Ada Augusta Oriental Giles was born on 27 November 1855, on board the sailing barque ‘Oriental’ at latitude 23 degrees north. Her family, parents Launcelot and Rachel Giles and 8 other children, were on a voyage from Somersetshire, England to their new home in New Zealand. She was christened before crossing the equator – an English birth. Ada’s parents included the name of the ship in her name.

Nothing is recorded about Ada’s early years. Ada married Charles Holland of Greendale on 22 December 1875 at the Eyreton Anglican Church. They were both 20 years old. Three marriages took place on that day. Her brother, Benjamin Giles married Mary Anne Bailey and Edward Clothier married Louisa Alice Greig. These weddings were the first in the new church. The Rev. J Merton officiated. Ada’s wedding dress was hand sewn green and black stripe silk embroidered with black beaded lace trims.

Charles Holland had come out to New Zealand with his parents Robert and Anne Holland from Nafferton, Yorkshire, England. Robert, 38 and Jane, 37 were accompanied by their 6 children, George William 13, Mary Jane 11, Frederick 9, Charles 6, Henry 3 and infant Sarah Jane.

They arrived at Lyttleton on 15 October 1863 on the sailing ship ‘Lancastershire Witch’. They first settled at Yorktown, west of West Melton with other families from Yorkshire (including the Shipleys). The land was unsuitable for farming so in about 1873 they took up land and farmed at Greendale near Selwyn River, now the site of the Greendale Golf course.

In 1858 Launcelot bought 25 acres of land on Giles Road, Clarkville, Kaiapoi Island form the Studholme Brothers for £155 and named it ‘Somerset Farm’. He first built a sod house and later one of cob. He and his first and second wives and family lived in these homes. He began importing threshing machinery and for some years operated it. In 1881 Launcelot bought another 73 acres from Studholme Brothers for £460 and transferred 33 acres to his son Edward in 1884.

Launcelot Giles acquired various other land holdings in the district around Clarkville and beyond including 2 bush lots at Oxford. Some of these land holdings he transferred to his children. It is recorded that on 16 November 1885, 10 years after Ada and Charles married, he transferred a tract of land on Giles Road, Clarkville to Ada Augusta Oriental Holland. Details:

• 23.3.1863: RS5301 applied for 20 acres. Price £40

• 18.12.1885: Crown grant issued

• 16.11.1865: Transferred to Ada Augusta Oriental Holland. Price 10/- Ref 116/D/726

By this time Ada and Charles had 6 children so they built a two storey weatherboard home on the property. Black beech timber from Launcelot’s bush sections at Oxford were used to build this home and outbuildings. The original house on this property had a colonial oven and copper with laundry tubs. An additional two storey extension was added later. The house was retained and used for many years before being pulled down. Ada and Charles brought up 11 children in this house.

The area was prone to flooding and at times the house became isolated by floodwaters from the Eyre River. It was later diverted into the Waimakariri but not till after a number of nasty floods. Charles constructed an earth bank around the house to prevent floodwaters entering their home.

Also built in close proximity to the house were two traction engine sheds with funnel extensions, two combine sheds, an engineering workshop and forge and combined horse stables and cow shed. These buildings still remain today.

It would appear that as Launcelot approached his retirement he handed over his threshing machine business to his sons Benjamin (Ben), Edward (Ted) and his son-in-law Charles Holland. This business became known as ‘Giles & Holland’.

Their sons, as they grew old enough to work, assisted in the running of the threshing mills. It was a very labour intensive operation. There might be 10 to 14 men to a mill including an engine driver, mill feeder, baggies, bag sewer, bag carrier and stacker, straw thresher or walloper, water joey and finally the cook.

The mill consisted of a Fowler traction engine and wooden Clayton and Shuttleworth threshing mill. It also included a 400 gallon water tank mounted on a purpose built dray (water joey) pulled by the draught horse ‘Tui’ and two whares (one used as a cookhouse and the other serving as accommodation for the men).

First the grain crops were cut and tied into sheaves by the horse drawn binder. Usually the farmer did this work. Then men arranged the sheaves into upright stooks to dry. A paddock of stooks made a wonderful sight in the late afternoon sun. When the straw and grain was thoroughly dry the men with three tyne pitch forks would throw them into the drays drawn by draught horses and cart them to a suitable site where they proceeded to make round stacks with pointed tops to shield off the rain.

When the mill was available it would arrive and set about threshing the grain out, discarding the straw or using the chaff cutter proceed to cut up all the sheaves and bag for horse feed. A fox terrier dog would always be on the scene to catch the mice that were disturbed in the stacks. The threshing sometimes took place well into the winter. The men spoke of having to break ice in the nearby water race to wash in the morning before breakfast.

Giles & Holland c1900

Kneeling: Mr Chapman, girl & boy unknown,

Tom Saunders, Frederick John Holland with a loaf of bread, Alex Belcher (cook)

Standing: Tom Burgess, Robert Benjamin Giles, Benjamin Giles, Ralph Wilson with scoop,

George Robert Holland, Benjamin Lot Clothier, Bob Burgess Jim Cherry on mill, Edward Giles on water cart,

horse Tommy, Obed Charles Holland and the Moore boys on engine

Leonard (Len), Edward’s son, Obed (Dick) and George, Charles’ sons became involved in the business. Dick became a traction engine driver and in most photographs available he can be seen at the wheel. As the Holland boys grew older Frederick (Fred) and John (Jack) also started to work on the mills. Jack ran the blacksmith shop and forge and attended to the accounts.

