By Roselyn Fauth
Mrs E.M. Studholme and her family outside ‘The Cuddy’, Te Waimate, c.1890 built from a single totara tree, with a snowgrass thatch roof. Pictured in front of her first home in the district, this thatched-roof cottage (known as The Cuddy) was built in 1854 and is believed to be the earliest European house in Waimate. (I think E.M. Studholme, is Eleanor Caroline Studholme, not Effie (Effegenia)). Courtesy of South Canterbury Museum, 2974. The Cuddy is used by schools and heritage groups for learning, though it is on private land. I hope to one day visit and learn more firsthand) to show it remains a living educational object.
When I first saw The Cuddy it was in a sepia-toned photograph from the South Canterbury Museum. I had searched for the keyword "Mrs" to find images of women, hoping something might spark an idea for a blog. That’s how I came across Mrs E. M. Studholme standing with her family in front of the Cuddy at Te Waimate, taken around 1890. This modest thatched-roof cottage stood in contrast to their fine Victorian clothing. Cinched waists, tailored suits, and likely corsets beneath, the formality of their dress created a striking juxtaposition to the rustic earth and timber building behind them. My first question was: did these women ever live in this house?
I learned that The Cuddy, built in 1854, and was originally constructed as quarters for the men of the Studholme station, particularly Michael Studholme and his brothers. When Michael brought his new bride Effie Channon to Te Waimate in 1860, they moved into a more refined wooden home nearby. So while the Cuddy wasn’t her home, it was an integral part of the place she was coming into.
A widely shared anecdote tells of an Irishman named John who was living at the Cuddy when Michael and Effie Studholme arrived late one rainy night in 1860, fresh from their wedding journey. Taken by surprise, he reportedly rushed out and exclaimed, “What a divil of a day to bring the Missus home!” The line has become part of local lore, adding a touch of humour and humanity to the story of Te Waimate’s early days.
I loved learning about the construction of the Cuddy itself. Built from a single totara tree (Podocarpus totara), the walls were made of upright slabs with cob (earth and grass) packed between them. The thatched roof, originally made of native snowgrass, was put on by Saul Shrives in 1854 and has been preserved through careful stewardship. The floor was beaten clay. Inside, there were rough stools, a bunk, and a sea chest. Guns and stockwhips were hung above the fireplace. It had two small windows and one large sod hearth.
The Cuddy still stands today on private farmland, lovingly maintained by descendants of the Studholme family. Believed to be the earliest surviving European-built structure in Waimate, it is now cared for as a registered heritage building.
As I followed the story of The Cuddy, I came across a lovely detail about a rose. When Effie, the young bride, arrived on horseback from Christchurch in 1860, she brought with her a cutting of a Pearl Pink rose. It had been gifted to her by Mrs Woollcombe of Timaru. The Woollcombes are a family I have come to know well through my heritage research. Their home, Ashbury, once stood just behind my own family’s property. The Woollcombe family were among the early settlers of Waimataitai. Lieutenant Belfield Woollcombe, who had served in the British Army, arrived in Timaru in 1857 and began building Ashbury on eighty seven acres of land overlooking the lagoon. He married Frances Anne Fendall, and together they raised a family that contributed widely to early community life. Frances hosted Sunday School classes in their dining room and helped shape the civic and religious landscape of Timaru.
Their household became known for hospitality, something that extended to travellers and newcomers alike. In fact, when Effie Studholme arrived in South Canterbury after her wedding, she stayed at the Woollcombes’ home at Waimataitai on Queen Victoria’s birthday. She was warmly received by Mr Woollcombe and his cousin Mr Belfield. The garden there made an impression on her. Woollcombe shared cuttings of flowering jessamine, and it was during this time, I imagine, that Jaquette Woollcombe gifted Effie the rose. These moments of domestic generosity helped stitch a thread of connection between households and regions. The story of The Cuddy suddenly connected not only the women of Waimate, but also the women of Timaru. Effie and Jaquette were either friends or contemporaries in that small, closely linked settler society.
The idea of passing a cutting from one garden to another speaks to the quiet friendships between women across distance. It is something I still do with family and friends today. My understanding is that roses were often gifted between women as symbols of memory, beauty, resilience, and domestic continuity. What began as a curious side note about the rose quickly turned into something more meaningful. I had not realised one of the Woollcombe daughters went on to raise her family in Waimate. Jaquette married Frank Bradshaw and is buried in the Waimate Cemetery. That same rose she once gifted Effie reportedly still grows near The Cuddy. It made me wonder how many other gardens it might have found its way into. A simple act of sharing, yet one that carries so much memory.
The idea of passing a cutting from one garden to another speaks to the quiet friendships between women across distance. It is something I still do with family and friends today. My understanding is that roses were often gifted between women as symbols of memory, beauty, resilience, and domestic continuity. What began as a curious side note about the rose quickly turned into something more meaningful. I had not realised one of the Woollcombe daughters went on to raise her family in Waimate. Jaquette married Frank Bradshaw and is buried in the Waimate Cemetery. That same rose she once gifted Effie reportedly still grows near The Cuddy. It made me wonder how many other gardens it might have found its way into. A simple act of sharing, yet one that carries so much memory.
Effie Studholme, née Channon, had ten children with Michael. After his death in 1886, she remained at Te Waimate, becoming the matriarch of the station and anchoring the estate for the next generation. She lived there for 56 years and became known for her work with the local Red Cross and Plunket, leaving a legacy of care that echoes the strength and contribution of women in rural communities.
This story pulled me into the lives of other women too. Laura Woollcombe, Jaquette’s sister, became a decorated nurse who trained under Florence Nightingale and served in South Africa. Frances Chrysta Acland Woollcombe taught Sunday School and donated to All Saints Church. Their mother, Frances Anne Fendall Woollcombe, helped build a community from her home at Ashbury, planting the English trees still growing at Ashbury Park and beginning a Sunday School in her dining room.
It’s easy to romanticise these early settler homes. But when I think critically, I realise life in a place like the Cuddy would have been hard work. Clay floors, damp winters, cooking over a sod fire, and very little privacy. It makes me grateful to flick on a heat pump, grab groceries from the shop, run the washing machine, and turn on an oven. All of which would have taken enormous effort in those days.
It also makes me appreciate the enduring labour of care. Mrs E. C. Studholme, a later family matriarch, reoccupied the Cuddy in 1928 after the large homestead burned down. Her stewardship kept the memory of the place alive. She lived at Te Waimate for 56 years and was deeply involved in the district’s Red Cross and Plunket work.
Looking out over Waimate from the White Horse Monument - Roselyn Fauth
I see how one small object can open the door to so many layers of history. That is the heart of what I’ve been learning through the Harvard course Tangible Things.
Doing the Harvard course Tangible Things inspired me to look more closely at everyday objects and images, and to ask what stories they hold. This photograph of The Cuddy was just one image in a museum archive, but it sparked a journey. I started by wondering who the women were and whether they had lived in that tiny house. From that one photo, I found myself learning about the early days of Te Waimate, the endurance of pioneer women, the gift of a rose, and the interconnectedness of families between Waimate and Timaru. It reminded me that sometimes it only takes one small detail, like a name, a dress, or a flower, to open the door to a much bigger story.
Next time I visit Waimate, I would love to be able to visit the cuddy, and return to the cemetery with the sun shining, take more time to read the headstones, and link these resting places to the stories that live just up the road in places like The Cuddy.
Next time you are in Waimate look up at the impressive murals on the silos, which include Michael Studholme’s meeting with Te Huruhuru as asymbol of early negotiated settlement. And keep an eye out for their history booklet.
He Whakamōhio – Acknowledging the First Peoples
As I reflect on the early settler stories told through homes like The Cuddy, I want to acknowledge that this land, Te Waimate, was not empty. It was, and remains, the ancestral whenua of Māori, including the hapū of Te Rūnanga o Waihao. The forests that were cleared and the rivers that were used for sustenance had long been part of an intergenerational relationship with the land. When settlers like Michael Studholme arrived and built homes from native timber, it marked a shift in how the land was used and understood. These stories of early European women, homes, and roses are woven into a larger history of colonisation, one that we are still learning from today. I acknowledge the mana whenua and express respect for their enduring connection to this place.
“What are the small objects we carry or gift today that will tell stories in 150 years?”
P H S, The Cuddy Was Built At Te Waimate in 1854, Property Has Been in Studholme Family For Over Hundred Years (16 Oct 1965). Aoraki Heritage Collection, accessed 12/07/2025, https://aorakiheritage.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/5129
aorakiheritage.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/5129#idx12410
Thatchers work to restore SC history (14 Jan 1977). Aoraki Heritage Collection, accessed 12/07/2025, https://aorakiheritage.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/5137
He Whakamōhio – Acknowledging the First Peoples
As I reflect on the early settler stories told through homes like The Cuddy, I want to acknowledge that this land, Te Waimate, was not empty. It was, and remains, the ancestral whenua of Māori, including the hapū of Te Rūnanga o Waihao. The forests that were cleared and the rivers that were used for sustenance had long been part of an intergenerational relationship with the land. When settlers like Michael Studholme arrived and built homes from native timber, it marked a shift in how the land was used and understood. These stories of early European women, homes, and roses are woven into a larger history of colonisation, one that we are still learning from today. I acknowledge the mana whenua and express respect for their enduring connection to this place.
Totara Tree – Fun Facts and Heritage Significance
Tōtara is a native New Zealand conifer from the ancient podocarp family.
It can grow up to 30 metres tall with trunks over 2 metres wide.
The wood is light, strong, and rot-resistant, ideal for construction and carving.
Māori used tōtara for waka, whare carvings, and sacred structures.
The Cuddy was built in 1854 using slabs from a single tōtara tree.
Its original thatched roof was made of native snowgrass.
The bark is reddish-grey and stringy, while the leaves are needle-like and sharp.
Female cones produce fleshy red fruit loved by native birds like kererū.
Some tōtara waka could carry up to 100 warriors.
Tōtara trees can live for centuries, standing as living monuments to the past.
Timeline of The Cuddy and the Women Connected to It
Timeline of The Cuddy and the Women Connected to It
1851
John, Paul, and Michael Studholme emigrate from Cumberland, England, to Lyttelton, New Zealand.
1854
Michael Studholme builds The Cuddy at Te Waimate using slabs from a single tōtara tree.
Thatched with native snowgrass by Saul Shrives.
First known European house in Waimate.
1857
Lieutenant Belfield Woollcombe settles in Timaru and begins building Ashbury on 87 acres near the Waimataitai Lagoon.
Marries Frances Anne Fendall.
1860 (April 18)
Michael Studholme marries Effie (Effegenia) Channon.
She arrives at Te Waimate on horseback carrying a cutting of a Pearl Pink rose, gifted by Mrs Jaquette Woollcombe of Timaru.
The couple move into a six-roomed wooden cottage near The Cuddy.
1860s
Frances Anne Woollcombe (née Fendall) hosts Sunday School at Ashbury and becomes a community leader.
Frances helps build early social and religious institutions in Timaru.
1862
Laura Russell Woollcombe is born, eldest daughter of Belfield and Frances.
Later trains under Florence Nightingale and serves in South Africa as a nurse.
1863
Jaquette Mary Woollcombe is born.
Later marries Frank Bradshaw in 1889 and lives in Waimate.
1871
Frances Chrysta Acland Woollcombe is born.
Becomes a Sunday School teacher and long-time supporter of All Saints Church.
1886
Michael Studholme dies.
Effie Studholme continues family life at Te Waimate with their 10 children.
1889
Jaquette Woollcombe marries Frank Warrand Bradshaw.
1890 (circa)
Photograph of Mrs E. M. Studholme and family in front of The Cuddy taken.
Preserved today in the South Canterbury Museum.
1928
The grand Studholme homestead burns down.
Mrs E. C. Studholme reoccupies The Cuddy, ensuring its preservation.
1936
Jaquette Mary Woollcombe Bradshaw passes away in Waimate and is buried in the Waimate Old Cemetery.
Plot: Row 2, Plot 000786, Anglican.
1960
The Cuddy is declared a private historic reserve and placed under care of Heritage New Zealand.
Substantially repaired and preserved.
Today
The Pearl Pink rose still blooms near The Cuddy.
The house stands as one of the earliest and best-preserved settler dwellings in the South Island.
The stories of the women connected to it continue to inspire public reflection and heritage storytelling.
https://www.heritage.org.nz/list-details/49/The-Cuddy
https://waimate.org.nz/historic-sites
World Famous in Waimate, the Cuddy was built in 1854 by Waimate’s first European settler, Michael Studholme. What an amazing piece of local history! Constructed from a single totara tree, with snowgrass thatch and an earth floor, it was the home where Michael brought his new wife, Effie. Ephgenia Channon (known as Effie) Effie’s memoir, Reminiscences of 1860, is fully digitised on Aoraki Heritage Online. Her detailed accounts of river crossings and her first overland journey to Waimate offer a fascinating glimpse into the past. https://aorakiheritage.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/3358
