New Zealand Odyssey: Ellesmere Brass Band Hall, Leeston, Canterbury

'New Zealand Odyssey', published in 1989 by Heinemann, was authored by me, Don Donovan (who did the text and illustrations) and Euan Sarginson, who did the photography and design. In this series of blog posts, I will publish some of my drawings.

At Leeston, a small farming town on the Canterbury Plain near Lake Ellesmere, this proud, solid, earnest hall stood in 1987 as, to my mind, a good example of local community spirit. I daresay it was built early in the 20th century when people tended to travel less, stay in their discrete neighbourhoods and keep themselves occupied without the passive intrusion of television. 

I guess it was built with funding from local subscription. I hope the brass band still flourishes and that the hall is still used for its original purpose.

© DON DONOVAN

donovan@ihug.co.nz

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St.John the Evangelist, Little River

This handsome little church was built in 1924 for the Little River (Banks Peninsula, Canterbury) Roman Catholics. It replaced a converted! old school that had had a sacristy and sanctuary added to it. Apart from that nothing much seems available in the histories. Who was the architect? How much did it cost to build. Who built it?

It’s not a particularly unusual building; its charm lies in its location. It stands at the south end of Little River village which itself could almost be called the gateway to Banks Peninsula being on the main road between Christchurch and Akaroa whose charms have steadily increased its tourist load year by year. The main road follows the line where the volcanic hills of the peninsula meet the billiards table flat lands of the Canterbury Plain.

A railway, whose rail-less permanent way banking still exists ,runs almost parallel to the road between the foothills and Lake Ellesmere. It’s now a cyclists’ track.

© DON DONOVAN
donovan@ihug.co.nz
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