Charles was known for his great strength and it was reported that he could lie on his back and support a dray axle with his upraised legs while others changed the wheels. He was a clever handyman carpenter, mechanic and was capable of almost any kind of work. He experimented with water driven machinery in the swift flowing stream near his property with great success.

About 1895 Charles developed cancer and died in ‘Hodds Private Hospital’, Christchurch on 5 November 1895 aged 39 years. He is buried in the Kaiapoi Anglican Cemetery.

The threshing business continued as ‘Holland & Giles’, with Ada and her sons and Edward and his son, Len. At some stage Benjamin left the partnership to farm on his own.

When Edward (Ted) retired the partnership dissolved. However he continued to take an interest in the threshing business. Ada and her four sons Dick, Fred, John and Thomas (Tom) formed ‘A Holland & Sons’ contractors.

Leonard (Len) formed a business with his cousin Mervyn Ward. They operated with tractors and tin mills that were beginning to surpass the steam machines and wooden mills.

Ada was known as a very compassionate and caring lady who kept open home for all her family. On many occasions all her children and grandchildren, some from quite a distance, came home for Christmas. Food was cooked in the wash house colonial oven and copper. Tables and trestles, spread with white tablecloths, were erected in one of the traction engine sheds.

She cared for Percy Jackson, her grandson, from a young age when her daughter Amy died in 1901 at the birth of her second son. George’s son Charles, who lived near Waimate, came to live with Ada’s family when he was 6 years old and attended Clarkville School from October to December 1911. He later returned after his schooling at Waimate and lived with Ada’s family until he married. He then moved to a married couple’s job at ‘Bangor’ Darfield in about 1935. Stan McIlwrick, Percy’s cousin, also lived with Ada for a time.

Sarah and her daughter Doris and Dick continued to live at home and assisted Ada to run the farm. Dick managed the outside chores. There were a number of cows to milk, draught horses to feed and a large vegetable garden and orchard to attend to. Tom, who lived nearby, assisted with milking the cows. Sarah helped in the house and flower gardens. There was a lot of cooking required to feed the hungry men working on the mills at harvest time and those who worked in the off season repairing machinery mainly William Bowman’s tradesmen from a Christchurch firm. William (Bill) Bowman was Ada’s cousin.

At this time there were two complete mills each with a Fowler traction engine, wooden Clayton & Shuttleworth threshing mill, a water cart, chaff cutter, pea sheller, clover sheller and two whares. Both mills were sold in about 1940.

Ada continued to live in her own home looked after by Sarah, Doris and Dick until her death in March 1939, aged 83 years. She is buried beside her husband, Charles, in the Kaiapoi Anglican Cemetery. Frederick (Fred) and his wife, Elsie, and family lived in the house for a time. The farm was later sold to Lester Dowdell.

Ada’s wedding dress and the Holland bible are in the proud possession of a great-granddaughter, Jan Cassidy.

Aileen Pearson, Rangiora, 2002

Many Tributes at Clarkville Residents Funeral

There died at Clarkville recently Mrs Ada Augusta Oriental Holland, one of the old pioneers. She was born in November 1855, on board the barque Oriental, which was voyaging from England to New Zealand at the time. On reaching Lyttelton, her parents, the late Mr and Mrs Launcelot Giles with their young family, walked across the bridle path to what is now Christchurch.

When but six months old she moved with her parents to Clarkville, where Mrs Holland resided until her death. Her husband, the late Mr Charles Holland died more than 40 years ago. Mrs Holland also outlived one son and one daughter. She leaves a family of five sons, four daughters, 33 grandchildren and 25 great grandchildren.

The respect in which she was held was shown by the long cortege which went from her home to the Kaiapoi Church of England cemetery. The funeral was one of the largest ever held in the district. Six of her grandchildren acted as pallbearers. They were Messrs Nelson, Edwin, Selwyn and Charles Holland, Percy Jackson and Ronald Luisetti.

Wreaths were sent by the following:

Her Loving Family; Fred, Elsie and Families; Tom, Vera, Ted and great grandson Trevor; Sarah and Doris; Grand and Great Grandchildren at Waimate and Timaru; Edwin, Val and Great Grandson Terence; Guilio, Eileen and Yola; Betty, Violet, Joan and Lorna; Percy, Agnes and Family; Daphne, Winsome and Roderick; Ronald, Margaret and wee Paddy; Eva and Charlie; Floss, Ern and Family; Peggy, Frank and Elsie; Jim, Cis and Family; Laura, Sam and Family and Otto; Len, Ethel and Family; John, Lizzie and Family; Cousin Edith and Family; Stan and Dona; Ern and Maria; Mr and Mrs T. May and Mr and Mrs P Giles; Mr and Mrs A. J. Rich; Cousin Bob, Nell and girls; The Clarkville School children; Officers and Members Trafalgar Lodge U.A.O.O.D; Dr and Mrs Aiken; Mrs Pearce, Snr and Family; Mr and Mrs G. Brown and Family; Mr and Mrs Dymock and Family; Mr and Mrs W. D. Batchelor; The Walker Family; A. Jones; Mr and Mrs Tyson and Syb; Rene and Florie and Craig; Mr and Mrs J. Wright, Snr; Mr and Mrs J. H. Burgess and Family; Mr and Mrs G. H. Hassall and Family; Mrs Quick and Family; Mr and Mrs Sheppard; Mr and Mrs Robb and Family; W. R. Blackburn and Mother; Mr and Mrs W. Frost; Mr and Mrs F. G. Barker; Mr and Mrs J. Smith and Family and Willie; Mr and Mrs Madely; June Rice; Mr and Mrs Bollington; Ngaere and Charlie.

The Press, 1939