Woolcombe Ash

TIMARU
Ashbury Park

Ever walked down the drive lined with old English trees at Ashbury Ave and wonder who planted them? Well... there used to be a colonial cottage here called "Ashbury" where the Woollcombe family lived.
In marched Lieutenant (later Captain) Belfield Woollcombe in 1857. Often referred to as the grandfather of Timaru, he would later claim to be the oldest european resident of Timaru. In his time, he was the government rep, beach master, health officer, registrar, coroner, returning officer and over seer of public works and magistrate. (That’s a lot of multi-tasking!)
He built Timaru’s third european house at Ashbury Park. Though the house is long gone today (was on the top croquet lawn beside the kindergarten), you can still walk beneath the English trees that he planted on his land that overlooked the Waimataitai estuary at southern end of the park.
The Waimataitai Lagoon was later drained and the reclaimed land became Ashbury Park.
Captain Belfield Woollcombe was born 1st January 1816, in Pellerton (North Tawton), on the borders of Devon and Cornwall, of which his father, the Rev. Henry Woollcombe, was Rector. The family moved to High Hampton and Ashbury, which is where the name "Ashbury" comes from for his residence at Waimataitai.
Woollcombe married Frances Anne 1861 at Heathcote Valley near Christchurch. Together they travelled by bullock cart to Timaru. The journey took three weeks, mostly because crossing the Geraldine River was difficult. When they arrived there were only two houses in Timaru, one occupied by the late Sam Williams and the other was the home of Captain Cain. His first home was a shed on the beach, with wool bales for walls, Mr. Woollcombe, in the true colonial spirit, built a hut for himself with his own hands.
Woollcombe became in effect the local representative of the British Government: he was appointed resident magistrate, harbour master, coroner, and provincial sub-treasurer, then returning officer, official registrar of births, deaths and marriages, immigration officer, deputy commissioner of police, commissioner of native reserves, subeditor of customs, and visiting justice representative to the jail. He laid down the foundations of civic order in the district, and came to be known as the “father” of Timaru. He was also the first church warden of St Mary’s Anglican Church, helping to construct the original wooden building on the site.
Woollcombe moved to a cob hut near the present Te Weka Street, and then built his home in this area, on 87 acres overlooking the Waimataitai estuary and lagoon, now Ashbury Park. While he was building his new house, Bishop Harper and three clergymen paid him a surprise visit. Under his warm hospitality, they spread their blankets on the floor and spent the night there. The house, named after Woollcombe’s home in England, no longer stands, but many of the English trees Woollcombe planted remain on the southern end of the park.
The Woollcombe’s first baby, a daughter, was the third European child born in Timaru, and another daughter, Katherine, was baptised in the limestone font, which was originally in old St Mary’s, then moved to All Saints, and is now in the chapel at St Philip’s. Mrs. Woollcombe’s sister, Mary Eliza, and her husband Philip Bouverie Luxmoore also settled in a home in the area, calling it “Marchwiel” after Philip’s home in Wales. This large house, on the site now at the junction of Macdonald and Bouverie Streets, was destroyed in a fire before the 1960s. They had one son and five daughters.
The Woollcombe family were closely connected with All Saints. Mrs. Woollcombe started a Sunday School in her dining room at Ashbury in 1879, with 11 children. This Sunday School was later transferred to the Waimataitai State School and then in 1907 to a small wooden church on the Woollcombe property. Every other Sunday church services were held here, and the congregation grew until in 1924 a brick Methodist chapel in Evans Street was bought for 455 pounds, with a Sunday School added on behind. The original wooden church was sold and converted into a house in Marchwiel Street. A sewing guild, which met in private homes to sew for war relief and for St Saviours Home, evolved into the Guild of Help, the oldest in Timaru. The Misses Woollcombe, Chrysta and Katherine, taught at the Sunday School and worked for All Saints for 60 years. Miss Olive Barker was also a devoted member of the church and was awarded the British Empire Medal for Community Services in 1971. The All Saints church bell was originally a fi re bell. The altar cross was donated by the Misses Woollcombe in memory of Canon Hare. Two carved chairs were donated in memory of the Stockwell and Brown families, and a brass plate in memory of the Burrell family. Christchurch sculptor Frederick Gurnsey was commissioned to design and carve the oak reredos (in memory of Katherine Woollcombe), altar rails (in memory of Chrysta Woollcombe), prayer desk and lectern (1937-51)." - stphilipallsaints.org.nz/All-Saints-100th-Booklet.pdf
The brick All Saints building in Evans Street (established 1924) is a couple of doors up from McDonalds.
Captain Woolcombe said he could claim to be the oldest resident, for when he came to Timaru there was but one straw building and one sod hut. He was sent down by the Government to lay out the town, and very proud he was now of having been employed on that service. When he looked back to that time he felt astonished at the extraordinary work that had been done in making the place what it is now. He admitted that Timaru had gone back a little lately, but : there was no doubt in his mind that in a very I short time it would rise again and go ahead in renewed prosperity. - Timaru Herald, 5 March 1891, Page 3
Captain Belfield Woollcombe was the Timaru Beach Master and Resident Magistrate, and wore several other official hats for the Provincial Government in the town during the 1850s and 60s. His roles necessitated much correspondence with Provincial officials and this colourful 1861 letter is just one example. Here he is informing the Provincial Secretary of the significance of the different flags flown at Timaru Harbour, so approaching ships would know what actions to take. The signal flags have been carefully drawn and painted, and the colours remain bright even after 157 years. - Archives New Zealand reference: CH287 - ICPS 1846/1861 http://archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do...
His experience as a naval officer enabled him to survey the harbour of Timaru, and the work was done with scientific thoroughness and accuracy.
Laura Russell Woollcombe, the eldest child of Captain Belfield Woollcombe. She left New Zealand at 25, trained at St Bartholomew's London, where her uncle was surgeon-in-charge, and gained her certificate in 1892. This was presented to her by Florence Nightingale. She joined the Army Nursing Service and was a sister-in-charge of the first unit of nurses to leave England in 1899 for South Africa. They arrived Cape Town October 1899. She served on No 2 Hospital Train with its headquarters in Pretoria. 1900 During World War I Miss Woollcombe was sister-in-charge of a dispensary attached to a munitions factory for some time, and attended to the injuries of the girls who worked there. In 1933, after an absence of 40 years, she returned to Timaru and lived with her family until her death in 1948. She returned from Durban to New Zealand aboard Troop Transport Montrose, arrived 15 August 1902. photo in Army Nursing Service uniform. The standard divided verso also credits production to H. Craven, 46 Hall Lane, Armely, Leeds. -sites.rootsweb.com/woollcombe.htm
 
