What started as a hunt for whaling history has led to a hunt for Timaru's first European perminant families mother - Ann Williams grave. She had a short but significant life in Timaru, arriving around 1856. Her and Samuel Williams who was a former Timaru whaler moved from the Rhodes 1851 cottage on the George Street shore, to the Timaru Hotel behind the cottage and opposite where the Oxford building is today. Sam was the first licencesd publican in the area, and had been running his accomodation house and pub with Ann for "some time" before they were granted official permission. It was this hotel where Ann collapsed in the door way on November 16th, 1860, Timaru, aged 35, and died of apoplexy (cerebral haemorrhage or stroke). Ann Williams, (nee Mahoney, also recorded as Anne Manry) was born in Cork, Ireland, in 1823, lived in Ballarat, Australia and the Timaru, New Zealand.
I ordered a print out of Ann's death record that was noted down by Belfield Woollcombe, the towns magistrate. And interestingly I assumed Sam would have been by her side, and they might have run the hotel together, but infact Richard Smith Cole (Barman, Timaru) was noted in the record as the informant. So here is the next side quest... who was he?
Could this be his grave?
The grave of Robert Cole 1892 died aged 52. His wife rests here too Margaret S Cole.She died Jan 22na 1921. "Not lost but gone before" - At the Timaru Cemetery.
Governments record of death taken down by B Woollcombe of Ann Williams.
- Lyttelton Times, Volume XIV, Issue 840, 28 November 1860, Page 4.
Historic-Heritage-Assessment-Report-HHI48-Old-Bank-Hotel-Category-B-1
Cole was the licensee of the Old Bank Hotel during its operation as a public house, connecting him to its social and licensing history. Robert Cole was historically the licensee (publican) of the Old Bank Hotel, the same building at 232 Stafford Street, Timaru described in the Timaru District Council’s Historic Heritage Item Record. The Licensing Court article from June 22 (year likely late 19th century) shows Cole applying for a liquor license for the Old Bank Hotel. His involvement directly ties him to the management and operation of this specific heritage building during that time period.
The Old Bank Hotel at 232 Stafford Street, Timaru, was built in 1876 for use as a licensed public house, designed by architect Daniel West and built by Henry Thornton in the Commercial Classicism style. One of its notable early licensees was Robert Cole, who in June 1880 successfully reapplied for a license despite concerns raised in the Licensing Court about intoxicated patrons—he was cautioned but not found at fault. The hotel underwent interior renovations in 1938 by Turnbull & Rule and saw further changes including the plastering of its façade (mid-20th century), replacement of the corner door with a window, and installation of a corner-mounted clock. As a longstanding establishment in central Timaru, the hotel has played a significant role in the town’s social and commercial history and is now protected as a Category 2 historic place (HNZ List No. 3159).
Robert Cole as the licensee of the Old Bank Hotel was cautioned for allowing intoxicated individuals on the premises -granted his license with a warning- LICENSING COURT Timaru Herald 23 June 1880 Page 3
LICENSING COURT Timaru – Tuesday, June 22 (Before B. Beetham, T. W. Hall, and H. Belfield, Esqs., Licensing Commissioners)
An adjourned sitting of the Licensing Court for the Timaru district was held yesterday to consider the application of Robert Cole for a license for the Old Bank Hotel. The application had previously been adjourned from the ordinary sitting day. Sir White appeared for the applicant and stated that he was prepared to show that the men mentioned in the police report as being intoxicated on the premises were not supplied with liquor at the hotel, but had arrived already intoxicated.
Evidence Presented. Robert Cole, the applicant, stated that he remembered May 18, the date mentioned in the police report. On that day, two or three drunken men came to the hotel. He gave instructions to the barman not to serve them, and to his knowledge, they were not served. Cole said he had held licenses for the past seventeen years in both Lyttelton and Timaru and had never had a complaint before. Inspector Pender asked Cole if he had, in his presence, lifted a drunken man and laid him on a sofa. Cole replied that he did not remember doing any such thing. A woman of bad character had entered the premises that day, but she was not served liquor and never had been in the house. Mr White presented a memorial signed by the businessmen in the vicinity of the hotel in support of granting the license. However, the Bench declined to accept it.
Bench Remarks. Mr Beetham asked Cole if he remembered a scuffle that took place at the hotel on the previous Wednesday — something Mr Beetham had witnessed himself. While he did not consider it of great importance, he believed the licensee should be aware of it. Cole responded that the men involved had exchanged "high words" while he was away at dinner, but they were not intoxicated. Alexander Reid, the hotel’s barman, stated that the men mentioned in the police report were already intoxicated when they arrived. He had been instructed by Mr Cole not to serve them, and he did not do so.
