Guide to the Papers of the Upton Family (as filmed by the AJCP)

Series 1. Letter-Diary of T. Everard Upton on voyage to New Zealand, September 1865 - January 1866

Brief entries referring to the weather, sighting of ships, 'crossing the line' celebrations, books, Christmas festivities, arrival at Lyttelton, meeting with F. Napier Broome and his wife Lady Barker, activities of fellow-passengers.

(contemporary copy, 14pp)

Series 2. Letters of T. Everard Upton to his family in England, 1865 - 1906

The early letters were written to his parents at Market Drayton, Shropshire, and also to his first wife Eunice, who visited England in 1877-78. The 1885-1906 letters were written to his brother Jack. There is also one letter to Lady Barker in England (1869). The first two letters were written on the voyage from England and the remainder from Malvern Hills, Broomielaw, High Peak and Cashmere stations and Ashburton in the Canterbury region of New Zealand. The subjects include family news; deaths of sister and brother; appointment as a gardener to F. Napier Broome; work on Broomielaw Station (1866-68); association with Broome and Lady Barker; English news; mutual friends; visits to Christchurch; clothes; financial matters; floods; return of Broomes to England (1869); gold discoveries in New Zealand; association with Sir Cracroft Wilson and Lady Wilson; work on High Peak Station (1868-81); marriage to Eunice Adams (1870); birth of sons; illnesses of Eunice; efforts to secure loans; visit of Eunice and sons to England (1877-78); friendship with Arthur Begbie; extension of railway and effect on land values; Ashburton Hunt; schooling of sons; arrangements for son Tichborne to live in England (1890); sheep breeding; work as a sheep judge at agricultural shows; visit of daughter Ethel to England (1902); marriage of Tichborne (1906) Some of the letters are contemporary copies which were circulated among the Upton Family. Many of the others are photocopies.

(73 letters)

Series 3. Letters of Eunice Upton to the Upton Family in England, 1871 - 1890

Most of the 1871-81 letters were written to her parents-in-law at Market Drayton, while the later letters were written to Everard's brother Jack and his sisters Alice and Mary. They were mainly written at High Peak Station and also at Cashmere Station, Christchurch and Ashburton in New Zealand and Deptford and Dover in England They are usually very detailed and often reproduce conversations. The principal subjects are the activities of Everard and their children Tichborne (born 1871), Robert (born 1874) and Ethel (born 1881) and her own activities and frequent illnesses. Other subjects include her family background; difficulties of sheep-farming; gardening; visits to neighbouring properties; visits to Cashmere and relations with Sir Cracroft and Lady Wilson; condition of roads; cost of living; relations with shearers; receipt of gifts and photographs; snowstorms and floods; visit of Arthur Begbie and his search for coal (1876-78); plays and concerts at Christchurch; voyage to England on Sea Eagle and return on Waikato (1877-78); hopes of purchasing property; extensions to house at High Peak; opening of railway to Dunedin (1879); economic conditions in Canterbury; education of children; horse races, cricket matches, hunts; death of Sir Cracroft Wilson (1881); award of scholarships to Christchurch Cathedral School; purchase of property 'Sherwood' (1884); Ashburton show; departure of Tichborne for England (1890); marriage of Jack Upton. Many of the letters are contemporary copies circulated among the Upton Family.

(96 letters).

Series 9. Diary of Arthur Begbie, 2 August 1875 - 13 December 1878

Small diary containing brief entries describing his voyage on Otago from Gravesend to Port Chalmers, August-October 1875; work as a farmer, labourer and coal surveyor in Otago and Canterbury; service with Sir Cracroft Wilson including visits to High Peak Station; travels in North Island; voyages from Auckland to San Francisco and from New York to Liverpool, February-March 1878.