Ever walked down the drive lined with old English trees at Ashbury Ave and wonder who planted them? There used to be a colonial cottage here called "Ashbury" where the Woollcombe family lived. In marched Lieutenant (later Captain) Belfield Wollcombe in 1857. Often referred to as the grandfather of Timaru, he would later claim to be the oldest resident of Timaru. In his time, he was the government rep, beach master, health officer, registrar, coroner, returning officer and over seer of public works and magistrate. (That’s a lot of multi-tasking!) He built Timaru’s third house at Ashbury Park. Though the house is long gone today, you can still walk beneath the English trees that he planted on his land that overlooked the Waimataitai estuary at southern end of the park. The Waimataitai Lagoon was later drained and the reclaimed land became Ashbury Park. However despite settling in one of the most remote parts of the world, this didn’t stop his eldest daughter venturing out and even being caught up in the Boer war.
Captain Belfield Woollcombe was born 1st January 1816, in Pellerton (North Tawton), on the borders of Devon and Cornwall, of which his father, the Rev. Henry Woollcombe, was Rector. The family moved to High Hampton and Ashbury, where is where the name Ashbury comes from for his residence at Waimataitai.
In 1858 Captain Belfield Woollcombe married Frances Anne 1 January 1861 at Heathcote Valley near Christchurch. Together they travelled by bullock cart to Timaru. The journey took three weeks, mostly because crossing the Geraldine River was difficult. When they arrived there were only two houses in Timaru, one occupied by the late Sam Williams and the other was the home of Captain Cain. His first home was a shed on the beach, with wool bales for walls, Mr. Woollcombe, in the true colonial spirit, built a whare for himself with his own hands. Woollcombe became in effect the local representative of the British Government: he was appointed resident magistrate, harbour master, coroner, and provincial sub-treasurer, then returning officer, official registrar of births, deaths and marriages, immigration officer, deputy commissioner of police, commissioner of native reserves, subeditor of customs, and visiting justice representative to the jail. He laid down the foundations of civic order in the district, and came to be known as the “father” of Timaru. He was also the first church warden of St Mary’s Anglican Church, helping to construct the original wooden building on the site.
Woollcombe moved to a cob hut near the present Te Weka Street, and then built his home in this area, on 87 acres overlooking the Waimataitai estuary and lagoon, now Ashbury Park. While he was building his new house, Bishop Harper and three clergymen paid him a surprise visit. Under his warm hospitality, they spread their blankets on the fl oor and spent the night there. The house, named after Woollcombe’s home in England, no longer stands, but many of the English trees Woollcombe planted remain on the southern end of the park.
The Woollcombe’s fi rst baby, a daughter, was the third European child born in Timaru, and another daughter, Katherine, was baptised in the limestone font, which was originally in old St Mary’s, then moved to All Saints, and is now in the chapel at St Philip’s. Mrs. Woollcombe’s sister, Mary Eliza, and her husband Philip Bouverie Luxmoore also settled in a home in the area, calling it “Marchwiel” after Philip’s home in Wales. This large house, on the site now at the junction of Macdonald and Bouverie Streets, was destroyed in a fire before the 1960s. They had one son and five daughters.
The Woollcombe family were closely connected with All Saints. Mrs. Woollcombe started a Sunday School in her dining room at Ashbury in 1879, with 11 children. This Sunday School was later transferred to the Waimataitai State School and then in 1907 to a small wooden church on the Woollcombe property. Every other Sunday church services were held here, and the congregation grew until in 1924 a brick Methodist chapel in Evans Street was bought for 455 pounds, with a Sunday School added on behind. The original wooden church was sold and converted into a house in Marchwiel Street. A sewing guild, which met in private homes to sew for war relief and for St Saviours Home, evolved into the Guild of Help, the oldest in Timaru. The Misses Woollcombe, Chrysta and Katherine, taught at the Sunday School and worked for All Saints for 60 years. Miss Olive Barker was also a devoted member of the church and was awarded the British Empire Medal for Community Services in 1971. The All Saints church bell was originally a fi re bell. The altar cross was donated by the Misses Woollcombe in memory of Canon Hare. Two carved chairs were donated in memory of the Stockwell and Brown families, and a brass plate in memory of the Burrell family. Christchurch sculptor Frederick Gurnsey was commissioned to design and carve the oak reredos (in memory of Katherine Woollcombe), altar rails (in memory of Chrysta Woollcombe), prayer desk and lectern (1937-51)." - stphilipallsaints.org.nz/All-Saints-100th-Booklet.pdf You can see in one of the slides, the brick All Saints building in Evans Street (established 1924). The church is in the centre of this photograph. The original wooden church is visible in the distance, to the left of the roof.
