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Date: 1881 - 1898

By: Preston, James, 1834-1898; Rolleston, William, 1831-1903

Reference: A-123-028

Description: A seaside view at sunrise, showing a horse grazing in a paddock, a man seated on a hillock in the foreground, a tent and caravan and four men with fishing gear standing outside a weatherboard shed. Two further men are fishing on the right. The artist met his death while he was fishing in Geraldine, suggesting a great love of the sport. William Rolleston took up land at the mouth of the Rangitata River where he lived for most of his public life, from the 1860s. James Preston was appointed Anglican Minister to the Geraldine district from 1872. Compare Preston's watercolour "Rangitata Huts" in Canterbury Museum's collection - black and white photo held in photo file. This shows the same hut, caravan, tent and horse, sonewhat differently disposed. Suggested date range of execution is derived from the artist's addressing the recipient as "Hon.ble", suggesting William Rolleston was by then a Minister of the Crown, and by the artist's own date of death in 1898. Exhibited in 'Wide-Eyed: Early Images of New Zealand' exhibition of works by settler artists, held at the National Library of New Zealand Gallery, 18 July - 9 November 1997. Other Titles - To Honourable W. Rolleston, Mrs Rolleston & Rolleston family. A very happy and prosperous new year to you all. J. Preston Inscriptions: Verso - inscription from the artist to the recipient, wishing the family a happy new year. Quantity: 1 watercolour(s). Physical Description: Ink, watercolour & Chinese white on wove paper 142 x 193 mm Provenance: Rolleston family, Canterbury Transfers: Rolleston family papers, MS Papers-0446-147, transferred to Drawings & Prints, October 1994..

Date: 1883 - 1890

By: Preston, James, 1834-1898

Reference: A-123-004

Description: Shows a homestead and farm buildings with three horses in the foreground, fences, farm carts, two men attending to another horse, a carcass-hanger and a train in the background. The homestead is surrounded by a hedge of young conifers [possibly the site of the first homestead on Albury Station, South Canterbury]. Little is known about 'Cricklewood Station' or 'Cricklewood House/homestead'. It was presumably situated in the area still known as Cricklewood, in the Mackenzie Country, North-West of Timaru (and the artist lived in this area). It was reputedly burnt down, possibly in the 1880s. This watercolour was given its title by the Curator by reason of a comparison with an almost identical painting by Preston titled 'Cricklewood'. The latter is held by the Canterbury Museum and reproduced in: Oakley, John. "Paintings of Canterbury 1840-1890" (Wellington, 1969) p. 59. There was a large sheep station called Kingsbury alongside Cricklewood Railway Station by 1911, and this view may show Kingsbury Station Dating: trains did not run through the Cricklewood area until 1883, giving an earliest date at which this watercolour could have been done. Exhibited in 'Wide-Eyed: Early Images of New Zealand' exhibition of works by settler artists, held at the National Library of New Zealand Gallery, 18 July - 9 November 1997. Title supplied by Library. Reverend James Preston often undertook journeys by horse around his parish of Geraldine. The area known as Cricklewood is part of the Albury district in South Canterbury. Cricklewood railway station was on the Fairlie to Timaru railway line. Quantity: 1 watercolour(s). Physical Description: Watercolour on card 227 x 300 mm Provenance: Preston family.

Date: 1861

By: Preston, James, 1834-1898

Reference: B-121-014

Description: Shows slab hut with chimney by trees to the left, a woman with a horse, a larger storage shed in the centre, a fence in the background, with a carcase-hoist and a flax-bush on the right. Otahu Run is in Southland, and by 1861 was owned by brothers John R Cutherbertson and Robert F Cuthbertson. The original homestead "a two roomed slab hut with a shingle roof, mud floor and a wooden chimney" (J H Beattie. The Southern Runs. 1979) is shown Inscriptions: Recto - bottom right - title & date Quantity: 1 watercolour(s). Physical Description: Pencil, watercolour, Chinese white 245 x 348 mm (sight)