 
WuHoo Timaru Ashbury Park Woolcombe Ash Trees
 

On 8th July, 2010 the Woollcombe Ash tree was removed from Asbury Park. It was no longer structurally sound and children were playing in and around the tree. Recently the external circumference of the tree had decayed further so that it was only alive in two or three thin sections. It was the first ash tree planted in Timaru. A replacement ash is to be planted at the site.

Timaru Herald, 11 June 1914, Page 7 A FORTNIGHT'S JOURNEY.
CHRISTCHURCH TO TIMARU. In 1861 the late Captain Woollcombe brought his bride from Christchurch and the journey occupied a fortnight. Miss Woollcombe told a representative of the "Herald" some of the adventures they experienced, as she had heard the story from her mother. They set forth from Christchurch with a bullock dray, two bullock drivers, a dog cart towed behind the dray, and a dog. They had great trouble with the rivers, and the dog cart breaking its axle, had to be brought most of the way on the dray. The Geraldine Creek was to high for them to cross, and a stay of several days had. to be made with Mr Alfred Cox, of Raukapuka. When at last they reached their home at Waimataitai it was impossible to use the dog cart because the road from there to Timaru would not allow it to be used. Journeys to the settlement or to distant neighbours were not made then by the road so often as in a direct line "across country." When the Woollcombes' present house was being built, Bishop Harper had occasion to hold a meeting at Mr Herbert Belfield's house, on the adjoining hill, and the foundations of the Woollcombes' dwelling were taken to serve as chairs for the assemblage. Mr Belfield, who was afterwards proprietor of the "Herald," was the first milkman of Timaru, carrying the milk himself, so simple were the times, in two large vessels.

Death: WOOLLCOMBE - On July 22nd, at his residence, Ashbury, near Timaru, Captain Woollcombe, R.N.; aged 75 years.

Obituary page 3
Another old identity, Captain Belfield Woollcombe, passed away very suddenly on Tuesday night, being nearly seventy-six. He had been seized with a fatal stroke of apoplexy, or heart failure. Dr Hogg was sent for.

