Richard James Strachan HARMAN [35927]

  General Notes:

Richard's mother died when he was 4 days old, he was brought up by the Strachan family. He came to Canterbury NZ, on the first four ships. He went back to marry Emma DeRenzy, who bore him 16 children.

OBITUARY.
ChCh Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11441, 27 November 1902, Page 5
MR R-J. S. HABMAN. Wß deeply regret to announce tie death, yesterday afternoon, at his residence in I Windmill Boad, of Mr R. J. S. Harman, a member of the firm of Harmon and Stevens, and one of tie pioneers of the province. Mr Harmon, as is generally known, met with a severe aooident rather more than a year ago. When inspecting ! the -work of constructing- the new vestry at St. Michaels, he trod on a piece of loose timber, and falling, broke and dislocated his thigh. He was confined to his bed for more than three months, and though he recovered sufficiently to get about on crutches, the enforced lack of exercise, all the more severely felt because up to the time of his accident behad been a great walker, affected Mr Harman'e health prejudicially, and brought about internal troubles, from which he eventually died. He had to take to his bed some weeks ago, and gradually grew weaker, passing quietly away yesterday afternoon, mourned by his family and deeply regretted by all who knew him. The late Mr Harman wae the son of Mr Richard Harman, of Dublin, and was born in that city on April 14th, 1826. He was educated at Eugby, entering that famous school at the age of 15, during Dr. Arnold's reign, and h< was a contemporary of Freeman, the historian, Sir Richard Temple, and Dr. Liddell. On leaving school he decided to take up the profession of civil engineering, and became an articled pupil of Mr George and Sir John Rennie, the celebrated London firm of civil engineers. In common with- many other young Irish gentlemen, notably the Ward Brothers, including Mr Crosbie Ward, Mr Harman was led by t/he enthusiasm displayed by Mr John Robert Godley, to take a personal interest in the work of founding tine Caaterbury settlement, which was then, in the year 1849, receiving strong advocacy in all parts of the country. Mr Harman Joined the band of Canterbury Pilgrims, became a land purchaser in the new colony, and was among the passengers by the Sir George Seymour, one of the fleet of pioneer ships. Those who purchased land in the colony under the Canterbury Assosciation formed themselves into a society wibich was called the Society of Land Purchasers. This was intended to arrange with the Association the various details connected with the land as to price, etc., and several meetings were held in London prior to the departure of the first body of colonists for Canterbury. In order to provide a means of communicating the wishes of the Society to the agent of the Canterbury* Association in the colony, a council was elected from amongst those proceeding in the first four ships. It was arranged that this council should call a meeting of land purchasers in the colony so soon as two-thirds of those who -had bought land had arrived, with a view to making the necessary arrangements for placing them in possession of their property. This meeting ¦waa held four days after the arrival of the first three of the four ships. Mr Harman as a purchaser of land was a member of the Society, and he was selected as the executive officer of the Council. As there waa no constituted authority' up to the time of the granting of representative institutions, the Society of Land Purchasers had to recommend to the agent of the Association what publio works, such as roads, etc., should be proceeded with, and also to act as the representatives of the settler* generally. This threw upon Mr'Harman, as tie olerk of the Council, a good deal of important work, which he discharged with that fidelity, care and ability which marked all his subsequent official career. The advent of representative institutions by the granting of the Constitution Act rendered the existence of the Land Purchasers Society no longer necessary, and its functions ceased. Mr Hannan established himseJ as a land agent in 1851, and had placed in his bands a large number of the estates of the early purchasers of land who were resident. in England, for whom he acted as agent in the colony. Hß was joined in 1802 by .the Hon. E. 0. J. Stevens, when tie firm of Harman and Stevens, which still exists, was founded. Cookham House, Colombo street, ie on the cite of Mr Harmon's old dweking, has town section extending from the intersections of Armagh street and Gloucester street with Colombo street. In the early part of 1853, in conjunction with the late Cyrus Davie, he took up a run on the south side of the Selwyn, between that river, the river Tlrwell, and Lake Ellesmere. In 1854 Mr Hannan, with Messrs Bray, Oridland, Dobson, and JolHe was appointed by the Provincial Council on a, Commission to report on the best means of communication between Lyttelton and Christchurch. Two courses were suggested by the Commission for adoption, vi<.\emdash (l) An open road from Lyttelton to Christchuroh via Sumner, with a tunnel through Evans's Pass; (2) a railway through the hills by means of a tunnel. In the same year he assisted the late Mr W. B. Bray, CE., in laying out the sights for the* direction of the railway tunnel to Lyttelton, shortly afterwards visiting England. While at Home he married Miss Emma De Renzy. During the latter part' of his, visit to England Mr Harman was appointed by the Provincial Government as emigration agent in England. The (province had decided to enter upon a comprehensive scheme of emigration ! from the Old Country, and Mr Harman ; was selected for the post of agent in Lonj doa from his early association with Canterbury , and ' the intimate knowledge of the requirementa of the settlers. He returned to the colony at the end of 1856, in the Egraont, among his fellow passengers being tihe late Biahop Harper and Ms family. The question of railway communication was very much in evidence in tb* year 1858, and at the session of the Provincial Council in November a commission was appointed to consider and recommend the various lines to be constructed. Mr Herman was a member of this Coamniesioo. Latter cm Mr Harman was appointed a member of the Waste Lands Board. He also had a contract from the Provincial Governments to execute some surveys on Banks Peniteula. The Waste Lands Board hod two sittings in the week, Monday and Thursday, and as some very important business at this time had to be transacted it waa desirable that every member should attend regularly. As an instance of Mr Hannan'e energy and endurance, be used to leave his survey camp at Duvauchelle's Bay at midnight, walk though the bust) to "Purau, cross the harbour to Lyttelton in the milk boat, walk over the Bridle Path to Chrietchijrch, arriving in time to take his seat at the Board, and returning to his survey work next day. This feat he performed twice a week for a month until the pressure of work waa relieved. In May, 1865, Mr Harman took part in an' expedition which set out to try and discover, a pass through the Southern Alps to Hokitika. This expedition resulted in the discovery of Browning's Paes. Mr Hannan never iheld a> seat on the Provincial Council. At the nomination of candidates in May, 1867, he was proposed for the Mandeville district, but retired on the ground that he felt the district should t> represented by a resident. He acted as Provincial Treasurer, ana during Mr Rolleston'e absence from the Province at the General Assembly, ivas nppointed as Deputy Superintendent. In view of the somewhat strained position of the finances of the Province in 1867, a Financial Reform Association wsjj formed at a public meeting held in November of that year, and Mr Harman was a member of the Committee. At the first meeting of the South Waimakariri Board of Conservators on April 7th, 1869, Mr Harman was appointed chairman of the. Board, a position he held for many years. Mr Harman -was a devoted adherent of outdoor sports. He was in his school eleven at Rugby, and from the time of his firet reabfling Canterbury to his closing rears he took a great interest in cricket. He took part in soma very early cricket, being a member of the Canterbury Cricket Club, the members of which need to prac-

