John Studholme (1829–1903) was a 19th-century British pioneer of New Zealand, farmer and politician in the
Canterbury
Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the county of Kent, England; it was a county borough until 1974. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. The city has a mild oceanic climat ...
region of New Zealand.
[Mosley, vol.3 p. 2803]
Early life
John Studholme was born in 1829 the son of John Studholme, a landowner in
Cumberland
Cumberland ( ) is an area of North West England which was historically a county. The county was bordered by Northumberland to the north-east, County Durham to the east, Westmorland to the south-east, Lancashire to the south, and the Scottish ...
, now part of
Cumbria
Cumbria ( ) is a ceremonial county in North West England. It borders the Scottish council areas of Dumfries and Galloway and Scottish Borders to the north, Northumberland and County Durham to the east, North Yorkshire to the south-east, Lancash ...
,
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
.
He was educated at
Sedbergh School
Sedbergh School is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English Private schools in the United Kingdom, private boarding school, boarding and day school, day school) in the town of Sedbergh in Cumbria, North West England. It comprise ...
and
The Queen's College, Oxford
The Queen's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, England. The college was founded in 1341 by Robert de Eglesfield in honour of Philippa of Hainault, queen of England. It is distinguished by its predominantly neoclassi ...
, where he was a university scholar and earned a
blue
Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB color model, RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB color model, RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between Violet (color), violet and cyan on the optical spe ...
rowing in the university eight.
At the age of 22, Studholme sailed to New Zealand with his two younger brothers
Michael
Michael may refer to:
People
* Michael (given name), a given name
* he He ..., a given name
* Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael
Given name
* Michael (bishop elect)">Michael (surname)">he He ..., a given nam ...
and Paul. Together they bought farmland in
Selwyn and
Rakaia
Rakaia is a town sited on the southern banks of the Rakaia River on the Canterbury Plains in New Zealand's South Island, approximately 57 km south of Christchurch on State Highway 1 and the Main South Line. Immediately north of the townsh ...
. The following year, after having set up farms, they travelled to Australia to pursue the
Victorian gold rush
The Victorian gold rush was a period in the history of Victoria, Australia, approximately between 1851 and the late 1860s. It led to a period of extreme prosperity for the Australian colony and an influx of population growth and financial capi ...
.
Establishing settlement and farming
In 1852, the Studholme brothers returned to New Zealand. Famously, they took a ship which only went as far as
Nelson
Nelson may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey
* ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers
* ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...
. Together they walked the 350 miles back to
Christchurch
Christchurch (; ) is the largest city in the South Island and the List of cities in New Zealand, second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand. Christchurch has an urban population of , and a metropolitan population of over hal ...
. From this time on John and Michael began establishing large
stations
Station may refer to:
Agriculture
* Station (Australian agriculture), a large Australian landholding used for livestock production
* Station (New Zealand agriculture), a large New Zealand farm used for grazing by sheep and cattle
** Cattle stat ...
in both the
North
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography.
Etymology
T ...
and
South Island
The South Island ( , 'the waters of Pounamu, Greenstone') is the largest of the three major islands of New Zealand by surface area, the others being the smaller but more populous North Island and Stewart Island. It is bordered to the north by ...
s. Paul Studholme returned to England in 1858. Over the next 20 years they acquired by lease or purchase more than and farmed extensively.
In 1854, to purchase cattle John and Michael Studholme both walked from
Lyttelton to
Dunedin
Dunedin ( ; ) is the second-most populous city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from ("fort of Edin"), the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of S ...
(some 250 miles) at a time when there were no roads or bridged rivers. This made them the first Europeans to make such a journey, and along with
William Henry Valpy the first Europeans to explore the South Island extensively on foot.