Captain Woollcombe was one of the oldest settlers in South Canterbury, he had been engaged in many public capacities. He was born 1st January 1816, in Pellerton (North Tawton), on the borders of Devon and Cornwall, of which his father, the Rev. Henry Woollcombe, was Rector. The family presently moved to High Hampton and Ashbury, after which latter place the deceased named his residence near Timaru. Losing his father when he was but two or three years old, the future naval officer and colonist was brought up by his grandmother Lady Louis, until he was thirteen, at which age he entered the Royal Navy, 26th Nov. 1829, as a midshipman on board the H.M.S. Thunderer, and his memory carried him back to the demonstrations on board, in 1830, while the vessel was in the West Indies, in respect for the death of George the Fourth, and the immediately succeeding demonstrations in honour of the accession of William the Fourth. Later he took part in the "Opium War" with China, of 1839-42, for his services he received a medal. Promoted to lieutenant 8th June, 1841. The later portion of his naval career, which closed in 1850, was spent as Staff Lieutenant at Plymouth, under his uncle Admiral Sir John Louis. After completing 21 years service Lieutenant Woollcombe retired from the Navy, with the service pension. Subsequently he was ranked as commander, and still later as Post-Captain. He came to New Zealand in 1852, and became a partner with Messrs Lee, Mallock and Lance (all well known names) on the "New Zealand Wool Growing Company" at Mount Parnassus, in the Nelson Province, just over the Canterbury boundary. In October, 1857, Lieut. Woollcombe came to Timaru, and buying a small section whereon he has since lived, he built himself a small whare, which still stands to attest the honesty and thoroughness of his handiwork. At the time of his arrival there were only one or two dwellings on the site of Timaru, occupied by the late Sam Williams and Captain Cain (if indeed the later had then come here.) The country was however being rapidly taken up as sheep runs, and there was a good deal of travelling to and fro, and already some wool to be shipped by whale boats of from the beach. Lieut. Woollcombe was appointed Government Agent at Timaru, a multifarious office, which he held for some years and which required him to be by turns Resident Magistrate, Immigration Agent, Post-Master, Customs Officer, Harbourmaster, Beachmaster, Pilot, Register of Births, Marriages, and Deaths, and Health Officer. His naval experience was brought into play in the survey of the Timaru harbour, which is often appealed to as a standard survey. When the town and district increased in population these duties were divided among other officers. Lieut. Woollcombe retaining the post of Resident magistrate, adding to it that of returning Officer. He held the Resident Magistrateship till September 1878, when he relinquished it and was succeeded by Mr Richmond Beetham. Since then he has frequently sat on the Bench as a Justice of the Peace. Captain Woollcombe has always taken a keen interest in the harbour question, and lately had been a useful member of the harbour board. In every aspect he was the father of Timaru. Beside his official duties his work as a member of the Anglican congregation deserves special attention. He has not only been a pillar of the church; he was the architect of the first church of St Mary, and did a good deal of work upon it with his own hands, and the energy and Christian zeal thus displayed at the outset has been maintained to the last, he having been the Incumbent's Churchwarden for many years. In December 1878 on leaving the Bench, he entered into partnership with Mr George Clulee, and up to the very day of his death took an active share on the work of the well-known firm.

The deceased married a daughter of the Rev Mr Fendall, of Fendalltown, near Christchurch, and leaves to mourn for him, besides the widow (who is unfortunately an invalid) one son and five daughters. The son is in the Eastern Extension Telegraph Co. in Sydney the eldest daughter is married to Mr Bradshaw, of the Hook, and the other three daughters are at home. The funeral will take place on Saturday afternoon, at an hour to be advertised tomorrow.

Timaru Herald Friday July 24th 1891 Funeral Notice
The friends of the late Capt. Woollcombe, R.N., are respectfully informed that his Funeral will leave his late Residence, Ashbury, Waimataitai, near Timaru, on Saturday, the 25th instant, at 2 p.m. arriving at St. Mary's Church at about 2.30 p.m. J.E. Beckingham, Undertaker

Timaru Herald Monday July 27 1891
The funeral of the late Captain Woollcombe took place on Saturday afternoon, and was largely attended. The coffin was first taken to St. Mary's Church where the funeral service was performed by the Ven. Archdeacon Harper, and then, about 3 p.m. the cortege started for the cemetery. The hearse was followed by two close carriages, and an open one containing the members of the Vestry of St. Mary's, then came about 50 persons on foot, most of them very old residents of Timaru and districts, and following them about a score of vehicles, containing the townsmen and persons from the country districts. Several business people in Stafford street put up their shutters, expecting the cortege would go along the main thoroughfare, but it was taken by Sophia and Barnard streets to Shepherd's corner.

Timaru Herald July 27th 1891
Correction. The partners in the 'New Zealand Wool Growing Company' at Hawkswood (an adjoining property to Mount Parnassus) were Messrs Woollcombe, Stewart Wortley and Thomas Hanmer. They sold out to Mr J.S. Caverhill, and the present owner of the property is Mr John Mcfarlane. The original owners of Mount Parnaasus were Messrs Edward Lee and Edward Jollie.
P.B. Boulton, Christchurch, 24th July, 1891.