Captain Woolcombe said he could claim to be the oldest resident, for when he came to Timaru there was but one straw building and one sod hut. He was sent down by the Government to lay out the town, and very proud he was now of having been employed on that service. When he looked back to that time he felt astonished at the extraordinary work that had been done in making the place what it is now. He admitted that Timaru had gone back a little lately, but : there was no doubt in his mind that in a very I short time it would rise again and go ahead in renewed prosperity. - Timaru Herald, 5 March 1891, Page 3
Captain Belfield Woollcombe was the Timaru Beach Master and Resident Magistrate, and wore several other official hats for the Provincial Government in the town during the 1850s and 60s. His roles necessitated much correspondence with Provincial officials and this colourful 1861 letter is just one example. Here he is informing the Provincial Secretary of the significance of the different flags flown at Timaru Harbour, so approaching ships would know what actions to take. The signal flags have been carefully drawn and painted, and the colours remain bright even after 157 years. - Archives New Zealand reference: CH287 - ICPS 1846/1861 archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=22190082
His experience as a naval officer enabled him to survey the harbour of Timaru, and the work was done with scientific thoroughness and accuracy.
Laura Russell Woollcombe, the eldest child of Captain Belfield Woollcombe. She left New Zealand at 25, trained at St Bartholomew's London, where her uncle was surgeon-in-charge, and gained her certificate in 1892. This was presented to her by Florence Nightingale. She joined the Army Nursing Service and was a sister-in-charge of the first unit of nurses to leave England in 1899 for South Africa. They arrived Cape Town October 1899. She served on No 2 Hospital Train with its headquarters in Pretoria. 1900 During World War I Miss Woollcombe was sister-in-charge of a dispensary attached to a munitions factory for some time, and attended to the injuries of the girls who worked there. In 1933, after an absence of 40 years, she returned to Timaru and lived with her family until her death in 1948. She returned from Durban to New Zealand aboard Troop Transport Montrose, arrived 15 August 1902. photo in Army Nursing Service uniform. The standard divided verso also credits production to H. Craven, 46 Hall Lane, Armely, Leeds. -sites.rootsweb.com/woollcombe.htm
How you can join the history hunt...
If you are looking to learn about The Woollcombe family who lived here, visit: sites.rootsweb.com/woollcombe
There is a great write up here abut St Philip and All Saints Marchwiel here: stphilipallsaints.org.nz/All-Saints-100th-Booklet.pdf
Photo of Laura R Woolbombe: timdc.pastperfectonline.com/C37970DA-3CBA-4D4D-84FE-393145398302
Profile about B Woollcombe: nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc03Cycl-t1-body1-d7-d1-d46
Search for Woollcombe on the Alexander Turnbull Library website natlib.govt.nz/woollcombe
Book "When Timaru was tussock : the story of the Woollcombe Family / written for "The Timaru herald" by W. Vance: (viewable in Wellington Reading Room only – send request)
Letter by B Woollcombe advising of the flags flown at Timaru Harbour and what action should be taken: archway.archives.govt.nz/22190082 (I found it here: flickr.com/40272499211)
Story about Laura, the third European child to be born in Timaru, thought to be the first New Zealander to become a qualified nurse, her certificate was presented in 1892 by Florence Nightingale: timaru-herald/A-life-of-service-in-war
Look at old ariel photographs to see if you can see where the House may have once stood: propertysearch.canterburymaps.govt.nz/1460097.4173572024,5084079.155348176
Get your hands on a copy of OA Gillespie’s ‘South Canterbury - A Record of Settlement’ (1958). It refers to Woollcombe ‘building his house' in 1859. (bottom of pg 174). This book also has a drawing by E Norman entitled ‘Caroline Bay looking North - 1867’, which may possibly show this house in the distance.
Timaru Cemetery Search: Francis Ann Woollcombe is buried in the Timaru Cemetery with her husband. Plot 205. Row 25. General section, block C. No headstone. Her daughters are buried in plot 205. Katherine Woollcombe who died 10 June 1936 aged 72, and Laura R. Woollcombe, died 21 Oct. 1948, aged 86 years. In May 1918 the Misses Woollcombe were living at Trafalgar Street, Timaru.
Record of birth for Jaqueth Mary Woolcoombe 29 Jul 1863 to Belfield Woolcoombe, Ashbury, near Timaru here: sites.rootsweb.com/births.htm
- Woollcombe, B 75 Years 22 Jul 1891 - Timaru Cemetery (Row 26, Plot 205. Age at Death: 75. Date of Death22 Jul 1891. Date of Interment24 Jul 1891)
- Woollcombe, Francis Ann 86 Years 25 Mar 1914 - Timaru Cemetery
- Woollcombe, Katherine 72 Years 10 Jun 1936 - Timaru Cemetery
- Woollcombe, Laura R 86 Years 21 Oct 1948 - Timaru Cemetery
After the arrival at Timaru, Captain Woollbombe erected for himself a cob whare and was apparently engaged in this work when the Strathallan arrived in January 1859