Arthur Stanley ELWORTHY [595]

  General Notes:

Arthur's health was not robust in his youth and with the premature death of his older male siblings it was for a time a concern to his parents. He was educated both by private tutor and at English public schools during his parents extended stays in England, a great party was thrown at Holme Station on his 21st birthday. However three and a half years later at 24 he was abruptly thrown into running Holme Station on his fathers death.
A good marriage to a confident Ella Julius the next year set in place the continuance of Elworthy's on the land, at Pareora, which continues into the 21st C.
Although Arthur had more than 20 men employed he was a hands on farmer, and with his brothers, an early adopter of new technology. He continued to improve the stud stock lines started by his father, and, with his wife, played a prominant role in South Canterbury life over the first 50yrs of the 20th C.
Arthur & Ella were generous hosts and employers, however it was wise not to presume upon them. Arthur was also very much a businessman, not inclined to encourage distant family members to presume on his hospitality. Harold (Harry) L Fenn [33] remembers that in 1906 when he came to Holme Station, at the suggestion of his Uncle Churchill Julius to learn to farm, Arthur greeted him with "Just because you are some sort of relative Fenn don't expect any favours around here." To make the point he was given the whare (hut) to sleep in, however the point made, Harry became a loved and included member of the family.


Arthur was a Director of Pyne Gould Guinness, Stock & Station Agents, Canterbury, from 1941 to 1955.

Timaru Herald
Deaths.
Elworthy, Arthur Stanley: on December 7, 1962, at Holmwood, Fendalton, Christchurch, dearly loved husband of Ella Elworthy. In his 89 year. Service at the Christchurch Cathedral, on Monday, December 10, at 11:15 AM. To be followed by a private service at the Crematorium. Sprays only. (Lamb A.; and Hayward Ltd).

OBITUARY
MR ARTHUR ELWORTHY
The death occurred at his home in Christchurch, yesterday morning, of Mr Arthur Stanley Elworthy, former owner of Holme Station, at the age of 88 years. Mr Elworthy, who owned Holme Station from the time of the death of his father, Mr Edward Elworthy, in 1899, until it was sold for subdivision into settlement blocks for returned servicemen in 1948, lived in Christchurch for the last 15 years.
Over the last few years he suffered ill-health, and his interests were confined to matters relating to the administration of horse racing.
Mr Elworthy's contribution to the development of South Canterbury is marked strongly in the history of the district. Through his interest in stud stock during his half-century tenure of Holme Station he was instrumental in raising the breeding standards of 'Southdown and Romney sheep and Friesian cattle throughout the district. His association with the Timaru Agricultural and Pastoral Association, of which he was patron and former president, assisted him to bring his forthright ideas on stud and flock qualities to the attention of farmers in a wide area, an indirectly to bring about a better standard of animal breeding and husbandry, the effects off which are still obvious.
Mr Elworthy was a man inspired to experiment in things relating to farm stock and management, and his views were sought by many of the men who subsequently became leaders of the industry in various parts of the Dominion. Local Body Activities. He put the same interest and effort into local body affairs, but on a confined scale. He limited his activities in this sphere to service on the Waimate County Council. He stood for the Upper Pareora riding of the council in 1917, and except for a period when he left New Zealand on a visit to the United Kingdom, retained his seat until 1947, a year before he sold his Holme Station property to the Government.
Farmers in the district found in Mr Elworthy a sympathetic and vigorous advocate on matters affecting them. The claims of his riding were kept before the council, and he was directly responsible for ensuring a standard of roading and other amenities in Upper Pareora which has made the work of his successors a great deal easier than it could have been.
But Mr Elworthy will be linked in perpetuity with horses and horse racing. For him this was a sport that was lifted virtually into a realm of its own, and with which his name has become synonymous. His successes as a breeder of thoroughbreds, as a rider, and an administrator are practically uncountable. Among the sires whose progeny have featured prominently in the record books of racing were Finland and Royal Fusilier. Winners were bred without number, but standing out amongst them was the track champion Reval.

