Jane Deans
Jane Deans | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | 19 January 1911 | (aged 87)
Resting place | Barbadoes Street Cemetery |
Known for | Canterbury pioneer Riccarton House Riccarton Bush |
Spouse | John Deans (m. 1852; d. 1854) |
Children | John Deans II |
Jane Deans (née McIlraith, 21 April 1823 – 19 January 1911) was a New Zealand pioneer and community leader. She came to Christchurch in 1853 onto her husband's farm that he had established ten years earlier. Her husband died in the following year, and Deans became a community leader. The Christchurch suburb of Riccarton derives its name from the farm, and the historic buildings and the adjacent forest are popular places to visit.
Life
Jane McIlraith was born in Auchenflower, Ayrshire, Scotland on 21 April 1823.[1] She was the oldest child of Agnes Caldwell and James McIlraith.[2]
Her husband died from tuberculosis on 23 June 1854, not before he had asked Jane to keep Riccarton Bush in perpetuity. Jane Deans remained at the farm in Riccarton for the rest of her life. She became active in the community and was regarded as a leader of pioneer women. She had Riccarton House built, where she died on 19 January 1911.[1][3] Like her husband, she is buried at Barbadoes Street Cemetery.[4]
Commemoration
Deans Cottage, which was built in circa 1843 and where Jane and John first lived, is today the oldest building in Canterbury. It is registered by Heritage New Zealand as a Category I structure, with registration number 3679, and features as a museum.[5][6] Riccarton House, which was built from circa 1855, is also registered as a Category I structure, with registration number 1868.[7] Before the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, it featured as a function venue, but was subsequently closed for repairs for some years.[5]
Riccarton Bush was donated by the Deans family to the people of Christchurch in 1914.[5] At that time, it was formally protected through a campaign led by MP Harry Ell and botanist Dr. Leonard Cockayne.[8] Today, the bush is administered by a trust. The bush contains mostly kahikatea of between 400 and 600 years of age; it is the only lowland forest left in Christchurch, and is probably New Zealand's oldest protected natural area. A predator-proof fence was installed in 2000, and the bush remains a popular urban visitor attraction.[5]
The Christchurch suburb of Riccarton takes its name from the Riccarton farm.[9] Jane Deans Close is a recent subdivision street in Riccarton.[10] A memorial seat for Jane Deans is placed at the top of the Bridle Path near the Canterbury Pioneer Women's Memorial.
References
- ^ a b c Park, Graham M. Miller and John M. "Jane Deans". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
- ^ ISBN 0908912048.
- ^ a b c "The pioneering Deans family". Christchurch City Libraries. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
- ^ Bulovic, Annette. "Jane Deans (1823–1911)". Peeling Back History. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
- ^ a b c d "Riccarton Bush (Pūtaringamotu), Riccarton House, and Deans Cottage". Christchurch City Libraries. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
- ^ "Deans Cottage". New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero. Heritage New Zealand. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
- ^ "Riccarton House". New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero. Heritage New Zealand. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
- ^ Knight, Catherine (21 June 2010). "The place of an echo: Pūtaringamotu (Deans Bush)". Envirohistory NZ. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
- ^ Harper, Margaret. "Christchurch Place Names: N-Z" (PDF). Christchurch City Libraries. p. 37. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
- ^ Harper, Margaret. "Christchurch Street Names: I-K" (PDF). Christchurch City Libraries. p. 20. Retrieved 30 April 2013.