Uncovering History...

The gold rush came to Central Otago in 1861 when Gabriel Read discovered gold in the Tuapeka River in an area known ever after as “Gabriels Gully”. The township of Lawrence sprang up around this defining find and the miners swarmed from near and far and thus begun the gold rush days of New Zealand...

 

Having spent hours pouring over old papers online we had deduced that our little home had been built, not by a miner, but by one John Crawford, Scottish immigrant and civil contractor to the shire council of Tuapeka.  We also uncovered that it was in existence in 1881 when we found a letter from John to the council complaining about the flooding from the Tuapeka Creek on his boundary. Interestingly he branched out and bought the local hotel – the Tuapeka Flat Hotel in 1882, and within a few short months there was a disastrous fire and an inquest into the cause. It’s not clear if it damaged the building beyond repair, but it terminated Mr Crawford’s days as a hotelier, and he returned to contracting and farming. 

 

Imagine our excitement upon finding this early picture of our cottage in the Lawrence Museum, which seems to have been taken around the mid to late 1920′s judging by the car in the shot.

 

Braeside Cottage

And then during a stay at our cottage in December last year we were delighted to have a visit from Elaine Crawford, her late husband was the great-grandson of John, and she was able to give us a lot more information which filled in a few gaps! The cottage was originally known as Braeside Cottage, as it was sited at the foot of a steep hill, and it was built most probably within twelve months of their marriage which took place in Dunedin in 1870.

Their third child, Duncan, is recorded as being born in the cottage in 1874, and we think it was mostly completed in 1871. Sadly John’s wife, Isabella, died following the birth of their fifth child, aged 31, in 1884. John went on to achieve 79 years, and passed away in 1914 – he must have missed his wife immensely. We sought out their shared grave in the Lawrence Cemetery, and often visit it when we are down at the cottage, taking flowers from the garden of the home they built. 

Even more enthralling, Elaine told us how John was a direct descendant of Margaret de Crauford  - mother to "Braveheart" William Wallace.  This is just the icing on the cake to us with David's Scottish background and my deep love of  the country. William Wallace was born in 1272 in Ellerslie, Scotland. He was the second of three sons of Sir Malcolm Wallace (a minor laird possessing little political power and nobility) and Margaret de Crauford (the daughter of Sir Reginald de Crauford, the Sheriff of Ayr).   Over the years the name became anglicised to Crawford.
           

It gives an even deeper level of joy and contentment to the times we spend within its walls, knowing so much of its origins and understanding a little more of those who lived here in such different, and often very difficult times. 

 

This photo, which is part of the Hocken Collection at Otago University, shows the cottage before the veranda
was added - circa 1916.