PHAR LAP'S DAM:
For Mr Elworthy perhaps the greatest thrill of all in greater years was the knowledge that Entreaty, a magnificent dam that roamed the hills of Holme Station gave birth to the greatest champion of them all - Phar Lap. A regret may have been that he sold her. Yesterday an endeavor was made to trace when Entreaty was sold. It is thought that the foal at her foot at the time she changed from Mr Elworthy's hands may have been the one now claimed as the "great Australian champion." He bred, raced and rode many notable hunters, among them Craigmore, Rowlock, Swagger and Gnat, horses well remembered by followers of the hunt. He was master of the South Canterbury Hunt Club for a period, but was better known for his riding skill over the country, as a gentleman jockey at race meetings and in the show ring. With the advent of polo in the Dominion, his interest quickened and he founded the Pareora Polo Club. With his two brothers. Herbert and Percy Elworthy, and Mr C. L. Orbell, Mr Elworthy competed in all the major polo tournaments in the South Island. He was captain of the club's A team, and was also president.
As a racing administrator, Mr Elworthy was a member of the committee of the South Canterbury Jockey Club in addition to his interest in the Hunt Club. He was also on the board of trustees of the Timaru racecourse. Mr Elworthy joined the Canterbury Jockey Club in 1900, and was a member of the committee from' 1919 to 1958. He was chairman for 15 years, and in recognition of his services was elected an honorary life member in 1948. From 1925 to 1957 he acted as a steward of the club.
In 1938 Mr Elworthy was appointed to represent the Canterbury Jockey Club on the New Zealand Racing Conference, and the following year became president, a post he relinquished in 1942. He continued to serve on the conference however until 1948. In 1961 he was also elected a honorary life member of the Banks Peninsula Racing Club.
Mr Elworthy had other interests during his life in South Canterbury. His love of animals automatically, led him into avenues for their protection, and he was a foundation member of the South Canterbury Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and its patron at the time of his death.
He was also interested in motoring, and gave expression to this in his membership of the South Canterbury Automobile Association, of which he was chairman for a period. Mr Elworthy married Miss Ella Caroline Julius, a daughter of Archbishop Julius, in 1900, and their wedding was the first celebrated in Christchurch Cathedral, where his funeral service will be read on Monday. He is survived by his wife, two sons, Mr E. S. Elworthy (Four Peaks, Geraldine) and Commander J. C. Elworthy ( Richmond Hill, Sumner) and two daughters, Mrs H. Sinclair-Thompson (Timaru) and Mrs Derrick Gould (Christchurch).

  Research Notes:

See entry in New Zealand, Who's Who in New Zealand and the Western Pacific, 1908, 1925, 1938 - Ancestry