[Mr. John Studholme]
" ''The cyclopedia of New Zealand (Canterbury Provincial District)''. Retrieved 25 February 2018. Arriving in Dunedin, their cheque was refused at the cattle market since there was no bank yet in
Otago
Otago (, ; ) is a regions of New Zealand, region of New Zealand located in the southern half of the South Island and administered by the Otago Regional Council. It has an area of approximately , making it the country's second largest local go ...
to process it and no business transactions between the two provinces existed. John walked back to Lyttelton to get cash, leaving Michael with the cattle. He returned crossing rivers alone with the cash, blankets and provisions at great risk. From Dunedin after having paid for the cattle, the Studholme brothers took the cattle back to Christchurch crossing the
Waitaki River
The Waitaki River is a large braided river in the South Island of New Zealand. It drains the Mackenzie Basin and runs south-east to enter the Pacific Ocean between Timaru and Oamaru on the east coast. It starts at the confluence of the Ōhau Ri ...
. This would have been the first such crossing.
John Studholme explored
Southland in 1854 with
James Menzies and
Edmund Bellairs. The area had recently been bought by
Walter Mantell
Walter Baldock Durrant Mantell (11 March 1820 – 7 September 1895) was a 19th-century New Zealand naturalist, politician, and land purchase commissioner. He was a founder and first secretary of the New Zealand Institute, and a collector of moa ...
from the local
Maori iwi
Iwi () are the largest social units in New Zealand Māori society. In Māori, roughly means or , and is often translated as "tribe". The word is both singular and plural in the Māori language, and is typically pluralised as such in English.
...
. After a week's hard walking between the
Mataura
Mataura is a town in the Southland region of the South Island of New Zealand. Mataura has a meat processing plant, and until 2000 it was the site of a large pulp and paper mill.
Geography
Mataura is situated on and the Main South Line rail ...
and
Ōreti River
The Ōreti River (formerly the Oreti River) is one of the main rivers of Southland, New Zealand, and is long. The river has been identified as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International because, for much of its length, it supports bree ...
s, Menzies and Bellairs decided to go no further. Studholme continued by himself as far as the
Waiau River.
After initially living at
Lyttelton, John and his wife Lucy moved to land they owned at
Hororata
Hororata is a village at the northwestern edge of the Canterbury Plains in the South Island of New Zealand. It is located 15 kilometres southwest of Darfield, New Zealand, Darfield, five kilometres south of Glentunnel, and 50 kilometr ...
. When Michael travelled to England for five years in 1864, they moved to his established homestead at
Waimate
Waimate is a town in Canterbury, New Zealand, and the seat of Waimate District. It is situated just inland from the eastern coast of the South Island. The town is reached via a short detour west when travelling on State Highway One, the main N ...
. In 1869 upon Michael's return, they bought
Merivale Manor, then on the outskirts of Christchurch, from Lucy's brother and sold Hororata to Prime Minister
John Hall John Hall may refer to:
Academics
* John Hall (NYU President) (fl. c. 1890), American academic
* John A. Hall (born 1949), sociology professor at McGill University, Montreal
* John F. Hall (1951–2023), professor of classics at Brigham Young Univ ...
.
He died in London aged 74 years, having returned to England in 1901.
Coldstream
In 1867, the Studholme Brothers purchased of flat tussock land known as the Coldstream Estate for £35,000 (about £3,800,000 in 2018 value).
[History]
" ''www.coldstreamestate.com'', 2009. Retrieved 26 February 2018. It was named after the cold stream that rises near the homestead.
Ernest Gray
Sir Ernest Gray (27 August 1856 – 6 May 1932) was a British educational reformer and Conservative politician.
Early life and educational work
The son of William Gray, he attended primary school and St John's Training College, Battersea. On c ...
had originally taken up a pastoral lease there in 1854 and had been developing it as a sheep and cattle run. The brothers drained of swamp and started a large cropping programme as well as running 26,000 sheep there. The
Rangitata River
The Rangitata River is one of the braided rivers of the Canterbury Plains in southern New Zealand. It flows southeast for from the Southern Alps, entering the Pacific Ocean northeast of Timaru. The river has a catchment area of , and a mean ...
runs through the land. At the time it was the smallest of the Studholme estates.
John Studholme established Coldstream as his primary homestead, with Michael having previously done so at
Waimate
Waimate is a town in Canterbury, New Zealand, and the seat of Waimate District. It is situated just inland from the eastern coast of the South Island. The town is reached via a short detour west when travelling on State Highway One, the main N ...
