DISTRICT PLAN –LISTED HERITAGE PLACE HERITAGE ASSESSMENT – STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE HERITAGE ITEM NUMBER 472 ROLLESTON STATUE AND SETTING – 5 ROLLESTON AVENUE, 7, 8 RICCARTON AVENUE,

PHOTOGRAPH: CCC HERITAGE FILES 2005 PHOTOGRAPH: M.VAIR-PIOVA, 19/12/2014

HISTORICAL AND SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE Historical and social values that demonstrate or are associated with: a particular person, group, organisation, institution, event, phase or activity; the continuity and/or change of a phase or activity; social, historical, traditional, economic, political or other patterns.

The Rolleston Statue has high historical significance as a memorial to William Rolleston (1831-1903), the last Superintendent of (served 1869-76). Rolleston had a particular interest in education, and the public school system that developed in Canterbury during his tenure as Superintendent became the basis for the national system established by the Education Act of 1877. The statue’s position in close proximity to Canterbury Museum and the former Canterbury College (Arts Centre of Christchurch), acknowledges Rolleston's important contribution to these institutions. Rolleston also served Canterbury as a Member of the House of Representatives, holding office for most of period between 1868 and 1899 and acting as Minister for Lands, Immigration and Education in Sir John Hall’s government from 1879. He and his wife Mary (nee Brittan) had nine children. The Rolleston Memorial Committee, which tasked itself with raising funds by subscription, commissioning and erecting a statue in Rolleston’s honour, was formed soon after his death in February 1903. Public submissions quickly exceeded the initial cost estimate. English

Page 1 sculptor Herbert Hampton was chosen by Sir John Hall, the Hon Richard Olliver and Hon WP Reeves to undertake the work. The statue was publicly unveiled on 26 May 1906 before a crowd of over 2000. At the ceremony Mayor Sir John Hall stated that for the present generation the memory of Rolleston was a household word and that for those in the next generations “…[t]he speaking likeness would tell of a great and useful and unselfish life spent in the service of the country….” (Weekly Press 30 May 1906). A memorial tablet dedicated to Rolleston had earlier been erected in Victoria Park (1903), to commemorate his opening of the park in 1897. At the time of the Rolleston Statue's unveiling it was reported in that there were not many statues in the country that had been erected to the memory of public men. The statue also has historical significance as a reminder of the Provincial Council era in New Zealand’s political history. The naming of Rolleston Avenue, Mount Rolleston and the township of Rolleston also commemorates one of Canterbury's early politicians. The statue was damaged when came it fell from its plinth during the 22 February 2011 earthquake and has been in storage awaiting repair and restoration since that time.

CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE Cultural and spiritual values that demonstrate or are associated with the distinctive characteristics of a way of life, philosophy, tradition, religion, or other belief, including: the symbolic or commemorative value of the place; significance to Tangata Whenua; and/or associations with an identifiable group and esteemed by this group for its cultural values.

The statue has high cultural significance as a memorial to an early Canterbury politician who contributed to the development of the province. It is a tangible example of the cultural habit of the time of erecting commemorative statues of prominent figures. The statue also has cultural significance as an example of the civic fund-raising efforts that have endowed the city with a large numbers of buildings, monuments, and public artworks over many years.

ARCHITECTURAL AND AESTHETIC SIGNIFICANCE Architectural and aesthetic values that demonstrate or are associated with: a particular style, period or designer, design values, form, scale, colour, texture and material of the place.

The Rolleston Statue has high aesthetic significance as an example of the work of English sculptor Herbert Hampton. The statue is in the 'coat and trousers' realist style that had its origins in 19th century Victorian England. Herbert Hampton (1862-1929) was educated at the Slade School in London and at the Julien and Colarossi academies in Paris. He was noted for his ability to produce a striking likeness and for his work in marble. It was reported that many of Rolleston's contemporaries found Hampton's representation an accurate portrayal of the politician (Lyttelton Times 28 May 1906). An iron fence was erected around the statue’s base at some stage, but this was removed in 1934. Herbert Hampton’s only other statue in New Zealand is the Queen Victoria statue in Dunedin (1901-5).