  Other Records

1. Holme Station Homestead: Lost to fire, 1910, Pareora St Canterbury.
The Fire at Holme Station.
The Fight with the Flames.
Unrehearsed Deeds of Daring.
A Descriptive Account.
"Never again" These were the solemn words of an old servant, who stood beside the ruins of the magnificent structure known as the Holme Station homestead, that has been the home of Mr Arthur S. Elworthy for many years, and the home of his father before him. "46 years come next month" said the old servant reflectively "and they'll never see it again". The old fellow's conversation was so extremely melancholy that the "Post" representative hastened to change the topic to one of a more agreeable nature. It was only on Thursday last, it appears, that Mr and Mrs Arthur Elworthy took their departure for Australia, leaving behind them there fairly large retinue of domestic servants and farm assistants, and their four children - Edward, aged eight years; Rachel, aged seven years; Bettie, aged five years, and Johnnie aged three years - in charge of the governess, Miss Ford. Mr P A Elworthy, of Gordon's Valley, returned last Saturday from a visit to Australia, while Mr Herbert Elworthy, is at present touring the South Sea Islands. It was Mr and Mrs Arthur Elworthy's intention to have gone on an extensive motorcar tour in Australia, but the fates were not kind to them, and immediately on Mr Elworthy stepping off the boat at Sydney he was handed the following startling communication: "Homestead totally destroyed by fire this morning". The consternation of the recipient may be better imagined than described, and was intimated in a brief table home, "Returning by next boat".
Viewed yesterday, the huge mass of burning and smoking debris revealed merely the fact that a fire had taken place. There was little to indicate that a magnificent old building, teeming with historical associations for one of the oldest families in South Canterbury, and containing some L3000 worth of the finest furniture and curios to be found anywhere in the Dominion, was represented in those smouldering ashes. Yet such was the fact. The fine old home was estimated to be worth between L4000 and L5000, and was insured for L3700, while the furniture was valued at something like L3000, and was insured for L2500. In a home of this description, however, as, in fact, in all homes more or less, there are articles of furniture whose commercial value for insurance purposes is but the merest trifle of the value that the owner places upon them. The curios, collected from all parts of the globe at infinite trouble and no little expense, were valued because of the associations that surrounded them, and the story of travel and adventure that each little article recalled; their commercial value was not a consideration, inasmuch as the owner was not prepared to sell them.
Features of the House.
The house, which was built of fine old seasoned timber, and plastered throughout, contained 26 rooms, in addition to a liberal provision of larders cupboards etc. The rear portion of the dwelling was erected by the late Mr Edward Elworthy in the year 1864, but it has had several additions made to it from time to time. The latest addition was the northern wing, containing a handsomely furnished billiard room. Among the 26 rooms were, of course, numerous bedrooms; also two nurseries (one downstairs and the other upstairs), a schoolroom, a sewing room, a morning room, a drawing room, dining room, dressing rooms, etc. Every apartment was furnished in a thoroughly complete and up-to-date manner, and contained every convenience that a modern gentleman could desire. The whole dwelling was lit by electricity, supplied from a special powerhouse situated about 30 yards to the west of the dwelling. In the rear portion of the structure were situated the kitchen, the scullery, the servants sitting room, and to the south of these rooms divided by a passage, were the cellar and the dairy. It was somewhere in this portion of the building, probably in the servants sitting room, that the fire originated. Credence is lent to this deduction by the fact that the fire was first noticed in this quarter, and it was certainly the most thoroughly burnt out section of the whole dwelling. The servants declare that they left a low burning fire in a perfectly safe condition, but it is a well-known fact that it is in these low burning, apparently safe fires that little coal gas explosions sometimes take place with the result that burning cinders are thrown out into the room, and disaster follows. There would seem to be still plenty of reason, in this modern era, for the use of the old-fashioned safety guard, that was supposed to perform the double duty of barring the outward progress of exploded cinders, and of swelling the dividends of the insurance companies.
The Holme Station, it should be mentioned, is a magnificent estate of about 5000 acres of first-class land. The homestead faced to the east, and from the front one could obtain an uninterrupted view of the beautiful country that stretches in one great plain as far as the eye could reach. To the north west towers Mount Horrible; to the west the chain of hills, some distance behind which, lies the Timaru Borough's Pareora water dam. The homestead is well protected by tall plantations, while in the immediate vicinity of the destroyed dwelling are beautifully laid out grounds, containing flower beds, rose avenues, and beautiful English and colonial trees. To the west, and with its branches resting over the roof of the dwelling was an aged walnut tree which, to the homestead hands at least, has now a melancholy historical interest. It's huge blackened stem and charred branches speak eloquently of the part it played in the sorry conflagration.
At 11 o'clock on Monday evening the maids and the governess retired to bed; the children had long since been wrapped in the arms of slumber. The homestead male hands, with the curious propensity of their sex, have not yet acquired the habit of early retirement. At 1:00 a.m. one of these hands sauntered across the yard for a final breath of fresh air before retiring. The night was an extremely beautiful one. The moon shone with unwonted brilliance, and the gentleman in question confesses to the belief that the old homestead never looked half as charming as it did that morning. At the hour mentioned he is quite satisfied that there was not a suggestion of the coming fate of the old home. Everything looked perfectly peaceable, and the servants sitting room, shaded as it was by the dairy, was quite dark, and there was not the faintest illumination of any description that could serve to arouse his suspicions. In short, he is quite positive that at 1:10 a.m. the house had not caught fire, and at that hour he retired to bed perfectly easy in mind.
The Outbreak.
