John Deans was born in Riccarton, Scotland in 1820. He and his wife, Jane are the ancestors of All Blacks, artists and musicians, e.g. Robbie Deans, Austen Deans and Julia Deans.

John and his elder brother, William were attracted to the New Zealand Company scheme, and abandoning their legal training, took up placements on farms in Scotland in order to prepare for emigrating.

Having purchased land orders for the Nelson and Wellington settlements, respectively, John and William found on arrival they were not satisfied with the land allotted to them. William decided to explore other areas in New Zealand, and found the area that would become Canterbury appealing. In 1843, the brothers, with the Gebbie and Manson families, began farming there, some seven years before an organised settlement was underway.

The Deans brothers established a farm at Putaringamotu (named Riccarton upon its later surveying) and in 1846 signed a 21 year lease with local Maori. The farm flourished with vegetable and grain crops, fruit trees, sheep and cattle, and their livestock and produce were sold in Akaroa, Wellington and Australia, and at various times their wool was sold in London.

In 1848 the Crown purchased extensive tracts of Ngai Tahu land. The Deans brothers were able to exchange their New Zealand Company land orders for 400 acres at Riccarton. Negotiations with the Canterbury Association for compensation for their run were more fraught, but eventually they secured a lease for a large run, named Homebush, near Darfield.

The pioneering activity of the brothers was to be stopped short, however. William was drowned when his ship was wrecked on a journey to Australia for more livestock in 1851. John died of consumption (pulmonary tuberculosis) just three years later. Both were 34 years old. John was survived by his wife of almost two years, Jane Deans and his son, John.

Today, what remains of their property in Riccarton, Christchurch is a heritage site with Deans Cottage, Riccarton House and Riccarton Bush. The Deans family were instrumental in the conservation of Riccarton Bush. The trees are between 400-600 years old and are the sole survivors of the kahikatea floodplain forests which once stood in Canterbury.

Pictured here are items held at Archives New Zealand, Christchurch Regional Office: an excerpt of the copy of John’s will in a Canterbury Land District Deeds Record Book, and an 1893 plan of the subdivision of the Riccarton Estate.

Photos and Reference Details: Canterbury Land District Wills Record Books - 1W (R22765357) – c.1850 [Archives reference: CH1032/261]

S [Survey] Files - Number 2309 (R16636274) – 1896-1897 [Archives reference: CH98/32]

Links and Acknowledgements: www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/1d7/deans-john www.teara.govt.nz/en/1966/deans-william-and-john my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/riccarton-bush/

For further enquiries please email Christchurch.Archives@dia.govt.nz