Hugh Murray-Aynsley

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Hugh Murray-Aynsley
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Hugh Murray-Aynsley
Canterbury Provincial Council
In office
6 February 1864 – 7 May 1866
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Lyttelton
In office
28 December 1875 – 15 August 1879[1]
Preceded byHenry Richard Webb
Succeeded byHarry Allwright
Personal details
Born8 October 1828
Gloucestershire, England
Died22 February 1917(1917-02-22) (aged 88)
St Albans, Christchurch, New Zealand
Resting placeWoolston Cemetery
ResidenceRiverlaw (1862–1905)

Hugh Percy Murray-Aynsley (8 October 1828 – 22 February 1917) was a 19th-century Member of Parliament in Canterbury, New Zealand.

Early life[edit]

Murray-Aynsley was born in Gloucestershire, England, in 1828. His father was John Murray-Aynsley (1795–1870) from Little Harle Tower,[2] his grandfather was Lord Charles Murray-Aynsley (1771–1808), and his great-grandfather was John Murray, 3rd Duke of Atholl (1729–1774).[3][4][5] His mother was Emma Sarah Peach, and his mother's grandfather was Henry Cruger.[4] His grandfather was baptised as Charles Murray and upon his marriage to Alicia Mitford (1768–1813), the heiress of her great-uncle, Gawen Aynsley, Esq, he assumed the additional surname Aynsley. Murray-Aynsley was educated privately; his tutor later became Bishop of Ely.[6]

For a time, Murray-Aynsley managed a sugar plantation in Trinidad for his cousin, Sir William Miles, with the firm operating as Miles & Co.[2][6] He came to Melbourne on the Royal Bride, and from there to New Zealand in 1858, arriving on the Queen in Lyttelton.[6][5]

Life in New Zealand[edit]

Riverlaw in Christchurch

He was manager and the principal partner for the Christchurch branch of Miles & Co, a stock and station agency.[5] He married Elizabeth Campbell on 7 June 1859.[4] In 1862, Murray-Aynsley purchased Riverlaw, a rural property at the bottom of Rapaki Track adjacent to the Ōpāwaho / Heathcote River originally owned by Alexander Lean.[7] Sometime between 1885 and 1892, Murray-Aynsley had a two-storey homestead built. He sold Riverlaw in 1905 to George John Smith, who further enlarged the house including the addition of a third storey. On 6 September 1984, the house was registered with Heritage New Zealand as a Category II heritage place, with registration number 3728;[8] Riverlaw was regarded as one of the finest colonial homes in Christchurch.[9] It was significantly damaged in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake and demolished soon after.[10]

Murray-Aynsley also bought the Mount Hutt Station in the Canterbury foothills from Alexander Lean.[5][11]

In 1873, he was one of the founders of the New Zealand Shipping Company. He was one of the directors, and then chairman of directors until his death.[6]

Political career[edit]

New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate Party
1875–1879 6th Lyttelton Independent

He was a member of the Canterbury Provincial Council for the Town of Lyttelton electorate from 6 February 1864 to 7 May 1866.[12] He was a member of the Canterbury Executive Council from 22 July 1862 to 13 November 1863 under Robert Wilkin, and for a few days until his resignation under Thomas Cass.[13][14] He was Deputy Superintendent from 31 May 1869 to August 1872 and stood in for William Rolleston in 1869 who was in Wellington attending Parliament.[15][6]

He represented the Lyttelton electorate in the House of Representatives from 1875 to 1879, when he was defeated by Harry Allwright, the Mayor of Lyttelton.[16][17]

Note that some sources, for example Wilson (1985) and Scholefield (1950), list him under the surname Aynsley.

Death and legacy[edit]

Murray-Aynsley died on 22 February 1917 at his residence at 38 Holly Road, St Albans, Christchurch.[18] He was buried at Woolston Cemetery.[19]

A variety of geographic features commemorate Murray-Aynsley. A spur of the Port Hills above the old homestead is known as Murray Aynsley Hill.[20][21] Two roads on the true right of the Ōpāwaho / Heathcote River, initially known as River Road, were renamed. While Murray-Aynsley was still alive, the road from Opawa Bridge to Rapaki Track was renamed Aynsley Terrace; the homestead was located at the Rapaki Track end of this road.[22][23] The next section of road upstream from here was renamed to Riverlaw Terrace in the following year some months after Murray-Aynsley's death.[24][25] Harold Street in Sydenham was on land that belonged to Murray-Aynsley; it was initially known as Aynsleys Alley No 4, and then Aynsley Street.[26]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Wilson 1985, p. 181.
  2. ^ a b Greenaway, Richard L. N. (June 2007). "Woolston / Heathcote Cemetery Tour" (PDF). Christchurch City Council. pp. 19–21. Retrieved 19 April 2014.
  3. ^ Cyclopedia 1903, p. 377.
  4. ^ a b c "Person Page – 2268". The Peerage. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  5. ^ a b c d Ogilvie 2009, p. 168.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Obituary". The Press. Vol. LIII, no. 15833. 23 February 1917. p. 3. Retrieved 19 April 2014.
  7. ^ Ogilvie 2009, pp. 166–168.
  8. ^ "Register Record for Riverlaw, 81 Aynsley Terrace, Christchurch". Christchurch: Ceismic. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  9. ^ Ogilvie 2009, p. 169.
  10. ^ "Lost heritage Christchurch City A-C". Heritage New Zealand. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  11. ^ "Mount Hutt : an old up-country homestead". Christchurch City Libraries. Retrieved 19 April 2014.
  12. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 192.
  13. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 190.
  14. ^ Wigram 1916, p. 238.
  15. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 188.
  16. ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 181, 266.
  17. ^ "The general elections: Lyttelton election". The Star. No. 3558. 5 September 1879. p. 2. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  18. ^ "Deaths". The Press. Vol. LIII, no. 15833. 23 February 1917. p. 1. Retrieved 19 April 2014.
  19. ^ "Funeral Notices". The Press. Vol. LIII, no. 15833. 23 February 1917. p. 9. Retrieved 19 April 2014.
  20. ^ Ogilvie 2009, pp. 166–174.
  21. ^ Harper, Margaret. "Christchurch Place Names: A–M" (PDF). Christchurch City Libraries. p. 164. Retrieved 19 April 2014.
  22. ^ Harper, Margaret. "Christchurch Street Names A" (PDF). Christchurch City Libraries. p. 80. Retrieved 19 April 2014.
  23. ^ "County Councils". The Press. Vol. LII, no. 15485. 12 January 1916. p. 4. Retrieved 19 April 2014.
  24. ^ Harper, Margaret. "Christchurch Street Names R" (PDF). Christchurch City Libraries. p. 44. Retrieved 19 April 2014.
  25. ^ "Alteration of Street Names". The Press. Vol. LIII, no. 15937. 26 June 1917. p. 11. Retrieved 19 April 2014.
  26. ^ Harper, Margaret. "Christchurch Street Names H" (PDF). Christchurch City Libraries. p. 28. Retrieved 19 April 2014.

References[edit]

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New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Lyttelton
1875–1879 		Succeeded by
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