Gustav Gärtner (abt. 1825 - abt. 1885)

Born about 1825 in Germany

Died about 1885 at about age 60 in Waimate, Canterbury, New Zealand [uncertain]

Biography

Gustav was born in South Germany. ^[1]

He was the brother of William Gärtner.^[2]

He came to New Zealand in 1850, from Port Phillip, Victoria, with nothing in his pocket.^[3] He was naturalized by an Act of government in 1853.^[4]

He was a de facto founding member of the Ancient Order of Foresters, Canterbury branch.^[5]

With business partner Thomas Ellis, he owned the Golden Fleece Hotel, cnr. Armagh and Colombo Streets, Christchurch. Which they had built on the bare land purchased. Prior to that, he was a carpenter.^[3]

The site of the hotel is now the Crowne Plaza (since 2017), which memorializes the hotel through its Ellis, Gartner and Oram meeting rooms.^[6]

He was known as "Baron von Gartner" as a joke. ^[7]

In 1852 they bought 10,000 acres at Ashley Gorge for a cattle run farm.

In 1855 he pledged 1 shilling towards the erection of a Scotch Presbyterial Church in Christchurch.^[8]

In 1858 he dissolved his partnership with Ellis by mutual consent.^[9]

In 1860 , solicitors requested to settle his estate.^[10]

Research Notes

Death - or not?

Several secondary sources I've read claim he died in 1860, perhaps based on the above notice to settle his estate.

However, in 1864 the Golden Fleece caught fire and some people were charged with arson. Gustave von Gartner (resident of Christchurch, employee of the Fleece) was called as a witness, and he testifies that he was the original builder of the Fleece. ^[11]

There are multiple other news clippings on the same arson, various 1864 dates, so I can't see that this is a typo. I'm forced to conclude that he didn't die in 1860 and perhaps the estate notice was a bankruptcy or there is some other explanation. (To support this, there was an 1859 court case where Gustav was sued fairly seriously).

The 1880, 1885, and 1890 electoral rolls show a "Gartner, Gustave, Victoria Street, out of business, part rural section 560".

There is a record in NZ BDM Deaths 1885/6076 Von Gartnor, Augustus, age 59Y. Cemetery transcriptions give death 16 Mar 1885, in Waimate.^[12] Perhaps that is him , and Augustus is a transcription error for Gustavus? William had died Dec 1884 in Waimate. Serendipitously, newspaper clippings for the sale of William's estate start on the 18th March 1885.

If any reader would like to retrieve that death record it could be enlightening.

Other notes

In some clippings he's known as Gustavus.

He was also into horse racing (various clippings).

In Trove (Aus newspapers) there are mentions of Gustav and William von Gartner in Adelaide and Melbourne 1849 . (No useful information, just receipient of letters).

Gustave Gardener Tisch might be named after him.

Sources

1. ↑ Assuming as that's where his brother was born. The date is based on death 1885 age 59, see notes
2. ↑ "Early Canterbury Runs", Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18443, 25 July 1925, Page 11
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Golden Fleece Corner, Peeling Back History website, accessed 17 Sep 2020
4. ↑ "AN ACT for the Naturalization of certain Persons in the : Colony of New Zealand. ", via NZ Legal Institute
5. ↑ "The Foresters", Lyttelton Times, Volume LXX, Issue 8624, 27 October 1888, Page 6
6. ↑ "Crowne Plaza® makes its return to Christchurch, New Zealand", via ihgplc.com, 17 Sep 2020
7. ↑ Burke Manuscript page 108, via Christchurch City Libraries
8. ↑ Page 2 Advertisements, Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 292, 18 August 1855, Page 2
9. ↑ NZ Transcriptions 1858 - Saturday 9 October 1858, Lyttelton Times
10. ↑ Page 6 Advertisements, Lyttelton Times, Volume XIV, Issue 823, 29 September 1860, Page 6
11. ↑ Resident Magistrate's Court, Press, Volume V, Issue 528, 9 July 1864, Page 2
12. ↑ Image Geertner Augustus Von

See also:

• Macdonald Dictionary Record: Gustav Gartner at Canterbury Museum