Richard Meredith (New Zealand politician)
Richard Meredith (27 January 1843 – 20 August 1918) was a Liberal Party Member of Parliament in New Zealand. A teacher by training, he was a farmer later in his life. He lived in Canterbury and was a member of many public bodies.
Richard Meredith | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Ashley | |
| In office 5 December 1890 – 5 November 1902 | |
| Preceded by | John Verrall |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 27 January 1843 Tullow, County Carlow, Ireland |
| Died | 20 August 1918 (aged 75) Waimate, New Zealand |
| Political party | Liberal |
Biography
editEarly life
editMeredith was born at Tullow, County Carlow, Ireland, in 1843.[1] He received his education at Tullow public school and was a schoolmaster for some years. Meredith emigrated to New Zealand in 1863, arriving at Lyttelton on the SS Accrington. After arriving he worked as a teacher until 1889 and then became a farmer at Cust (then known as Moeraki Downs).[1][2]
Political career
edit| Years | Term | Electorate | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1890–1893 | 11th | Ashley | Liberal | ||
| 1893–1896 | 12th | Ashley | Liberal | ||
| 1896–1899 | 13th | Ashley | Liberal | ||
| 1899–1902 | 14th | Ashley | Liberal | ||
He won the Ashley electorate in the 1890 general election against James Dupré Lance,[3] and was re-elected three times. In the 1902 election, he was defeated for the replacement seat of Hurunui by Andrew Rutherford (who was also of the Liberal Party).[4] Meredith was a temperance campaigner.[2][5]
Other elected positions that he held included North Canterbury Board of Education (from 1889, including chairman in 1892), and the Canterbury Land Board (since 1891).[2] He was a member of the Technical School Committee in Christchurch and later a member of the Timaru High School board.[5]
Family and death
editOn 10 April 1867, Meredith married Louisa Willis (1847–1929) at the Durham Street Wesleyan Church in Christchurch.[6] She was the eldest daughter of James Willis (1824–1866) who was the proprietor of the Canterbury Standard.[2] They had four sons and five daughters before his wife left him, taking all the possessions and leaving just a portrait of him behind. Historian George Macdonald described his personality as "bombastic".[7] He died at Waimate on 20 August 1918[8] and was buried at Waimate Old Cemetery.[9]
Notes
edit- ^ a b Hamer 1988, p. 366.
- ^ a b c d Cyclopedia Company Limited (1903). "Ashley". The Cyclopedia of New Zealand : Canterbury Provincial District. Christchurch: The Cyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
- ^ "The General Election, 1890". National Library. 1891. p. 2. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
- ^ Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. p. 219. OCLC 154283103.
- ^ a b Scholefield, Guy, ed. (1940). A Dictionary of New Zealand Biography : M–Addenda (PDF). Vol. II. Wellington: Department of Internal Affairs. p. 81.
- ^ "Marriage". The Press. Vol. XI, no. 1381. 11 April 1867. p. 2. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
- ^ Macdonald, George. "Richard Meredith". Macdonald Dictionary. Canterbury Museum. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
- ^ "A useful career". Timaru Herald. 22 August 1918. p. 3. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
- ^ "Funeral notice". Waimate Daily Advertiser. Vol. XVIII, no. 945. 21 August 1918. p. 3. Retrieved 22 December 2020.