tioe on what is now Englefidd, the property of his (partner, the Hon. E. C. J. Stevens. His name appears in the eleven chosen to represent his dub in the match against the Working Men's Eleven, pUyed in Hagley Park on the first anniversary of the province. He was a member of the U.C.C. from its inoeption, and held his membership at the time of his death, whilst so was president for many years. In the year 1664 the volunteer movement took form and shape so far as Ghristchurch was concerned, and on the llta July, No*. 1 and 2 companies were constituted. Mr Harman was elected ac lieutenant of No. 2 company, captain afterwards, Colonel Packe being elected to the command. Subsequently, on Colonel lraeke retiring, Mr Harman was elected captain, and held it till the disbandment of the company. In 1885, when the Russian ecare was on, Captain Harman, in conjunction with CoL Brett, advocated the formation of a reserve corps of men >who had been volunteers and could shoot. (He wae alwaye impressing on the Defence authorities the importance of educating men to shoot, and what he preached lie practised. Hß was very constant in his attendance at the ritje range, and won several prizes. He took a chare in the formation of the Canterbury Rifle Association, and was for years representative for Chrietchuroh on the Board of the New Zealand Rifle Association. He attended a number of meeting* of the Rifle Association with the members of the Hoaorary Reserve Corps. He held command of the Honorary Reserve Corps, which developed . ; nto one of the finest shooting corps in the district, until its disbandment just recently. Mr Hormau wae president of the Canterbury Rowing dub from ita inoeption, and was elected to that office every year consecutively up to the present. Hß took a great deal of interest in the working of the club, and presented it with the Phosphorus and Isis, and also gave a challenge cup, which is still annually competed for. In football ~!sr Harman wa< an enthusiast, having been president of the Christchurch Club for many years. He played football when he wae fifty years of age, his eons being In the team also on the occasion. No reference to Mr Hannan's career could be complete without some allusion being made to his work as a churchman. He took a living interest in the affaire of the Church of England educe the date of n's arrival in what was tlhen only termed the H Oanteifcury Settlement by courtesy. He was a member of the Diocesan Synod from the time of Hß inception, and his last public act in this respect was to lay the continuation stone *of the chancel of the cathedral in Jubilee time, when the excellent speech he made on that occasion will be long remembered. He always took a great interest in St. Michael s, the oldest Anglican parish church and pro-catlhedral in Chrietcnuroh, and when the present building wae completed some fewenty-five years ago, he was, with Mr H. J. Ainger, one of tne churchwardens, an office which he only resigned some two or three years ago, though he retained the office of vestryman to the time of his death. Prom the very start of the cathedral ..organisation he was a member of the Chapter, and died in tihat capacity. He resigned the office when Mß hearcn began to fail, but the Chapter refused to entertain tibe question until the end of the year, which he was fated never to see. He always attended tihe Sundlay services at St. Michael's with iiub greatest regularity. For a great number of years Mr Harman was one of the governing Board of Christ's College. Mr Harman married in 1855 Miss Emma De Renzy, daughter of Dr. De Renzy, of Dublin. He leaves a widow and a family of twelve children, seven daughters and five none\emdash Mrs J. C. Maxwell, Mrs G. E. Way, Mm E. Anderson, Mrs A. C. De Renzy, Mrs F. Mayne, Mrs Geb. Harris, and Miss Dora Hanm
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Richard married Emma DE RENZY [35928] [MRIN: 13032], daughter of Dr Thomas DE RENZY MD TCD JP [35929] and Mary WALKER [35931], on 26 Apr 1855 in co Wicklow IRL. (Emma DE RENZY [35928] was born on 9 Oct 1823 in Ireland and died on 27 Apr 1907 in Christchurch N Z.)