Welcome to my website about the history of
Chertsey, Mid Canterbury, New Zealand.
When the Rakaia Bridge opened in 1873 Mr W.A Brown took up land in Chertsey, folllowed by Thomas Wilkinson in 1876. The township was surveyed and offically named Chertsey in 1877 (named Chertsey after a town in Surrey England which was Mr Brown's hometown and birthplace of his wife), this is also the year that Peter and Maragret Doig and James Copland settled here along with the opening of the Chertsey Hotel, Blacksmith Shop and Chertsey Post Office. The following year the General Store was opened and the first ploughing match. In 1879 the Chertsey School opened and the first Anglican Church the next year. 1881 the Pudding Hill water race intake was built and the Domain board formed. Also in the 1880s the Chertsey Saleyard Company , the Library opened and the Loan and Mercantile shed was built. in 1890 the Hotel burnt down and a new one opened 1891 which still stands today.In 1892 is the earliest record of and annual sports event and in 1896 the Pendarves School was moved to Chertsey and the old Chersey School moved to Overdale . In 1903 Ashburton become a dry area and as the Chertsey Hotel was on the other side of the road and not in the electorate the Hotel boomed until the early 1950s. In 1904 the Chertsey Shearing Shed opened on the same property as the Sale Yards.In 1906 the Presbyterian Church was built and in 1910 Chertsey got its first Telephone exchange.
Then im sure would have been a big occasion when on March the 11th 1911 the first aeroplane flew over the Canterbury plains and crossed above the village.
1914 would have been a big year with the Chertsey Hall opening and the Canterbury Petroleum Company starting to drill for oil in Chertsey.In 1919 a new Railway Station as built and by 1921 drilling had stopped on the oil well.Electric Power came to the district in 1924.
Then in 1926 the Big Fire went through here which was probably started by a Train thought i dont think it was acknowledged.
1927 must have been a big year as the Main Road between Ashburton and Rakaia was sealed,the Telephone Exchange closed,Chertsey got its first Transport business and the CWI held its first meeting.
By 1936 a Croquet was formed and it was 1945 when the big snow fell and in 1946 The Young Farmers was started.
The School Swimming pool opened in 1954,and the days of the Long Drop were gone in 1956 when a new toilet block and entrance were added to the School,and by 1957 Dressing Sheds were built at the Pool,and two years later the Filter was put in .
In 1963 work started on the New Engineering Workshop on the Main Road for A Kuyf and Co,and the new Anglican Church was opened in 1965.
By 1966 the School Roll had reached 92 and the children moved into the new School in 1967.
In 1972 Chertseys High Pressure water scheme was up and running and the New Automatic Telephone Exchange opened.
On the 1st of August 1975 was when the big wind went through the district the Railwat station also closed that year and as a result of that the Post office was shifted to the general store.
In 1976 the Station was moved to the Tinwald Preservation Societys Museum where it stands proudly today and in 1978 Chertsey School held its centenial .
In 1980 a Greyhound track was put in the domain and sweepstake meetings were held there every two weeks but now with the TAB meetings its now only used as a training track.
In 1988 Kuyfs Engineering was closed after 25 years which had been a big employer in the district and in busy times had employed up to 18 of a staff.
In 1989 the Presbyterian Church was demolished.Also in 1990 due to supermarkets etc the General store and Post Office was closed.
And after a long proud history in 1996 the Chertsey Gymkhana went into recess after 104 years but it was a sign of the times.
This is a piece taken from the Ashburton Courier marking the Anglican Churchs 125 yrs
The Bishop took bolt cutters and cut the number 8 wire. It might not be in the traditional ritual for the consecration of a stained glass window, but in the rural community of Chertsey on Sunday it seemed very appropriate for a garland of baling twine and number 8 wire to surround the new window in St James' Anglican church.Bishop Brain Carrell consecrated the window during a service held to mark the 125th anniversary since the first St James' church was built in the township.
The window, with a theme of grape to chalice and wheat to bread entwined the essence of both the church and Chertsey, Bishop Carrell said. It was designed and made by Dorothy Ratcliff of Christchurch and cost $3451.
The number 8 wire surrounding the window symbolised the true grit of the pioneers who founded Chertsey, Bishop Carrell said. He traversed the history of the area and the building in 1880 of the first little wooden church with a shingle roof standing on a treeless plain. It was that exposed position that in 1964 led to the church being damaged by wind and a decision made to build a new church.
A capacity congregation packed the little church for the celebration, many former residents returning for the service. A number of links with past and present marked the day, with tussocks from the site of the original church being planted in the church grounds.
Chertsey is located in the central part of the south island 65 km from Christchurch city. Chertsey is bound by the pacific ocean on the east and the southern alps on the west.
Latitude -43.8000
Longitude 171.9333
Altitude (feet) 396
Population 2013
Population of township (within 7km radius) 490
Ethnic (European) 98.2%
Links to other local website
Chertsey weather NZ http://www.weathercity.com/nz/chertsey/
Live from Grahams Ashburton weather station
Chertsey Bed & Breakfast, Cherabeth
Jeane Calvert. Laser Therapist Laser Therapy
Cemeteries A to Z Local Cemeteries
Local history NZETC history of Chertsey
