William Prudhoe

William Prudhoe JP
18th Mayor of Christchurch
In office 16 December 1891 – 21 December 1892
Preceded by	Charles Gray
Succeeded by	Eden George
Personal details
Born	14 January 1832 Sunderland
Died	29 April 1908(1908-04-29) (aged 76) 264 Montreal Street, Christchurch Central City
Profession	builder

William Prudhoe JP (14 January 1832 – 29 April 1908) was Mayor of Christchurch, New Zealand, for 1892.^[1]

Early life

Prudhoe was born Sunderland, England. He received his education at a public school and then undertook an apprenticeship as a builder and mason. He married Anne (Annie) Adamson in 1855 and they had two boys in England; the second one (Joseph) born in Durham.^[2][3] They emigrated on the Regina, arriving in Lyttelton on 4 December 1859.^[2][4] The Prudhoes never returned to England.^[5] They had one further child in New Zealand; Mary Evangaline was born in 1867.^[6]

Professional life

Prudhoe participated in one of the New Zealand gold rushes as a digger after his arrival.^[7] Otherwise, was self-employed in Christchurch. He built many of the town's important buildings, including the first section of the Canterbury Museum (1870),^[8] the Kaiapoi Borough School (1874),^[9] Coker's Hotel in Manchester Street (1879),^[10] the synagoge in Gloucester Street (1881),^[11][12] and Bonnington's (or Bonnington House) in High Street (1883).^[13] For many years, he was in a partnership with William Henry Cooper.^[14]

Political career

Prudhoe was first elected onto Christchurch City Council for the North-west ward in September 1882^[15] and remained a member until his election as mayor.^[16][17] Prudhoe announced his intention to run for mayor and for a long time, it was expected that he was going to be returned unopposed. George Bonnington, another city councillor, received a petition to stand for election that he acceded to. Prudhoe won the election, held on 25 November 1891, by 604 votes to 544.^[18] Prudhoe was installed as mayor on 16 December 1891.^[19] He served for one term and did not stand for re-election in November 1892.^[20] He was succeeded by Eden George, who was installed on 21 December 1892.^[21]

Prudhoe was again elected onto Christchurch City Council in 1894 and remained a city councillor until 1901.^[12] He was a member of the North Canterbury Charitable Aid Board and was on the Hospital Board for five years.^[16]

Community involvement

While still in England, he was a member of the Odd Fellows.^[12] He was "Grand Master of the Orange Order for the Middle Island" (i.e. South Island).^[16] He took a deep interest in the Canterbury Bowling Club in Salisbury Street.^[12]

Death

Prudhoe died on 29 April 1908 at his home in Montreal Street in the central city. He was buried at Linwood Cemetery two days later.^[22] He was survived by his wife and their three children.^[16] His wife died on 24 November 1909.^[23] Their son Joseph died in 1930.^[3][24] Their eldest son, William, died in 1934.^[25] Their daughter, never having married, died in 1951.^[26]

References

• v
• t
• e

Christchurch City Council

Civic offices

• Christchurch Land Office (1862–1887)
• Our City (1887–1924)
• Civic (1924–1980)
• Tuam Street civic offices (1980–2010)
• Hereford Street civic offices (2010–present)

Companies and assets

held through CCHL (ownership percentage)	City Care (100%) Ecocentral Ltd (100%) Enable Networks (100%) Christchurch Airport (75%) Lyttelton Port Company (79.3%) Orion New Zealand (89.3%) Red Bus (100%)
other assets	Art Gallery Botanic Gardens Bus Interchange Canterbury Provincial Council Buildings Canterbury Museum Hagley Park McDougall Art Gallery New Brighton Pier Sign of the Kiwi Sign of the Takahe Town Hall Tūranga Wastewater Treatment Plant
former assets	Bus Exchange Christchurch Central Library Christchurch Convention Centre Queen Elizabeth II Park

Services

• Christchurch City Libraries
• The Shuttle

Chairman (1862–1868)

• John Hall
• John Ollivier
• Isaac Luck
• Edward Bishop
• William Wilson

Mayors (1868–present)

elected by councillors

William Wilson John Anderson Andrew Duncan James Jameson Henry Sawtell Edward Bishop Michael Hart Fred Hobbs

elected at large

Fred Hobbs James Gapes Henry Thomson Charles Thomas Ick James Gapes (2nd) George Ruddenklau Charles Hulbert Aaron Ayers Charles Louisson Samuel Manning Charles Gray William Prudhoe Eden George Thomas Gapes Walter Cooper Harry Beswick Walter Cooper (2nd) Charles Louisson (2nd) William Reece Arthur Rhodes Henry Wigram Charles Mathew Gray (2nd) John Hall George Payling Charles Allison Thomas Taylor John Joseph Dougall1 Henry Holland Henry Thacker James Flesher Rev John Archer Dan Sullivan John Beanland Robert Macfarlane Ernest Andrews Robert Macfarlane (2nd) George Manning Ron Guthrey Neville Pickering Hamish Hay Vicki Buck Garry Moore Bob Parker Lianne Dalziel Phil Mauger

Mayoral elections

annual term	1875† 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882† 1883 1884† 1885† 1886 1887† 1888† 1889† 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897† 1898† 1899† 1901† 1902† 1903† 1904† 1905 1906† 1907† 1908 1909 1910† 1911 1912 1913 1914
biennial term	1915 1917 1919 1921 1923 1925 1927 1929 1931 1933
triennial term	1935 1936‡ 1938 1941 1944 1947 1950 1953 1956 1958‡ 1959 1962 1965 1968 1971 1974 1977 1980 1983 1986 1989 1992 1995 1998 2001 2004 2007 2010 2013 2016 2019 2022

• † Elected unopposed
• ‡ By-election
• ¹ appointed following death of incumbent