Decision. Mr Beetham announced that the license would be granted, but cautioned Mr Cole to be more vigilant. He emphasized that license holders must understand the Bench’s commitment to maintaining order in licensed establishments. The Bench reiterated a conclusion often reached by various courts: that a large proportion of crime in the colony stemmed from drunkenness—especially drunkenness originating in public houses. Frequently, this could be attributed to the serving of alcohol to individuals already inebriated. He further remarked that nine out of ten larcenies resulted from drunkenness traceable to public houses. Thus, the Licensing Bench had a duty to exercise great care. Mr Beetham, speaking on behalf of himself and his fellow Commissioners, declared that any license holder convicted of serving liquor to a drunken person—under aggravated circumstances—would never receive another license from their Bench.
The Court then rose.
"WANTED, First-class Barman. Apply, Robert Cole, Old Bank Hotel, Tim arc. 383-122" - Lyttelton Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 5395, 7 June 1878, Page 1
DEATHS. Timaru Herald. 24 January 1921
"COLE.—On January 22nd, at her residence. Holly House, Pago's Road, Tiniaru, Margaret Smith Cole, widow of the late Robert Cole."
In 1858 Samuel Williams (Yankie Sam) received Timaru’s first publican’s license. Though Williams had been operating as a publican unofficially before receiving his licence. In 1858, Samuel Williams formally applied for and received a publican’s licence. At that time, only three other licences existed in the Timaru district—held by John Giles (Orari), Joseph Deans (Arowhenua), and Henry Cain—though Williams had been operating as a publican unofficially before receiving his licence.
This historic photograph, taken between April and December 1868, captures a westward view along George Street in Timaru, near the corner with the Great North Road (now Stafford Street). In the foreground on the left is Flockton Well, with Mr Haugh Senior standing on the well and his son Robert in front of it. Prominent buildings include the original wooden Bank of New Zealand on the corner (centre), Clarkson and Turnbull across the road (left of centre), the Club Hotel beside the well, and the Russell Ritchie & Co. building on the right-hand corner. The image, mounted on a card with handwritten labels identifying each building, is titled “View Up George St., Timaru” and provides a rare visual record of early central Timaru and its key landmarks during the late 1860s. South Canterbury Museum Catalogue Number2102
George St and Stafford St Intersection ca1871 -1878.
A copy negative, believed to have been taken by William Ferrier, of an original print. South Canterbury Museum. Catalogue Number2019/049.34
This is a photo of the Ship Hotel on the corner of Strathallan and Stafford Street, Timaru sometime in 1860's before the 1868 Great Fire that started over the road on Church Street Corner, roared South to near Woollcombe Street, and destroyed three quarters of the wooden buildings in the central business district in just three hours.
1860 Sam builds a new Timaru Hotel (funded by George Rhodes), and it becomes a central social hub. November 1860 Ann Williams dies in the doorway of the Timaru Hotel, leaving Sam with two young children. A descendant wrote that her death deeply affected Sam, who had relied on her stability and guidance.
1861 (March 2) – Sam marries Mary Ann Gardiner, a governess and widow, at St. Mary’s Church, Timaru.1862 (Oct 7) – Their daughter Emily Williams is born. Around 1865 Mary Ann left Sam, taking their two-year-old Emily with her out of Timaru. Their marriage was troubled, marked by a 25-year age gap and discord.
1862 – The Timaru Hotel burns down in an act of arson by a disgruntled customer. The Hotel was owned by the Rhodes and Sam owned all the furnishings inside. He lost everything but his accounting books. Sam rebuilds. Sam’s later life is marked by hardship and instability. He appears in court several times involving theft and unruly patrons. Despite support from the Rhodes family, he struggles with drinking and financial issues.
By 1864 there were around 400 people here, and the first wool bales were sailing direct from Timaru to London. On June 11, 1864, an ambitious 20-year-old Yorkshireman, Alfred George Horton, ran the first copies of the newspaper off a printing hand press at the Timaru home of former goldminer and whaler, Sam “Yankie” Williams. That first eight-page issue was published as a weekly, but the paper soon became a daily — one of the oldest daily newspapers in New Zealand. It followed soon after The Press (weekly from 1861), The New Zealand Herald (1863), and the Otago Daily Times (1861), which claims the title of the country’s oldest daily.
In 1864 David Clarkson and Richard Turnbull built a store over the road from the Timaru Hotel. They were the first to export flour from Timaru to the UK.
On August 2, 1864, Williams successfully pursued a partial debt claim against W.K. Samuels in the Timaru court for whiskey and a loan. He was awarded £1 17s 3d. On September 2, 1864, Williams was again defrauded by Doran, who provided a second false cheque while lodging at his hotel. Doran was convicted and sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment.
