Monday, November 05, 2012

Historic Canterbury by John Wilson




A fascinating collection of historical images which tells the varied & dramatic stories of Canterbury and its people.  An epilogue reflects on the impact of the devastating 2010- 2011 earthquakes and how the people of Canterbury now see their past.
This photographic tribute to Canterbury’s rich history traces the development of the province, from the arrival of whalers and French settlers on Banks Peninsula in the 1830s and 1840s to the mid-twentieth century. The region’s dramatic rural landscapes and the growth of its towns and cities are vividly brought to life in numerous images, many not published before. Early pioneers transformed the open plains into productive farms, built roads, bridges and railway lines to connect the far-flung communities and remote high-country sheep runs and engaged in myriad social and cultural activities, laying the foundations for the close-knit and vibrant region it is today.
Historic Canterbury is the fourth book in this series which includes Historic Otago, Historic Auckland & Northland and Historic Hawke’s Bay & East Coast..
About the author:
Born in Timaru and raised there and in Christchurch, John Wilson returned from the United States in 1974 with a Ph.D. in history from Harvard University. His career since has embraced both history and journalism. He worked for some years as a leader writer for the Christchurch Press and was the founding editor, in 1983, of the magazine of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. He has a special interest in the architectural history of Christchurch and has written books and articles on the buildings of Christchurch, Lyttelton and Akaroa. He has also written histories of two rural areas of Canterbury, Cheviot and Waikakahi. Now a self-employed historian and writer, he has lived in Springston, on Banks Peninsula and in Christchurch.

Historic Canterbury by John  Wilson  |  Published by David Bateman Ltd  |    Hardback |  rrp.$49.99

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