road, New Brighton and had a bakery at the back of the property that had access of the strret running parrallel to Seaview Rd. She had a prolapse after the second son, Sam, was born, and, being a Christian Scientist, did not get this fixed. In her last years she had diabetes and resided at Burwood Hospital.

MARY 1881: Christened St Andrews, Little River by E H Wyatt. Married John Whitby Webb, a 33 yr old widower, fruiterer, b. Lyttelton (son of John Richard Webb, grocer, and Anna nee Whitby) residing Lyttleton at time of marriage but usual residence Little River. Mary a 25 yr old spinster residing Little River (father a storekeeper at this stage). Witnesses - Sidney Buckland Harris, storekeeper, Sidney Thomas Harris, butcher, and Amy Harris - all of Little River. Married at St Andrews, Little River by Rev. A Reginald S Holloway.

MAUD 1892: Christened St Andrews, Little River by Henry T Purchas.

OLIVER GEORGE 1889: Christened St Andrews, Little River by HJC Christchurch (Bishop Harper).

NZPO Directory 1921 - Oliver Harris, 615 Gloucester St., Christchurch.

SIDNEY BUCKLAND HARRIS 1851: 1841 - just days old, with parents. 1851 - 10 years, with parents. 1871 - 20 yrs, unmarried Grocer and Baker, boarding 120 Bigbeth?, Birmingham.

Sawyer 1875. Storekeeper 1889.

Arrive in N.Z. 27th Sept.1874. Sailed back to England in 1908 with his wife,

Hannah, and oldest daughter, Bertie, and died of a stroke there.

Occupations: 1877 Sawyer. 1879 Bushman. 1881 & 1885 Baker. 1892 Storekeeper.

Spelt Sydney at birth.

1887-88 NZPO Dir. baker, Little River.

"Akaroa County Council: Those elected Nov. 1902 SBHarris. Councillor Sidney Buckland Harris was elected to represent Little River on the Akaroa County Council in Nov. 1899. Hr. Harris was born in 1851 at Chepstow, Monmouthshire. He sailed for NZ in 1874, landed in Lyttleton and immediately proceeded to Little River, where he still resides."

D. 4Q 1908 Chepstow 11a 2

Probate: Storekeeper, Little River, will filed Wgtn court, 26 Mar 1909.

1875 - sawyer. 1879 - bushman. 1881 - 1888 baker. 1890 - 1897 storekeeper. Parents Sponsors at all christenings.

NZPO Directory - 1885-1886 - Sidney Harris, baker, Little River.

SIDNEY BUCKLAND 1916: Sid and Betty lived in "Bloomfield" for a while until their house on the Esplanade was built in the 1950's.

SIDNEY THOMAS 1877: At the time of his baptism, his father was a sawyer of Little River and the sponsors were his parents and H.W. Tyson. Managed his father's shop at Little River after his father's death - he would have been around 29 yrs of age at this time. The business in Little River was sold circa 1918 and Sidney Thomas moved to Kaikoura where he bought a farm "Ludley". He ran sheep on this and it was sited just to the north of the golf course at Kaikoura. He later bought the farm in Grange Road north of Kaikoura, in the foothills which was a dairy farm. Here he madee cheese from the milk from his herd and that of a neighbouring farm, and it is thought that the cheese may have been exported. He purchased the cheese making equipment from a factory that had closed down in Kaikoura and made the cheese at his farm. He had to sell the farm during the Depression and bought the hardware shop and timbermill in Kaikoura. Sidney and Gertie had one son, Sidney Buckland. Sidney and young Sid lived in the "Whitehouse" on the Espanade in Kaikoura. After young Sid took over the business, Sidney retired to "Bloomfield", a well known Kaikoura house. He married Mrs Collins at this time.

NZPO Directory 1918 - Sidney T, ins agent and store, Little River.

NZPO Directory 1921 - Sydney, farmer, Hapuku.

Electoral Roll - Ellesmere - 1890, 1891, 1898, 1902, 1908, 1914 - Baker.

Electoral Roll - Kaikoura - 1914 - Farmer.

Wise's Directory - 1921 - Farmer.

Wife HANNAH GERTRUDE EMMS: Died 1930.

Wife MARGARET COLLINS: Died aged 81 yrs.

SIDNEY THOMAS 1914: