2 George St
Timaru Landing Service Building
Spot a plaque for Timaru’s 1st European House
Timaru’s 1st european house ... where George and Elizabeth Rhodes lived when they established Sth Canterbury’s 1st sheep station: The Levels. Samuel and Ann Williams with daughter Rebbeca, moved in next. Their son William was the first European born in Timaru in 1856. This was also Timaru’s first hotel and where the first Timaru Herald was printed. It was demolished by 1873.
1871
Originally McRae’s Stone Store
Architect: FJ Wilson (1876 addition)
Historic Places Trust LN:326
Timaru Landing Services Building is one of the oldest buildings in Timaru CBD
Can you see volcanic rock blocks that were chiselled by hand? The “bluestone” was used to construct this grain store over 150 years ago.
In 1868, an accidental fire destroyed 3/4 of the wooden commercial centre of town. From then on all CBD buildings were built stronger with rock and brick.
This building is one of the oldest in Timaru, and built after the fire for Peter McRae in 1871. The Timaru Landing & Shipping CO used it as a warehouse to store goods importing and exporting for ships moored off shore.
The NZ Loan & Mercantile Agency Company took over the grain store and the Landing Service and tripled the buildings size in 1875. It was a warehouse for 99 years until the District Council bought it.
Did you know... When threatened with demolition, this one of a kind building was purchased from the council for $1, saved and restored by the community in 1984. It’s owned by the Timaru Civic Trust.
What was it like before 1850?
Ngāi Tahu made their home in Te Waipounamu (South Island) over 800 years ago. Timaru, was an important Mahika Kai (food gathering) area. The shoreline used to be where the railway is today, and a stream met the stony beach here. There would have been some tussock grasses and a few tī kōuka (cabbage trees).
Meet the first European’s
George and Elizabeth Rhodes and a mob of 7000 sheep established South Canterbury’s first sheep station “The Levels” north of Timaru. When travelling to Timaru, they learnt Canterbury’s braided rivers were very difficult to cross. It was easier to travel by sea, so Rhodes started a landing service (end of Strathallan St) to load wool onto ships, and off-load supplies from Lyttleton. Soon he was landing goods for others, and sold the business to Henry Le Cren, who employed Captain Henry Cain in 1857. The Government took it over and wool was shipped from this primitive harbour direct to London from 1864. The government ran the service so badly, that within a year, Cain and a few others created a competitive landing service at the foot of the McCraes store.
In 1850s it was compulsory to brand sheep to claim livestock and deter thieves. But it didn’t stop the famous, James MacKenzie, from allegedly rustling sheep from the Levels Station in 1855 to the District now named after him.
Find a plaque for 1st European house
The Rhodes moved from Timaru to the “Levels” leaving the first house to their worker, Samuel Williams (former whaler nicknamed Yankie Sam), his wife Anne and daughter Rebbeca. Their son William was the first European born in Timaru. His cradle was a gin crate! The house was also the first hotel, and where the first edition of the Timaru Herald was printed.
A plaque on The Landing Services Building includes the “golden fleece” a symbol for the farming industry.
Find a poisoned Captain
Captain Henry Cain was one of the first European settlers, and ran the first trading post for Henry Le Cren. He later became manager of the George St landing service and oversaw wagons used to off-load goods onto special cargo boats. These were hauled along cables between the shore and ships. Cain was the 2nd Mayor (1870 to 1873) when the towns population was 3000. He married widow Jane Espie who turned the first sod for the Christchurch-Timaru Railway as mayoress.
Did you know... Cain was allegedly murdered in 1886 by his step-daughter's husband, Thomas Hall.