Edward ELWORTHY [633]

   Cause of his death was a heart attack.

  General Notes:

Edward had a liberal education and his family are said to have hoped he would make the church his life, however he chose a career as an agriculturist.
In 1864 at the age of 24 he set sail for Australia aboard the Duncan Dunbar, there he bought three horses, engaged an aboriginal guide and headed inland finally arriving at Toowoomba Queensland. Here he managed a large station for the Taylor family and invested in land, which he then sold at a profit. Returning to Sydney in the same year he took ship to New Zealand, whilst in hospital in Ashburton, Mid. Canterbury recovering from a fall from a horse he heard of good land becoming available in South Canterbury. As a result he took up a partnership with David Innes in Pareora Estate 10 miles from Timaru. They each worked a separate part of the property, Edward renaming his Holme Station although the name dated from Innes in June 1862.
By 1879 Edward had 30,000 acres of leasehold land, 37,000 acres of freehold and 41,000 sheep. The book "The Early Canterbury Runs" page 189 put the figures 52,000 acres of freehold, 14,000 of leasehold carrying 60,000 sheep. He was a progressive and successful farmer, and Holme Station was one of the finest properties in Canterbury.
He returned to England in 1867 where he married Sarah, a Lancashire woman.

Timaru Herald Monday 30 March 1891
Messrs Targuse and Pringle having last week completed building a granary for Mr Edward Elworthy at Holme Station, Pareora, the occasion was celebrated by Mr Elworthy giving a "social" for the men who had been engaged in building, and to his employees on the station. The gathering was a great success, the dance music being supplied by Messrs Woods' string band, and there being an abundance of excellent refreshments of every kind supplied. Mr, Mrs, and Miss Elworthy extended to everybody a hearty welcome.

Timaru Herald Monday 23rd January 1899
Death - On Sunday, 22nd, January, at Holme station, Pareora, Edward Elworthy in his 63rd year. The deceased gentleman, who, we understand, had suffered for some time from heart trouble, became suddenly ill at a late hour on Saturday night, and breathed his last shortly after 2 o'clock yesterday morning, ere his medical adviser, who had been urgently sent for to Timaru, had arrived. Mr Elworthy was in town on Saturday, apparently in pretty good health, and started to drive to his station at about 5 o'clock in the afternoon. The funeral of the deceased gentleman will take place Tuesday 24 January 1899, leaving Pareora Cottage, Timaru at 3 o'clock for the Timaru Cemetery.
http://www.rootsweb.com/~nzlscant/elworthy.htm

Timaru Herald Tuesday 24 January 1899
page 3 column 3 & 4
The late Mr Edward Elworthy, who was a native of Wellington, Somersetshire, England, [left England in 1862] came over from Queensland to New Zealand in 1864. He left England for Queensland with a view of taking up sheep-farming, but after staying there a short time hearing of New Zealand and that it was a probably better colony for him to make a home in, he came over and liked the place so well that he stayed. He came to South Canterbury and bought Mr Harris's share in Pareora Station, previously held by Messrs Harris and Innes. Pareora Station was, in those days, comparatively speaking, only a small amount of freehold, the rest of the land being run. Eventually bought out Mr Innes' share and became the sole owner. He added very largely to it by purchase, and in 1891 he purchased Craigmore, the adjoining station, from Mr Burt, of Dunedin. Mr Elworthy went thoroughly into the pursuit of sheep-farming, and so improved Pareora year by year, in putting substantial buildings on it, bringing the land under cultivation, tree-planting and fencing, that it is today one of the finest and most easily worked stations in the colony. He did not, however, confine his energies to his own land. He took a deep interest in all matters pertaining to local government and was at the time of his death chairman of the Waimate County Council, a local body that ranks among the first in importance in South Canterbury. He was also an enthusiastic worker on the Agricultural and Pastoral Association, his wide and practical experience among sheep being of greatest assistance to its members. He was also, if we remember rightly chairman of one of the annual agricultural conferences, and a liberal support of all matters relating to pastoral and agricultural purists. He was one of the first to move in establishing the frozen meat trade here, being a chief shareholder and chairman of the South Canterbury Refrigerating Company. On one of his trips Home he made it a special duty to enquire fully into the trade, and on his return imparted valuable information which went in the direction of putting the industry on a firmer and more satisfactory basis than it had previously laid. In harbour matters, too, he took deep interest, being at one time a member of the Harbour Board; and as founder, member and committeeman of the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society did invaluable work in the introduction of fish and game. In pure sport he was an enthusiastic supporter and well-wisher, and it was mainly due to his enthusiasm that his eldest son, Mr Arthur Elworthy, became Master of the South Canterbury Hunt Club. The many who have visited the Club Steeplechase Meetings in Pareora will remember how delighted he was when they were a success. Mr Elworthy leaves a widow and three sons and four daughter (his eldest being Mrs Melville Jameson, of Ceylon) to mourn his loss; and we are sure that the deepest sympathy of a wide circle of friends and acquaintances will go out to them in their sad bereavement. As marks of sympathy flags were at half-mast on the harbour staff, and other places yesterday, and the Dead March was played on the organ at St Mary's Church at the evening service on Sunday.
http://www.rootsweb.com/~nzlscant/elworthy.htm

