Chokebore Lodge (Christchurch, N.Z.)

The first Pakeha owner of this land was George Willis who purchased fifty acres of land, in 1855. The following year he sold twenty acres to his brother John, who built the cob cottage now known as Chokebore Lodge. In 1874 Henry Redwood (known as the 'Father of New Zealand Racing') bought the property and named it Chokebore Lodge after a type of shotgun. In 1880 Chokebore Lodge was sold to Edward Cutts, formerly Redwood's jockey and trainer, who had leased it since 1875. In 1894 Sir George Clifford bought the property and Cutts and his two sons became Clifford's trainers. After the Cutts family left the Lodge in the 1950s various other trainers lived there. By 1985 the property had already been purchased by Suburban Estates Ltd, which intended to create a new subdivision. The cottage, some of the surrounding land and some money were given to the Council in lieu of a reserve contribution. The stables and other outbuildings were destroyed at this time. Chokebore Lodge opened as Canterbury's first racing museum in 1987. However by 1994 the museum had moved to the Riccarton racecourse. The building suffered extensive damage following the Canterbury earthquakes. The cottage is a Category 1 Historic Place, listed with the address 148-150 Racecourse Road, Upper Riccarton, Christchurch.