There is something unusually tragic about a country fire. There is no fire alarm to give, no fire brigade to call, and, as a rule, no fire appliances with which to quell the outbreak. A country fire is almost invariably a devastation, which the owner and friends are compelled to watch in exasperating impotence. The hand of the clock had just past the hour of two o'clock when Mrs Popham, who occupies the position of cook at the homestead, was awakened by a slight crackling noise. Womanlike, she did not wait to argue as to whether she were dreaming, but was alert on the instant. One moment of complete wakefulness was sufficient to satisfy her that the house was on fire, and she immediately sounded the alarm. Rushing to the maids and governess's quarters she called to them to get out of the house, and after awakening Mr Fenn (the cadet), she rushed to the men's quarters. With an alacrity born of the moment, Mr Pearse (the under gardener), Mr Jones (the dairy man), and Mr Philip (the chauffeur, and son of the manager), lept from their respective bunks and rushed to the scene of the outbreak. It was immediately apparent, however, that any attempt to save the homestead was hopeless. Huge flames and clouds of smoke were curling up from the servants sitting room and the scullery, and already the flames were eating their way to the northern wing and the centre of the house. A call on the telephone showed it to be out of working order, and, without waiting to debate the point, the chauffeur made haste to the station, where the farmhands reside, in search of assistance. Meanwhile the under gardener, the dairy man, and Mr Fenn set to work on the only possible hope before them, that of saving some of the more valuable furniture. The six maids, the governess, and before children, clothed only in their night robes, had by this time found their way onto the lawn, and there, bare footed, and exposed to the bitter frost and the bedewed ground, they stood shivering and debating the best course to pursue. After a short consultation, as the front of the house was free from flames and smoke, it was decided to place the children in one of the rooms there out of the cold. Not a whimper was heard from the little mites, and during their progress out of the smoking rooms, on the lawn, into the front of the house, and out again to safety they behaved like true little New Zealanders. The under gardener here revealed a commendable spirit of chivalry and courage. The appearance of the shivering maids on the lawn was too much for him, and although the rooms were ablaze, he determined to enter the servants bedrooms and secure some of the missing garments. Decision and action were the work of a moment, and the pulses of the bystanders were quickened by the sight of Mr Pearse disappearing in head first through the window. A couple of minutes later he emerged, blackened but triumphant, the proud possessor of a huge bundle of feminine garments. The maid's thanks were brief, and their robing operations under the shade of the fir trees of almost as brief duration. To the front of the house Mr Fenn, the Dairymen and the under gardener then directed their attention, and were in the midst of hurried salvage operations, with the assistance of the electric light which had been turned on, when the station hands arrived in breathless haste. Then the salvage work, nobly assisted by the women, began in earnest. The handsome grand piano of inconvenient bulk, was dragged through the broad windows and safely deposited on the lawn. Then followed several valuable pictures and other miscellaneous objects of value. In the midst of the operations the electric light gave out, the wire having been burnt through, and the salvagers were left in semidarkness. Still the salvage work went on, and valuable crockery ware, ornaments, and the further pictures were removed from the front rooms. In his hurry the under gardener had the misfortune to put his head through one of the pictures, and was much relieved yesterday afternoon on receiving the assurance that the picture had not greatly depreciated in value. His comrades aver that his appearance through the window with the tangled framework about his shoulders and a handsome painted face surrounding his own smoke begrimed, though not by any means unhandsome countenance, was most interesting. Almost the last article to be saved was with a famed picture table, the property of Mr Bond, whose wife had charge of the homestead at the time of the fire. This unique piece of work, made of innumerable small panels of wood, and picked out in the resemblance of the Saviour, is valued at 500 guineas, and the under gardener was also the hero of its salvation. Hearing that it was missing, he entered the burning building, and after considerable suffocating, rummaging among upturned furniture he triumphantly brought out the valuable article uninjured. At this stage Mr P. A. Elworthy, of Gorton's Valley Station, some 3 miles distant, arrived with a force of men, and they, along with the Holme Station hands, rendered invaluable assistance. Shortly after three o'clock, however, the tremendous heat thrown out by the burning building, compelled the discontinuing of the salvaging operations, and all hands stood by to watch the final stages of the destruction of the magnificent old home. And overlooking the destruction involved, it was truly superb spectacle. The night was one of perfect calm, and to this fact is due the entire lack of injury to the powerhouse and other scattered buildings. The flames shot straight upwards, and, curiously enough, the greater volume of direct flame came through the several tall chimneys. At about four o'clock the upper storey gave way, and fell with a loud crash onto the foundations. With the illumination afforded by the moon and flames, the surrounding half mile of country was lit up almost as bright as by daylight, and it would have been possible to have picked up a pin anywhere within 200 yards of the homestead. The number of watchers greatly increased as the morning advanced, traps, loaded with would-be helpers, arriving from all directions. Some excitement was created by the rapid explosion of cartridges within the house, and finally by a loud explosion in the cellar. Not before seven o'clock did the flames abate much in fury, by which time the old house was a mere mass of burning debris. The manager of the station (Mr Philip) was promptly on the scene, but like the other watches, was unable to do anything to check the disaster.
The Ruins.
A number of visitors from Timaru and surrounding districts motored or drove out and inspected the ruins yesterday afternoon. The debris continued to smoulder throughout the entire day, and today (Wednesday) was still smoking. The salvaged effects were all removed to places of safety yesterday. It is almost impossible to distinguish any articles of furniture in the ruins. The destruction has been most complete. Five tall chimneys are the sole standing relics of the homestead. A pot of lard on the kitchen range, the misshapen framework of one of the maid's bicycles, a broken bath, an old "luck" horseshoe nailed in a prominent position on one of the chimney stacks, and innumerable scarred books are the sole distinguishable remnants.
The servant maids lost practically all their effects. Two of them lost bicycles, and one L7 in cash, while all lost more than they could afford. The shrunken shrubs about the house bear silent testamony to the heat of the flames.
Yesterday afternoon a curious relic was unearthed amoungst the embers by a visitor in the form of a pretty Dolton ware cup, quite uninjured.
The Timaru Post Wednesday June 22, 1910. (Hocken Library Dunedin)

