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Killinchy
Description
NameKillinchy
DescriptionKillinchy is a settlement on the Leeston-Dunsandel Road, named for a village of the same name in County Down, Ireland, from where many of the early settlers came. From as early as 1862, the first freeholders acquired land near the Killinchy Swamp, which was around 7,000 acres in size, which was subsequently drained.
By 1880 there was a district school with around 70 pupils, a library in the school grounds, and an Anglican Church. A blacksmith's shop and post office were also in place. However, the planned larger settlement never eventuated: it is thought that economic factors had a part to play (Singleton, 2007).
More recently, the name of Killinchy has been attached to ice-cream production, started in 1991 by Brent and Faye Thornton of Kings Road, Killinchy. While Killinchy Gold icecream was made in the village, it became the top-selling premium ice-cream in New Zealand, putting the village on the map. The brand was sold to Dairy Brands NZ in 1996, and then sold on: the name Killinchy Gold is still attached to ice-cream, but it does not have any links to the village. The Thornton family continued in the dairy business, building a dairy factory on their land, producing milk, yogurt and dairy ingredients for export.
DescriptionKillinchy is a settlement on the Leeston-Dunsandel Road, named for a village of the same name in County Down, Ireland, from where many of the early settlers came. From as early as 1862, the first freeholders acquired land near the Killinchy Swamp, which was around 7,000 acres in size, which was subsequently drained.By 1880 there was a district school with around 70 pupils, a library in the school grounds, and an Anglican Church. A blacksmith's shop and post office were also in place. However, the planned larger settlement never eventuated: it is thought that economic factors had a part to play (Singleton, 2007).
More recently, the name of Killinchy has been attached to ice-cream production, started in 1991 by Brent and Faye Thornton of Kings Road, Killinchy. While Killinchy Gold icecream was made in the village, it became the top-selling premium ice-cream in New Zealand, putting the village on the map. The brand was sold to Dairy Brands NZ in 1996, and then sold on: the name Killinchy Gold is still attached to ice-cream, but it does not have any links to the village. The Thornton family continued in the dairy business, building a dairy factory on their land, producing milk, yogurt and dairy ingredients for export.
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Killinchy. Selwyn Stories, accessed 17/02/2025, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/5191