In 1864, his former boss, and friend George Rhodes, returned to Purau to help out with Sheep Dipping season and spent a few days up to his waist in the freezing dip. Tragically, George caught a chill from the dip and died aged 47. He died 13 years after moving the first flock of sheep to Timaru with his brother Robert in 1851, helped by several men (which I think could have included Samuel Williams), from Banks Peninsula to the uninhabited Timaru area, and built a very small 20ft long cottage at the Timaru sea side in 1851 now George Street. His death spelt the end of the Rhodes brothers being in business together and the end of a special friendship with Sam. The Levels and Purau were sold with Robert moving his family to the estate of Elmwood in Christchurch, now the suburb of Elmwood. The Levels was purchased by a former Rhodes employee, Mr Orbell. (From 1865 the station was managed by Donald McLean, under the general management of WS Davison of the New Zealand and Australian Land Company. Charles Orbell then managed the property from 1876 until 1904, when it was acquired by the government and broken up in to smaller farm lots. Orbell, who was chairman of the Levels County Council, bought the homestead block and lived there until his death in 1925. Orbell’s son held the property in the 1940s, around the time when Acland published his history of the Canterbury runs. In 1946 the Levels cottage between Timaru and Pleasant Point was given to the South Canterbury Historical Society and it was subsequently restored in time to mark the centenary of ‘The Levels’ station.) Elizabeth Rhodes was one of the first European women to settle in South Canterbury. In 1954 she rode down with her husband, George Rhodes on a seven day journey that included crossing rivers becore there were bridges. George and Elizabeth moved into a small cottage that sat on Timaru’s shoreline, and after a short time, which is the house the Williams family moved into when George and Elizabeth moved to The Levels Station and lived in a basic slab hut while they built their home.
When George died in 1864, Elizabeth purchased Linwood House which stood behind the present Timaru District Council chambers. In 1867 Elizabeth married Arthur Perry, a barrister from Tasmania who had commenced a law practice in Timaru. They remained at Linwood until 1873 when they purchased Beverley from Henry Le Cren. This was a large house on eight hectares of land at the junction of Wai-iti Rd and the Great North Road, now Highway 1. It was to become a garden of note in the district. I think the property was purchased by David Clarkson (D.C) Turnbull. The land around the Beveley Estate was subdivided and many homes in the neighbourhood were designed by David Clarkson Turnbulls architect brother James Turnbull. The house was used by returned service men and the base of the RSA for many years.
1865 he sells the hotel to John Melton (the framed sale document used to hang on the Timaru Library wall) he then moved with his children to run hotels at Birdling’s Flat and Hotel Wellington in Christchurch.
Timaru Landmark Club Hotel Closes Doors (01 Jul 1970). Aoraki Heritage Collection, accessed 21/05/2025, https://aorakiheritage.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/591
Photograph of Flockton Well near the corner of George St and the Great North Road (Stafford St), between April and December 1868. It is viewed looking along George St to the west. The original wooden Bank of New Zealand building is visible on the corner (centre of image), with Clarkson and Turnbull across the road (left of centre) and the Club Hotel and Flockton Well in the foreground at the left-hand side of the image. There is a man standing on the well and two boys in front of it. The Russell Ritchie and Co. building is on the right corner. The photograph is mounted on a card backing with the photographers' details and "View Up George St., Timaru." handwritten on lower edge. There are also handwritten labels on the top and lower edges of the mount (with small arrows pointing to the appropriate site) that identify the buildings. - nzmuseums.co.nz/3359/flockton-well-corner-of-george-st-and-the-great-north-road South Canterbury Museum
Timaru, 1875, Dunedin, by Burton Brothers, Alfred Burton. Te Papa (C.014371)
The Club Hotels neighbourhood in 1874. The Williams Cottage is gone the Timaru Landing Service Building we know today is called Cains Landing Service. Over the Road from the Club Hotel is Gabities Corner, now the Oxford, The Post Office and Timaru Herald and Criterion Hotel. On the adjacent corner was The Bank of New Zealand. And over the road on George Street was Russel Richie & Co (The branch from Dunedin, operated by George Gray Russell, provided loans to runholders, facilitated wool exports, acted as a shipping agent, and managed affairs on behalf of absentee landowners.).
Landing Services building McRae's Grain Store, (commonly now know as the Landing Service Building), on Station Street, Timaru, probably taken in the mid 1980s. Taken before the Timaru Civic Trust, formed in 1986, refurbished and reopened the building in late 1990. South Canterbury Museum 2022/110.11