Fires.
Holme Station Destroyed.
Mr Arthur Elworthy who is absent in Sydney, sustained a serious loss by the complete destruction of his residence, Holme Station, by fire yesterday morning. The fire was discovered about 2 a.m. It had apparently started in the servants hall, whence it reached the roof, and spread over the whole building. The station hands were promptly aroused, and reached the house soon after the fire was discovered, but it then had such a good hold, that even had water appliances been available they would probably have been unable to extinguish it. See that they could do nothing with the fire, all hair and is set to work to save as much of the contents as possible, and the hands assisted by the domestics, managed to save nearly all the pictures, plate (including silver hunting cups and other trophies) and practically all the drawingroom, dining room, and billiard room furniture. The upstairs rooms were soon unapproachable, and nothing was saved from them not even clothing for the children.
As soon as the fire was discovered, Mr Percy Elworthy was rung up by telephone at Gordon's Valley, and he motored down with as many of his employees as he could crowd on to his car, without delay. Mr and Mrs Arthur Elworthy left on a trip to Australia last week, and were expected to reach Sydney yesterday. Their children, and the house's staff were left at Holme Station. The lady who had been left in charge of the children first discovered that the house was on fire, being awakened by the smell of smoke, and she had once gave the alarm.
Holme Station was a very large residence, containing 25 rooms, and consisted of the house erected by the late Edward Elworthy, and several additions that have been made from time to time, one of them recently. The house and contents were insured with Mr C. S. Fraser in the Alliance Office, the building for L3700, and contents for L2550. The fire is supposed to have been caused by a defective chimney. Only a few weeks ago a mantelpiece in one of the bedrooms was found to be ablaze, and was torn down, and another piece of defective work is blamed for the destruction of the house.
Mr A. S. Elworthy would arrive at Sydney yesterday, and on landing would receive a cable conveying the disheartening information of his serious loss. The numerous house staff lost most of their wearing apparel and other belongings.
Timaru Herald Wed June 22 1910 pg5. (National Library)

The replacement homestead on right.

2. Arthur Elworthy (Boss).
Arthur in c1914, and in his top hat.

3. Arthur Elworthy: His 80th Birthday, 26 Jul 1954.
L to R (Back) Alistair Macdonald, John Elworthy, Humprey Gould, John Sinclair-Thomson, Robin Gould, Nancy Webb, Ella Elworthy, Ted Elworthy.
Next Row Forward: Fionna Macdonald, Ethel Bond, Rachel Sinclair-Thomson partly obscured, Betty Gould, Muriel Macdonald.-feather in hat.
Next: Jill Gould, Arthur Elworthy.
Next: Jill Harman, Mary Bond, Hester Elworthy, Cecil Batchelor, Ham Sinclair-Thomson, Harold Elworthy.
Front: David Gould.

Arthur married Ella Caroline JULIUS [541] [MRIN: 175], daughter of Archbishop Churchill JULIUS D D [56] and Alice Frances ROWLANDSON [576], on 18 Apr 1900 in Christchurch Cathedral N.Z. (Ella Caroline JULIUS [541] was born on 3 Jun 1879 in Islington MDX London and died on 15 Jun 1967 in Christchurch NZ.)