TECHNOLOGICAL AND CRAFTSMANSHIP SIGNIFICANCE Technological and craftsmanship values that demonstrate or are associated with: the nature and use of materials, finishes and/or technological or constructional methods which were innovative, or of notable quality for the period.

Page 2 The Rolleston Statue has high technological and craftsmanship significance for the technical skill and artistry embodied in the carving and modelling of its Italian marble figure and detail of its limestone base. The work is notable for its use of marble, in contrast to the use of bronze for the Moorhouse and Fitzgerald statues, to which it is related.

CONTEXTUAL SIGNIFICANCE Contextual values that demonstrate or are associated with: a relationship to the environment (constructed and natural), a landscape, setting, group, precinct or streetscape; a degree of consistency in terms of type, scale, form, materials, texture, colour, style and/or detail; recognised landmarks and landscape which are recognised and contribute to the unique identity of the environment.

The Rolleston Statue has high contextual significance as a landmark on Rolleston Avenue, terminating the western vista along Worcester Boulevard directly in front of Canterbury Museum and adjacent to the former Canterbury College now Arts Centre of Christchurch, which acknowledges Rolleston's important contribution to these institutions. It is located in close proximity to a large number of other significant heritage places including the Botanic Gardens, and Christ’s College. The statue also has contextual significance in relation to the statues which memorialise two other Superintendents of Canterbury Province, William Moorhouse and J E Fitzgerald, and also relates thematically and in terms of its location with the Godley Statue in Cathedral Square. The contextual significance of the Rolleston Statue is further enhanced by the fact that it is the only one of the three Superintendent statues to stand on the street named for its subject.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE Archaeological or scientific values that demonstrate or are associated with: the potential to provide information through physical or scientific evidence an understanding about social historical, cultural, spiritual, technological or other values of past events, activities, structures or people.

The Rolleston Statue and its setting are of archaeological significance as they have some potential to hold evidence of human activity on the site before 1900.

ASSESSMENT STATEMENT

The Rolleston Statue has high overall significance to Christchurch, including Banks Peninsula and wider Canterbury as a memorial to William Rolleston the last Superintendent of Canterbury Province. It has high historical and social significance because it commemorates a former Provincial Superintendent who has a particular interest in education, and the public school system that developed in Canterbury during his tenure as Superintendent which became the basis for the national system established by the Education Act of 1877. It has high cultural significance within the community as a tangible example of the cultural habit of the time of erecting commemorative statues of prominent figures and for its erection by a memorial committee formed soon after Rolleston’s death. The Rolleston Statue has high aesthetic significance as an early 20th century realist work by English sculptor Herbert Hampton and technological and craftsmanship significance for its marble carving and acknowledged likeness of the subject. The Rolleston Statue has contextual

Page 3 significance for its relationship to the Museum and former Canterbury College now Arts Centre of Christchurch which acknowledges Rolleston's important contribution to these institutions and as a city landmark and in relation to other public artworks relating to the period of Provincial Government. The Rolleston Statue and its setting are of archaeological significance as they have potential to hold evidence of human activity on the site before 1900.

REFERENCES:

‘William Rolleston’ Dictionary of New Zealand Biography Entry Te Ara The Encyclopedia of New Zealand http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/1r17/rolleston-william

Historic place # 1946 – Heritage New Zealand List http://www.heritage.org.nz/the-list/details?id=1946

‘Herbert Hampton’ – Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain & Ireland 1851-1951 http://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/view/person.php?id=msib2_1203104115

Emily Fryer ‘Rolleston Statue Conservation Report’ (2011)

The Press 26 May 1906

REPORT DATED: 25 NOVEMBER 2014

PLEASE NOTE THIS ASSESSMENT IS BASED ON INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF WRITING.DUE TO THE ONGOING NATURE OF HERITAGE RESEARCH, FUTURE REASSESSMENT OF THIS HERITAGE ITEM MAY BE NECESSARY TO REFLECT ANY CHANGES IN KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF ITS HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE.

PLEASE USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CCC HERITAGE FILES.

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