Open/Close Toolbox
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 New Zealand License
Format: Person
Linked To
Place
Copyright
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 New Zealand LicenseThis licence lets you remix, tweak, and build upon our work noncommercially and although your new works must also acknowledge us and be noncommercial, you do not have to license the derivative works on the same terms.
- People
- Places
- Themes
- Surprise Me!
Menu
- People
- Places
- Themes
- Surprise Me!
Robert Holland
Description
TitleRobert HollandSummaryTrevor Holland ponders the curious case of his great grandfather Robert and the mystery behind his home in 'Yorktown', a place which doesn’t officially exist.DescriptionMr Robert. Holland was my great grandfather who arrived at Lyttelton with his wife, Ann, and their six children in October 15, 1863. He was listed in the shipping manifest as a farm labourer, so would probably not have had much money.
There is no record of his buying any land although my research did reveal this: Land Information N.Z. has no knowledge of Yorktown - it is not on their computer register of place names - although a land deed held by N.Z. Archives (ref. 29021/100) records the purchase of land at Greendale ‘by Mr. Robert Holland of Yorktown’.
My sister agrees that the old tree stumps just inside the fence on the right hand side of the road 1.1km on the Christchurch side of the Sandy Knolls road intersection on S.H.73 could mark the site of our great grandfather's home at Yorktown, a site which used to be pointed out to us by our father.
This block of land, from the Sandy Knolls road to somewhere past these stumps and back to behind where Torlesse Rd, now goes was taken up in 1864 by Mr. Murrough O'Brien, Gentleman, of Christchurch, and was probably leased to the settlers.
The land on the other three sides of the Bealey Rd/Sandy Knolls Rd corner was taken up on April 6 1864 by William Walker, Bootmaker, of Lyttelton This could be the Walker referred to in Geo. Popple's book. A map in a booklet on West Melton history shows the N.Vl. corner as the site of the Yorktown Accommodation House. Could the old house still there be the accommodation house?
There is no record of his buying any land although my research did reveal this: Land Information N.Z. has no knowledge of Yorktown - it is not on their computer register of place names - although a land deed held by N.Z. Archives (ref. 29021/100) records the purchase of land at Greendale ‘by Mr. Robert Holland of Yorktown’.
My sister agrees that the old tree stumps just inside the fence on the right hand side of the road 1.1km on the Christchurch side of the Sandy Knolls road intersection on S.H.73 could mark the site of our great grandfather's home at Yorktown, a site which used to be pointed out to us by our father.
This block of land, from the Sandy Knolls road to somewhere past these stumps and back to behind where Torlesse Rd, now goes was taken up in 1864 by Mr. Murrough O'Brien, Gentleman, of Christchurch, and was probably leased to the settlers.
The land on the other three sides of the Bealey Rd/Sandy Knolls Rd corner was taken up on April 6 1864 by William Walker, Bootmaker, of Lyttelton This could be the Walker referred to in Geo. Popple's book. A map in a booklet on West Melton history shows the N.Vl. corner as the site of the Yorktown Accommodation House. Could the old house still there be the accommodation house?
Connections
PlaceWest Melton
Attribution
Written ByTrevor Holland
Robert Holland. Selwyn Stories, accessed 18/07/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/4254