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James Gammack
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TitleJames Gammack
SummarySpringston farmer and philanthropistDescriptionAccording to the 1903 Cyclopedia of New Zealand, James Gammack was born in 1831 in Bannffshire, Scotland, and emigrated to New Zealand on the 'Cressy'. On landing he tried to find employment on a farm, but failing in that, he joined those who were at work building Ferry Road in Christchurch. His first investment occurred when the Fendalton estate was cut up by its original owner, Mr. Fendal, and James bought two acres of the property.
In 1851 he went to Australia to prospect at the goldfields of Bendigo, among others. He was fairly successful in his search for gold. In 1854 he returned to Canterbury and purchased land at Halswell, which was later extended. He farmed there until 1863, when he bought the late Mr Guild's farm at Springston, which he called 'Gowan Lea' (Block 3053, bordering what remains the main road through the village).
Gammack became a wealthy man, known for being hardworking, kind-hearted, and benevolent. He was deeply immersed in the local affairs of Springston, serving on the Road Board and the school committee, as well as a Justice of the Peace and a director of the New Zealand Farmer's Co-operative Association. He also chaired the Springston Public Library committee. Sir George Grey thought so highly of him that he asked him to stand as a local Member of Parliament, but he was not interested in politics.
Gammack kept a diary for 48 years. When he died on 29 May 1891, his library contained over 2000 books and a large number of magazines. Amongst his books there were 170 volumes of history and biography, 140 of divinity, 130 of poetry, 120 of travels, 110 on economics and socialism, and 80 on agriculture. He would make written summaries of what he read, which made him a genuinely well-informed man, or what we would call today, a life-long learner.
Though Gammack did not identify as a Wesleyan, he was an active member and generous supporter of the Wesleyan church at Springston, and gifted the congregation three acres on which the church and parsonage stood. About five years before he died, on 18 March 1891 he married Annie Reid Aiken (nee Gardiner) (1838 - 1908) of Broadfield, at Knox Church, Dunedin. Annie was the widow of the late Mr. Aitken, who survived him: they had no children, and are buried together at Springston Cemetery in Selwyn. When Gammack died in 1896, the funeral procession was reported as being a mile and a half long.
Gammack's philanthropic legacy was remarkable. At his death he left £100 to the Wesleyan Methodist church at Springston, £100 to the Episcopalian church at the same place, £100 to the Presbyterian church at Lincoln, and £100 to Mount Magdala home for girls in Lincoln Road. He also left £200 per annum to the Board of Education of North Canterbury, for the purpose of establishing at Canterbury College four scholarships to be named “The Gammack Scholarships.” Certain rents and profits, to accrue from the balance of his estate of over £20,000 in value, were left to the Board of Governors of Canterbury College, for the benefit of the circulating department of the Christchurch Public Library.
Today (2024) the Gammack Trust Gammack Trust subsidises borrowing from Christchurch City Libraries for youth residing in Hurunui, Selwyn and Waimakariri, as well as offering four university scholarships to either Lincoln University or the University of Canterbury annually. Gammack's intention was to support people better themselves through reading and study as he had done, as a self-made man.
First NameJamesLast NameGammackOccupationFarmer and philanthropistDate of Birth1830Place of BirthBanffshire, ScotlandDate of Death29 May 1896Place of DeathSpringstonAge at Death66
SummarySpringston farmer and philanthropistDescriptionAccording to the 1903 Cyclopedia of New Zealand, James Gammack was born in 1831 in Bannffshire, Scotland, and emigrated to New Zealand on the 'Cressy'. On landing he tried to find employment on a farm, but failing in that, he joined those who were at work building Ferry Road in Christchurch. His first investment occurred when the Fendalton estate was cut up by its original owner, Mr. Fendal, and James bought two acres of the property. In 1851 he went to Australia to prospect at the goldfields of Bendigo, among others. He was fairly successful in his search for gold. In 1854 he returned to Canterbury and purchased land at Halswell, which was later extended. He farmed there until 1863, when he bought the late Mr Guild's farm at Springston, which he called 'Gowan Lea' (Block 3053, bordering what remains the main road through the village).
Gammack became a wealthy man, known for being hardworking, kind-hearted, and benevolent. He was deeply immersed in the local affairs of Springston, serving on the Road Board and the school committee, as well as a Justice of the Peace and a director of the New Zealand Farmer's Co-operative Association. He also chaired the Springston Public Library committee. Sir George Grey thought so highly of him that he asked him to stand as a local Member of Parliament, but he was not interested in politics.
Gammack kept a diary for 48 years. When he died on 29 May 1891, his library contained over 2000 books and a large number of magazines. Amongst his books there were 170 volumes of history and biography, 140 of divinity, 130 of poetry, 120 of travels, 110 on economics and socialism, and 80 on agriculture. He would make written summaries of what he read, which made him a genuinely well-informed man, or what we would call today, a life-long learner.
Though Gammack did not identify as a Wesleyan, he was an active member and generous supporter of the Wesleyan church at Springston, and gifted the congregation three acres on which the church and parsonage stood. About five years before he died, on 18 March 1891 he married Annie Reid Aiken (nee Gardiner) (1838 - 1908) of Broadfield, at Knox Church, Dunedin. Annie was the widow of the late Mr. Aitken, who survived him: they had no children, and are buried together at Springston Cemetery in Selwyn. When Gammack died in 1896, the funeral procession was reported as being a mile and a half long.
Gammack's philanthropic legacy was remarkable. At his death he left £100 to the Wesleyan Methodist church at Springston, £100 to the Episcopalian church at the same place, £100 to the Presbyterian church at Lincoln, and £100 to Mount Magdala home for girls in Lincoln Road. He also left £200 per annum to the Board of Education of North Canterbury, for the purpose of establishing at Canterbury College four scholarships to be named “The Gammack Scholarships.” Certain rents and profits, to accrue from the balance of his estate of over £20,000 in value, were left to the Board of Governors of Canterbury College, for the benefit of the circulating department of the Christchurch Public Library.
Today (2024) the Gammack Trust Gammack Trust subsidises borrowing from Christchurch City Libraries for youth residing in Hurunui, Selwyn and Waimakariri, as well as offering four university scholarships to either Lincoln University or the University of Canterbury annually. Gammack's intention was to support people better themselves through reading and study as he had done, as a self-made man.
First NameJamesLast NameGammackOccupationFarmer and philanthropistDate of Birth1830Place of BirthBanffshire, ScotlandDate of Death29 May 1896Place of DeathSpringstonAge at Death66Connections
PlaceSpringston More InformationSee the wedding notice of James and Annie Gammack in 1891See James and Annie Gammack's headstone in Springston CemeteryRead James Gammack's obituary in 1896Read about the life of James Gammack in the 1903 Cyclopedia of New ZealandRead about the Gammack TrustSee another image of James Gammack on the Christchurch City Libraries websiteRead about a theft from James Gammack's home in 1888
More InformationSee the wedding notice of James and Annie Gammack in 1891See James and Annie Gammack's headstone in Springston CemeteryRead James Gammack's obituary in 1896Read about the life of James Gammack in the 1903 Cyclopedia of New ZealandRead about the Gammack TrustSee another image of James Gammack on the Christchurch City Libraries websiteRead about a theft from James Gammack's home in 1888Attribution
Researched BySarah DavyWritten BySarah Davy
Written BySarah DavyJames Gammack. Selwyn Stories, accessed 15/01/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/6637
