Ellesmere County
| Ellesmere County | |
|---|---|
| County of New Zealand | |
| 1911–1989 | |
Ellesmere County offices and war memorial in 1927 | |
| Capital | Leeston |
| History | |
• Established | 1911 |
• Disestablished | 1989 |
| Today part of | Selwyn District |
Ellesmere County was one of the counties of New Zealand in the South Island. It was formed in 1911, after Selwyn County had been sub-divided into 9 smaller counties,[1] and covered the same area as the county's Ellesmere Road Board (formed in 1864 as South Rakaia Road Board).[2] The county was made up of three ridings (Irwell, Leeston and Southbridge), with 2 councillors each.[3] Southbridge Town Board (formed in 1885) and Leeston Town Board (1922) merged with Ellesmere County in 1959. Springs County and the Rakaia riding of Selwyn County were added in 1963.[2] In the 1989 local government reforms, Ellesmere, Malvern and part of Paparua Counties merged to form Selwyn District.[1]
Ellesmere was named after Lord Ellesmere, one of the members of the Canterbury Association.[4]
The northern boundary of Ellesmere County was the Selwyn / Waikirikiri River from its mouth in Lake Ellesmere / Te Waihora to the Main South Line, which was the western to the Rakaia.[5]
A South Rakaia Road Board office, built at Leeston by 1865,[6] was replaced by an Ellesmere County office opened on 24 November 1927 in Italianate style,[7] which was demolished in1969[8] to make way for a new office, opened on 30 October 1969.[9] Selwyn District used the offices until their move to new offices in Rolleston,[2] after which the building was occupied by Leeston Library until March 2025.[10]
See also
References
- ^ a b "Brief History of Selwyn Local Government". Selwyn District Council. Archived from the original on 5 February 2025. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
- ^ a b c "Ellesmere Road Board - Ellesmere County Council". Selwyn Stories. Retrieved 16 November 2025.
- ^ "Town & country. Lyttelton Times". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 12 April 1911. Retrieved 16 November 2025.
- ^ "Ellesmere". gazetteer.linz.govt.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2025.
- ^ "Countryside wanderings. Press". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 21 April 1911. Retrieved 16 November 2025.
- ^ "Travelling in the interior. Lyttelton Times". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 15 June 1865. Retrieved 16 November 2025.
- ^ "Notes. Press". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 24 November 1927. Retrieved 16 November 2025.
- ^ "Ellesmere County Coucil HQ, demolished 10-10-1969 ex Book 2 Allan F Chapma... on eHive". eHive. Retrieved 16 November 2025.
- ^ "Ellesmere County Coucil HQ, opened 30-10-1969, built H L Stove & sons". eHive. Retrieved 16 November 2025.
- ^ "Leeston Library". Selwyn Stories. Retrieved 16 November 2025.