. By 1875, were being used for crop farming, running twenty six-horse teams with a permanent staff of 35 men. A settlement was firmly established with a post office, store, church room, library, recreation centre, butcher, and blacksmith.
In 1890, Studholme's son Col. John Studholme (known as Jack) took over farming Coldstream after marrying Alexandra Thomson, daughter of
Archbishop of York
The archbishop of York is a senior bishop in the Church of England, second only to the archbishop of Canterbury. The archbishop is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and the metropolitan bishop of the province of York, which covers the ...
William Thomson. In 1901, they commissioned renowned New Zealand architect
Joseph Maddison to build a new family homestead building.
Time in Parliament
As a party-independent politician, he represented the
Kaiapoi
Kaiapoi is a town in the Waimakariri District of the Canterbury, New Zealand, Canterbury region, in the South Island of New Zealand. The town is located approximately 17 kilometres north of central Christchurch, close to the mouth of the Waimak ...
electorate from to 1874, when he resigned. He then represented the
Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British politican, starting as Conservative MP for Newark and later becoming the leader of the Liberal Party (UK), Liberal Party.
In a career lasting over 60 years, he ...
electorate from to 1881, when he retired.
[Wilson, p. 237] He stood for
Ashburton in
1902
Events
January
* January 1
** The Nurses Registration Act 1901 comes into effect in New Zealand, making it the first country in the world to require state registration of nurses. On January 10, Ellen Dougherty becomes the world's ...
, and came second.
Studholme was repeatedly asked by
Prime Minister
A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
William Fox to join the government; he resolutely refused, however.
Other activities
Studholme was a director of the
New Zealand Shipping Company
The New Zealand Shipping Company (NZSC) was a shipping company whose ships ran passenger and cargo services between Great Britain and New Zealand between 1873 and 1973.
A group of Christchurch businessmen founded the company in 1873, similar ...
and the Union Insurance Company. He was one of the first Canterbury magistrates, and was a first member of the Provincial Council for the Timaru district, which at that time comprised all the provinces south of Ashburton.
Both John and Michael Studholme were avid horseracing enthusiasts and owned several racehorses. They won the
New Zealand Cup
The New Zealand Cup is a thoroughbred horse race run at the Riccarton Park Racecourse in Christchurch.
New Zealand Cup week
The New Zealand Cup is raced on the final Saturday of Christchurch "Cup week" held each year in the second week of Nov ...
three times: twice with their horse Knottingley and once with Magenta. They also owned the horses Belle of the Isle, Stormbird, and Nebula. John served on the committee of the Canterbury Jockey Club for many years.
Family
Studholme married Lucy Ellen Sykes Moorhouse, the daughter of William Moorhouse of Knottingley House,
Knottingley
Knottingley is a town in the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England on the River Aire and the old A1 road before it was bypassed as the A1(M). Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it has a population of 13,503, increasing ...
,
Yorkshire
Yorkshire ( ) is an area of Northern England which was History of Yorkshire, historically a county. Despite no longer being used for administration, Yorkshire retains a strong regional identity. The county was named after its county town, the ...
, on 10 February 1862. Her brother,
William Sefton Moorhouse
William Sefton Moorhouse ( 1825 – 15 September 1881) was a British-born New Zealand politician. He was the second Superintendent of Canterbury Province.
Early life
Moorhouse was born in Yorkshire, England, and baptised on 18 December 1825; th ...
, was
Superintendent of Canterbury Province. Her sister Sarah Ann Moorhouse was married to another early settler
William Barnard Rhodes.

John and Lucy had five children:
*Lucy Ellen Studholme (d. 2 April 1945)
*Florence Mary Studholme (d. 14 February 1946)
*Col. John Studholme (10 February 1863 – 26 May 1934), who married Alexandra Thomson (1867–1907), daughter of
Archbishop of York
The archbishop of York is a senior bishop in the Church of England, second only to the archbishop of Canterbury. The archbishop is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and the metropolitan bishop of the province of York, which covers the ...
