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Rolleston Statue

Rolleston Statue is a white marble sculpture located outside the Canterbury Museum in Christchurch, New Zealand. It commemorates William Rolleston, who served as Superintendent of Canterbury Province from 1868 to 1877. Rolleston was the fourth and last Superintendent of Canterbury and also served as a Member of Parliament from 1868 to 1899, with two interruptions in later years. He played an important role in the creation of the Canterbury Museum and Canterbury University, now home to the local Arts Centre.

Rolleston Statue on a pedestal in front of the Canterbury Museum facade
The Rolleston Statue stands before the ornate facade of Canterbury Museum.
© Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domain
The Rolleston statue stands on a tall hexagonal pedestal behind a dark iron fence, with a stone building in the background.
The Rolleston statue photographed in front of a large stone building.
1916 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Rolleston Statue of a formally dressed man holding draped fabric beside a dark stone building.
The Rolleston Statue stands in front of a dark stone building with arched details and contrasting light masonry.
August 2010 © · CC0
Rolleston Statue on a tall pedestal beside a fenced street, with uniformed men marching in the distance.
The Rolleston Statue stands beside Worcester Street as uniformed cadets march past in the background.
1916 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Rolleston Statue toppled over on a paved walkway beside a stone base, with red flowers and a green railing in the background.
The Rolleston Statue lies toppled on a paved walkway beside its broken base.
February 2011 © · CC BY-SA 3.0

Identification

TitleRolleston Statue
Spanish nameEstatua Rolleston
TypeStatue

Creator

SculptorHerbert Hampton
Sculptor nationalityEnglish

Historical context

SubjectWilliam Rolleston
CommemoratesWilliam Rolleston
Subject's rolesSuperintendent of the Canterbury Province from 1868 to 1877; Member of Parliament from 1868 to 1899, with two interruptions in the later years
Subject's deathDied in 1903
Subject's significanceA key political figure in the creation of the Canterbury Museum and the University of Canterbury

Discovery and provenance

Unveiled date26 May 1906
Unveiled bySir John Hall KCMG, Mayor of Christchurch and personal friend
Heritage New Zealand registration date26 November 1981
Heritage New Zealand statusCategory II historic place
Heritage New Zealand registration number1946

Physical characteristics

Condition and damageFell off its plinth in the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake; the head broke off; repaired in 2016
Stabilization measureAn anchor was fitted during repairs to prevent it from toppling in future earthquakes
BaseStone plinth
Inscription on plinth"William Rolleston Superintendent of Canterbury 1866–1876."
MaterialWhite marble

Appearance

Contemporary assessment at unveilingRegarded as a good likeness of Rolleston
Later criticismDescribed more recently as rigid and lacking surface interest compared with other Christchurch statues sculpted by Thomas Woolner and George Lawson

Location and ownership

LocationOutside the Canterbury Museum on Rolleston Avenue, Christchurch, New Zealand
Original placementPlaced outside the museum, with Rolleston looking across Antigua Street (now Rolleston Avenue) at Canterbury College
Reason for locationPlaced outside the museum because Rolleston helped establish the Canterbury Museum and Canterbury College
Group contextOne of three statues commemorating superintendents of Canterbury
Related statuesStatues commemorating James FitzGerald and William Sefton Moorhouse
Historical settingThe three statues form an important historical setting

History and restoration

Damage eventToppled off its plinth during the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake
Repair discoveryIt was discovered during repairs that the statue had been mortared into place
Repaired unveiling date21 December 2016
Repaired unveiling contextThe repaired statue was unveiled almost six years after the earthquake, with many of Rolleston's descendants present