DICTIONARY OF NEW ZEALAND BIOGRAPHY
www.dnzb.govt.nz
Elworthy, Edward 1836 - 1899
Farmer, businessman
Edward Elworthy was born in Wellington, Somersetshire, England, according to family information in 1836. He was the son of Jane Chorley and her husband, Thomas Elworthy, a woollen mill owner. Edward was educated at Wellington School, and as a third son was destined for the church. But the prospect was not to his liking, and about 1860 he set out for Australia, where, no doubt with family assistance, he bought land at Toowoomba in Queensland.
In addition to his own land Elworthy managed a sheep property on behalf of the Taylor family in Toowoomba. But before long he began to hear stories of good sheep country being opened up in South Canterbury, New Zealand. He arrived in Christchurch early in 1864, then rode south to Timaru. In October he bought from David Innes, with whom he went into partnership, a half-share in Pareora, a sheep run of 42,000 acres of leasehold land 15 miles south-west of Timaru. The following year he bought out Innes for a total of L33,000, having sold his property at Toowoomba at considerable profit.
In 1866 Elworthy returned to England for a lengthy stay; on 16 January 1867 he married Sarah Maria Shorrock at Over Darwen, Lancashire. They returned to South Canterbury in 1867, but continued to make regular visits to England throughout their lives. They had 11 children, four of whom died in infancy.
From his earliest days at Pareora, which came to be generally known as Holme station, Edward Elworthy proved himself to be a canny farmer and a shrewd businessman. Over the next 20 years he exploited to the full the potential of the rolling limestone country, while at the same time freeholding land on a regular basis to prevent incursions by other interested purchasers.
By the end of 1867 Elworthy had greatly expanded the successful merino stud established by David Innes. He had also turned his attention to cropping, with the result that Holme station became one of the major grainproducing properties in the colony; but the merino and the half-bred continued to be the property's main source of income. By 1872 he was running 46,000 sheep on 82,000 acres. Following the expiry in 1890 of Canterbury leases, Elworthy increased his freehold dramatically, acquiring many titles in the names of his wife and children to avoid tax. By 1892 he and his family owned 46,833 acres of freehold land - more than any other individual in South Canterbury.
Elworthy took a leading part in social, public and business matters in South Canterbury, serving at one time or another as chairman of the Waimate County Council and the Timaru Agricultural and Pastoral Association, and as founding director of the South Canterbury Refrigerating Company. He was also a member of the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society and the South Canterbury Athletic Club. Horse-racing, steeplechasing and hunting were other interests.
The Elworthy home developed a reputation as one of the most hospitable houses in Canterbury. Guests stayed for weeks or even months at a time, and the Elworthy sons and daughters formed the nucleus of 'the Flying Squadron', a group of young people who rode direct across country to social functions put on by runholders all over the district.
Despite the lack of formal cultural diversions and the frustrations of transport on rough, dusty, or muddy roads, the way of life of the Elworthys and other major landowning families was privileged, enjoyable and expansive. A town house was maintained in Timaru, and on weekends the family would ride or travel by gig or trap into town in order to attend social functions and, of course, church on Sunday.
In many ways Elworthy was a typical Victorian paterfamilias: a hard but fair disciplinarian as far as his children were concerned, and a committed Anglican, with strong adherence to the mores of his class. But along with many of his fellow Englishmen who came to New Zealand to seek their fortune, the freedoms and challenges of
the colonial way of life stimulated initiatives and entrepreneurial talents in him which might have surprised relatives at home. More often than not solutions to problems had to be found on the spot, and new ideas were embraced with enthusiasm. Holme station was one of the first to establish its own electricity generating plant (installed by Harold Fenn); new labour-saving farming inventions were welcomed, and Elworthy even drafted a bold plan for a village, to be named Taunton, to be established on the property. This idea, however, came to nothing.
Following his death at Pareora on 22 January 1899 Elworthy's property was divided among his three sons, Arthur, Herbert and Percy, and by 1914 a substantial proportion of the original freehold land had been sold. Sarah Elworthy died in 1933 at Timaru. A number of Edward Elworthy's great-grandsons still run farms which were a part of the original property.
DAVID ELWORTHY
Acland, L. G. D. The early Canterbury runs. 4th ed. Christchurch, 1975
Crawford, N. N. The station years. Cave, 1981
Evans, R. A. The silver tussock. Timaru, 1975
Gillespie, O. A. South Canterbury. Timaru, 1958
Ministry for Culture and Heritage

  Research Notes:

Edward is said to have had two brothers, Frederick described as a recluse, and Charles who died as the result of a hunting accident

  Other Records

1. Letter from Edward to his son Percy: Percy was at Christs College, 14 Dec 1898, Pareora Sth Canterbury NZ.
My Dear Percy
It seems a long time since I wrote to you and I am sure it is since I last saw your handwriting addressed to myself. I am merely sending you a line to say that you are not forgotten my lad, and that I shall be pleased to see you home again for your holidays. I hope this time you will bring some evidence of your terms work in the shape of a prize, or at any rate a good report as to you having really worked hard.
We have not quite finished shearing although I think I shall knock the men off unless a good wind springs up as we have very few more to shear (a little over a thousand) but it is rather a nuisance not keeping fine . . . . . Arthur of course is the big boss We have Mr & Mrs . . . . . here and they are out to try the river for trout, I don't expect a big result, however we may be surprised.
With love from your Father.
Very difficult handwriting to read !

2. Edward Elworthy & Holme Station Homestead.
The Holme Station Homestead was lost to fire in 1910.

Edward married Sarah Maria SHORROCK [2057] [MRIN: 188], daughter of James SHORROCK of Astley Bank J P [10711] and Rachael HENREY [22691], on 16 Jan 1867 in Darwen Lancashire Eng. (Sarah Maria SHORROCK [2057] was born on 24 Jun 1844 over Darwen LAN and died on 12 Nov 1933 in Timaru N.Z..)