William Thomson on 23 June 1897.
*
William Studholme (23 April 1864 – 23 February 1941)
*Joseph Francis Studholme (10 March 1866 – 12 July 1930)
Colonel John Studholme inherited the New Zealand estates and the homestead Coldstream. He continued his father's farming and philanthropy.
Studholme College at the
University of Otago
The University of Otago () is a public university, public research university, research collegiate university based in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. Founded in 1869, Otago is New Zealand's oldest university and one of the oldest universities in ...
is named after him.
William Studholme was the father of
Sir Henry Gray Studholme, 1st Baronet, a prominent British politician during the 1940s and 1950s. Henry's descendants include
Capt. Sir Paul Studholme and
Harry Studholme, the latter of whom is () the chairman of the U.K. Forestry Commission.
Legacy
The South Canterbury region and town of
Studholme
Studholme is a locality in southern Canterbury in New Zealand's South Island. It is named after Michael Studholme, a pioneer European settler who arrived in the area in 1854.
Geography
Studholme is situated on the coastal plains of the W ...
is named for the Studholme brothers, most particularly Michael, who was the first settler in the area. Mount Studholme, inland from
Waimate
Waimate is a town in Canterbury, New Zealand, and the seat of Waimate District. It is situated just inland from the eastern coast of the South Island. The town is reached via a short detour west when travelling on State Highway One, the main N ...
, South Canterbury, is the source of the
Otaio River. Part of
Kaweka Forest Park
Kaweka Forest Park is in the Hawke's Bay region of New Zealand, adjacent to Kaimanawa Forest Park. This region of the central North Island contains large tracts of pine plantations, some of them also within the park, and as a consequence, inva ...
in
Hawke's Bay
Hawke's Bay () is a region on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island. The region is named for Hawke Bay, which was named in honour of Edward Hawke. The region's main centres are the cities of Napier and Hastings, while the more rural ...
is named the 'Studholme Saddle' as it is where three of the largest Studholme family farms (Karioi, Ruanui, and Ohauko) met.
[Studholme Saddle Hut]
" Department of Conservation – Te Papa Atawhai. Retrieved 26 February 2018. The Upper and Lower Studholme Passes in the
Southern Alps
The Southern Alps (; officially Southern Alps / Kā Tiritiri o te Moana) are a mountain range extending along much of the length of New Zealand, New Zealand's South Island, reaching its greatest elevations near the range's western side. The n ...
between the headwaters of the
Landsborough and
Hunter River Hunter River may refer to:
*Hunter River (New South Wales), Australia
*Hunter River (Western Australia)
*Hunter River, New Zealand
*Hunter River (Prince Edward Island), Canada
**Hunter River, Prince Edward Island, community on Hunter River, Canada
...
s are also named after the family.
For better or worse, in 1870 Michael Studholme introduced the
red-necked wallaby
The red-necked wallaby or Bennett's wallaby (''Notamacropus rufogriseus'') is a medium-sized macropod marsupial (wallaby), common in the more temperate and fertile parts of eastern Australia, including Tasmania. Red-necked wallabies have been i ...
to New Zealand releasing them at his estate
Waimate
Waimate is a town in Canterbury, New Zealand, and the seat of Waimate District. It is situated just inland from the eastern coast of the South Island. The town is reached via a short detour west when travelling on State Highway One, the main N ...
.
References
*Mosley, Charles (ed.) (2003) ''Burke's peerage, baronetage & knightage'' (107th ed.). Wilmington, Delaware: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd.
*Reed, A.W. (1975) ''Place names of New Zealand.'' Wellington: A.H. & A.W. Reed.
*Wilson, James Oakley (1985) ''New Zealand parliamentary record, 1840–1984'' (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer.
Notes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Studholme, John
1829 births
1903 deaths
Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives
Unsuccessful candidates in the 1902 New Zealand general election
New Zealand MPs for South Island electorates
19th-century New Zealand politicians
People from Carlisle, Cumbria
Settlers of New Zealand
People from Mid Canterbury
People from South Canterbury
Moorhouse–Rhodes family
People educated at Sedbergh School