John Anderson (New Zealand engineer)

John Anderson
Birth name	John W. Anderson
Date of birth	9 May 1849
Place of birth	Edinburgh, Scotland
Date of death	26 May 1934 (aged 85)
Place of death	Christchurch, New Zealand
Rugby union career
Position(s)
Position(s)	Forward
Amateur team(s)
Years	Team
–	West of Scotland
International career
Years	Team
1872	Scotland

John Anderson (9 May 1849 – 26 May 1934) was a Scottish-born New Zealand engineer. He played rugby union for West of Scotland during his time in Scotland for his education and represented Scotland internationally. He lived in New Zealand from infancy and together with his brother, took over his father's company. The company flourished under their guidance and became one of New Zealand's largest builder of bridges for roads and rail.

Early life

Anderson was born at Edinburgh in 1850.^[1]^[2] His father was John Anderson, who was to become mayor of Christchurch and an influential businessman. His mother was Jane Anderson (née Gibson).^[3] The Andersons emigrated to Canterbury in New Zealand at the end of 1850 on Sir George Seymour, one of the First Four Ships, and settled in Christchurch. His parents, who had married in 1845, had previously lost two children during infancy and it is thought that this contributed to their decision to emigrate; John Anderson Jr. was their only child alive at that point. Another son, Andrew, was born in 1851.^[3]

The Anderson boys received their education at Scots College in Christchurch. In 1866, they were both sent to Scotland for further education at the Merchiston Castle School in the Edinburgh suburb of Colinton.^[2] His brother then worked with a firm of civil engineers, while he himself worked at the Clutha Ironworks at Glasgow as a mechanical engineer.^[2]^[3] He furthered his education by attending classes of Professor William John Macquorn Rankine at the University of Glasgow.^[2] John Anderson returned to New Zealand in 1873; his brother followed him in 1876.^[3]

Rugby union career

Amateur career

Anderson played for West of Scotland.^[4]

International career

He was capped only once for Scotland.^[5] His debut came in the second international match on 5 February 1872 playing against England at The Oval, London.^[6]

Professional career

Upon his return to New Zealand, Anderson Jr. joined his father's company.^[2] 'J. Anderson, Engineer, Millwright, Boiler Maker &c' manufactured steam boilers and the plant necessary to process agricultural products. A foundry was part of the business that was located in the heart of Christchurch, between Cashel and Lichfield Streets.^[3] The firm started to really prosper when both sons worked in the business. It took on large projects, first for the Canterbury Provincial government, and then other provincial councils and also central government.^[3]

One example of a significant bridge was the Beaumont road bridge over the Clutha River, which is also known as the Dunkeld Bridge, as this was the original survey name for the township that soon took the name of Beaumont. The bridge was opened by John Anderson Jr. on 4 March 1887 with a champagne lunch.^[7]^[8] A champagne lunch of such proportions that the location for the presentation is still called Champagne Flat was held at the opening of the Waiau Ferry Bridge, these days a Category I heritage item registered with Heritage New Zealand.^[9] Another early and outstanding bridge was the Waiteti Viaduct, the northernmost viaduct on the North Island Main Trunk railway a few kilometres south of Te Kūiti. This structure was also completed in 1887.^[10] Probably the most significant structure on the North Island Main Trunk Railway is the Makatote Viaduct 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) south of National Park. At 79 metres (259 ft), it is the highest on this line. It took three years to build and Andrew Anderson moved his family to the construction village, so that he could oversee the work. The viaduct was commissioned in 1908.^[11]^[12] The company diversified by importing engines, locomotives, they built steam engines, and started building oil storage tanks once the importation of oil began.^[2]

Other interests

Like his father, who was Christchurch's second mayor in 1869, Anderson Jr. was elected a member of the Christchurch City Council.^[13] In September 1892, he was declared elected unopposed in the North-West ward.^[14] At the time, councillors were elected for two-year terms. Anderson resigned in mid-April 1894 as he was about to leave for a trip to England.^[15] Anderson was succeeded in the North-West ward by Harry Beswick,^[16] who would a year later be elected mayor.^[17] Anderson returned from his trip in November 1894.^[18]

John Anderson, Sr. was an inaugural director of the New Zealand Shipping Company and when he died in April 1897, the directorship was transferred to Anderson Jr.^[2]^[19]

Death

Anderson died on 26 May 1934 in Christchurch.^[2] He is buried at Addington Cemetery.^[20]

Notes

^ "Loss to Canterbury". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LXXI, no. 21811. 28 May 1934. p. 11. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h "Death of Mr John Anderson". The Press. Vol. LXX, no. 21175. 28 May 1934. p. 12. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Lowe, Peter. "Anderson, John". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
^ The Essential History of Rugby Union: Scotland. Nick Oswald and John Griffiths.
^ "Rugby Union – ESPN Scrum – Statsguru – Player analysis – John Anderson – Test matches".
^ "England v Scotland". ESPN.
^ Thornton 2001, pp. 132f.
^ "The New Beaumont Bridge". Otago Daily Times. No. 7815. 9 March 1887. p. 4. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
^ "Waiau Ferry Bridge". New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero. Heritage New Zealand. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
^ Thornton 2001, p. 134.
^ Thornton 2001, pp. 157f.
^ "Makatote Viaduct". Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 8 October 2014. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
^ "Councillors of the City of Christchurch". Christchurch: Christchurch City Council. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
^ "City Council". The Press. Vol. XLIX, no. 8272. 8 September 1892. p. 8. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
^ "A Departing Councillor". The Press. Vol. LI, no. 8770. 17 April 1894. p. 4. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
^ "Local & General". The Star. No. 4937. 28 April 1894. p. 5. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
^ "The Mayoral Elections". The Press. Vol. LII, no. 9275. 28 November 1895. p. 6. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
^ "First Day". The Press. Vol. LI, no. 8946. 9 November 1894. p. 5. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
^ "New Zealand Shipping Company". The Press. Vol. LIV, no. 9904. 8 December 1897. p. 2. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
^ "Funerals". The Press. Vol. LXX, no. 21176. 29 May 1934. p. 19. Retrieved 17 May 2017.

References

Thornton, Geoffrey (2001). Brierley, Susan; Chan, Evan; Lagahetau, Carolyn (eds.). Bridging the Gap: Early Bridges in New Zealand 1830–1939 (First ed.). Auckland: Reed Publishing. ISBN 0-7900-0810-6.