Ashburton Borough Centenary/Grass Roots

Today Ashburton is a town of 14,000 inhabitants. It bears the name of the Hon. Thomas Baring, later Lord Ashburton, who had bought a large tract of land from north of the river to as far as Waipara from the Canterbury Association. When our history really began (although most of the Association’s runs in the County were already taken up in 1853–4) there was not even a sign of a dwelling.

In 1858 William Turton, his wife and young family, arrived to establish a ferry service at the ford over the river near where the traffic bridge now stands. They quickly set up an accommodation house and stables on 300 acres leased from the Canterbury Provincial Government. Their licence to sell liquor was granted only on condition that they operated a ferry over the sometimes turbulent Ashburton River and offered accommodation to travellers breaking the 100-mile journey between Christchurch and Timaru. The Turtons were renowned for their hospitality and this, the first house in Ashburton, became a recreation centre for runholders and their workers and flourished amid the flax, tussocks and matagouri.

In between ferrying travellers across the river, William Turton acted as postmaster and storekeeper. In 1869, he left the accommodation house after 11 years of service, but remained in the district and died in 1906, respected as the founder and earliest citizen of Ashburton. A small stone monument on the East Street green, near the northern approach to the traffic bridge, marks the site of his accommodation house, the first building in Ashburton.

The names of many Ashburton streets are associated with the surrounding runholders, e.g., Moore, Grigg and Kermode. Park Street was named after Robert Park, who managed the Winchmore Station for his brother-in-law, George Hart. He was also a surveyor and, in 1860, surveyed and laid out the town. Baring Square, of course, took the family name of Sir Thomas Baring, Lord Ashburton.

Not All Settlers!

Slowly, more houses began to appear. In 1865 Louis Berliner operated the first store which was later to be destroyed by fire in his absence, but not before his wife had removed the most valuable stock. He claimed a large insurance and was later charged with arson, but managed to escape conviction. He then bought the “Ashburton Arms” (William Turton having been declared bankrupt) and, in spite of owning successful race horses, was being pursued for debt. This colourful character next appeared in Australia, where he was again setting up a business, this time in Melbourne.

At about this time too, John and Thomas Turton, William’s brothers, were operating “The New Inn”, a stopping place for the through coach.

First Local Government

The need for a controlling body became apparent as the runs were developed and a meeting at Turton’s accommodation house in 1864 formed the Ashburton Road Board consisting of Benjamin Moorhouse (Shepherd’s Bush), Percy Cox, Robert Park (leasing the Winchmore Estate), Edward Chapman (Acton) and Alexander Lean (Lendon). Edward Chapman was Chairman for two meetings, followed by Alex Lean and after meetings held on the various estates in 1871 they came back to Turton’s accommodation house. In 1873 the Road Board built its own offices in Moore Street and continued to hold all meetings there till it went out of existence in July, 1879, after the County Council had been formed in December, 1876, and the Borough Council in September, 1878.

Some road formation through Ashburton had been done by the Road Board. Following plans and specifications by C. E. Fooks, I. Greenaway had formed and shingled the Great South Road through the budding town and some side streets had also been laid out. However, tussocks waved and gorse flourished within a stone’s throw of the main street. The early Borough Council minutes continued to be full of works directions to remove tussocks and stones and for the householders to grub gorse and broom from their sections for many years to follow.

Railway Boost

With the coming of the railway in 1874, sales of land flourished, homes were built, businesses sprang up like mushrooms, along with hotels. Ashburton needed a controlling body to look after the welfare of the townspeople. Meetings were held and on July 18th, 1878, the Government granted a request for Ashburton to be constituted a Borough, the Gazette notice being passed through on August 1st, 1878.

A public meeting on August 13th then passed the resolution: “In the opinion of this meeting, it is expedient that the township of Ashburton be proclaimed a Borough under the Municipal Corporations Act, 1876, and that His Excellency the Governor be petitioned to proclaim the same”.

A petition was signed by those present who were householders within the Belt for blocks of land to be reserved for Municipal purposes, and the member for the district was asked to present it to Parliament.

The infant Borough had proudly taken its first step.