MOORE OF GLENMARK

That was in the early 1850s - by the 1880s Moore had acquired huge land holdings and was declared to be the richest farmer in New Zealand. He made headlines along the way: for the biggest find of moa bones in New Zealand on his Glenmark station, for turning down a swagger who asked for help only to shoot himself, and then for building a lavish mansion on his Glenmark station. He was also in court for allowing his sheep to run free with the disease called scab and he appeared in a seduction case. Moore’s only daughter married in secret late in life to defy her father but her happiness was short lived.

When Moore died he left a smaller estate than was expected and his will was contested in court. Despite all this he was a man of some mystery - as was daughter Annie who inherited all the Glenmark money, making her possibly the wealthiest woman in the country. The Glenmark station is much, much smaller than in its heyday but today it’s surrounded by successful vineyards in the Waipara Valley.

David Gee, a retired Christchurch journalist, has written The Devil’s Own Brigade (a history of Lyttelton’s Gaol); Poison: The Coward’s Weapon (a collection of crime cases involving poison); Our Mabel (a biography of Cabinet Minister Mabel Howard); Recyled Township (a history of the Ferrymead Heritage Park); and My Dear Girl (a biography of New Zealand’s first woman member of Parliament, Elizabeth McCombs). He has also written the history of the North Canterbury branch of Federated Farmers.

David Gee has lived in New Zealand since 1959, working with the Christchurch Star and The Press newspapers and the Christchurch City Council.

Herbert Farrant grew up in Waipara in the 1940s-50s. During the management tenure at Glenmark of the Adamson families, with their children he was able to explore all aspects of the ‘ruins’ and the homestead area. Now living in Auckland since 1970 he is a Project Management Consultant working in the commercial sector of the Building Industry. He is a foundation member and Past-President of the New Zealand Institute of Building. Always interested in history his major focus is New Zealand Military History, and in particular the history of the First NZEF on the Western Front 1916-18. Herbert Farrant is a member and Past-President of the New Zealand Military Historical Society Inc.

Price: NZ$35.00, plus pack and post