1881 Christchurch mayoral election

November 2016 July 2026 1881 Christchurch mayoral election New Zealand Christchurch COA pre-1949.jpg Presidential no 1880 Christchurch mayoral election 1880 1882 Christchurch mayoral election 1882 30 November 1881 140x120px George Ruddenklau Independent politician 594 51.25 Charles Taylor Independent politician 565 48.75 Mayor James Gapes George Ruddenklau The Christchurch mayoral election held on 30 November 1881 was contested by German-born baker, hotel proprietor and businessman George Ruddenklau, and businessman Charles Taylor. The election was won by Ruddenklau with a small margin. Background and campaign The election was set for 30 November 1881. At the beginning of September 1881, city councillors Taylor and Aaron Ayers were discussed in the media as likely candidates for the upcoming mayoral election.Local & General http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18810903.2.9 30 June 2016 The Star 4172 3 September 1881 3 On 25 November, the incumbent James Gapes announced his candidacy for a third term as mayor, as he was not satisfied with the other two contenders for the position, city councillors Charles Taylor,http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc03Cycl-t1-body1-d3-d10-d50.html#name-420497-mention Mr. Charles Benjamin Taylor The Cyclopedia Company Limited 13 April 2013 1903 Christchurch and George Ruddenklau.http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18811126.2.23 The Mayoral Election The Star 26 November 1881 13 April 2013 4 4243 Following a requisition, Gapes arranged a public meeting at short notice for Friday, 25 November at the Gaiety Theatre in Cathedral Square, which was well attended. At the meeting, chaired by the local member of parliament Samuel Paull Andrews, Gapes explained his political views and justified his actions over the previous twelve months.http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=CHP18811126.2.13 Mayoral Election The Press 26 November 1881 1 July 2016 2 5061 XXXVI A further public meeting was held at the same venue on Monday, 28 November.http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18811126.2.4.1 Public Meeting of Citizens The Star 26 November 1881 1 July 2016 2 4243 Gapes, in his role as mayor, chaired the meeting, and Taylor and Ruddenklau both spoke. The candidates differed in their opinion in how the market square should be run.http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=CHP18811129.2.18 Mayoral Election The Press 29 November 1881 1 July 2016 3 5063 XXXVI Earlier on 28 November, Gapes had advertised that he had withdrawn from the contest.http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18811128.2.6 Local & General The Star 28 November 1881 13 April 2013 3 4244http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=CHP18811128.2.2.6 To the Electors of the City of Christchurch The Press 28 November 1881 13 April 2013 1 5062 XXXVI Candidates Whilst New Zealand was a young colony at the time, both candidates were regarded by some as foreigners as they did not hail from Britain. Ruddenklau was a native German, although had lived amongst English people for 30 years and had been in Christchurch since 1857. Taylor was from North America but stressed that his great-grandparents remained aligned to England after the American Revolution. Taylor Charles Benjamin Taylor was born in 1824 in Nova Scotia. He was a timber merchant, trader, exporter and importer, owned two ships, and was a member of the chamber of commerce. From 1879, Taylor was the United States consular agent at Christchurch.http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=CHP18790111.2.15 New Zealand The Press 11 January 1879 2 July 2016 3 4172 XXXI He married in Christchurch in 1868, but his wife died in childbirth a year later and a further year later, he married her sister; there were seven children from that marriage. https://christchurchcitylibraries.com/Heritage/Cemeteries/Barbadoes/BarbadoesStreetCemetery.pdf Barbadoes Street Cemetery Tour Greenaway Richard L. N. June 2007 Christchurch City Council 2 July 2016 11f Taylor was first elected to Christchurch City Council in September 1879.City of Christchurch http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=CHP18790912.2.19.1 1 July 2016 The Press XXXII 4405 12 September 1879 3 Ruddenklau John George Ruddenklau was born in 1829 in Hesse, Germany.Mr. John George Ruddenklau http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc03Cycl-t1-body1-d3-d9-d13.html#name-420455-mention The Cyclopedia of New Zealand (Canterbury Provincial District) Cyclopedia Company Limited 1903 27 May 2016 Christchurch He married in England and came to Christchurch in 1857. He at first worked in his profession as a baker but then set up the City Hotel. He was one of the driving forces behind the establishment of the German Church in Christchurch, which was completed in 1874.Opening of the German Church http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=CHP18740515.2.21 28 May 2016 The Press XXII 2736 15 May 1874 3 Ruddenklau was first elected onto Christchurch City Council in January 1866 and served one two-year term.Christchurch City Council http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=CHP18660110.2.2.2 9 June 2016 The Press IX 990 10 January 1866 1 http://www1.ccc.govt.nz/handbook/councillorsofthecityofchristchurch.asp https://web.archive.org/web/20110720010657/http://www1.ccc.govt.nz/handbook/councillorsofthecityofchristchurch.asp 20 July 2011 Councillors of the City of Christchurch Christchurch City Council 2 July 2016 Christchurch He was a city councillor again in 1877 but was one of the five councillors who resigned in January 1878 in protest against William Wilson's election.Christchurch http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=CHP18780914.2.23 5 February 2016 The Press XXX 4098 14 September 1878 4The Star http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18780914.2.5 5 February 2016 3257 14 September 1878 2City Council http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=CHP18780917.2.14 5 February 2016 The Press XXX 4100 17 September 1878 2 Results 1881 Christchurch mayoral election Independent politician George Ruddenklau 594 51.25 Independent politician Charles Benjamin Taylor 565 48.75 29 2.50 1,159 The election was won by Ruddenklau on 30 November with a 2.5% vote margin,http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18811130.2.10 The Mayoral Election The Star 30 November 1881 13 April 2013 3 4246http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18811201.2.14 The Mayoral Elections The Star 1 December 1881 13 April 2013 3 4247 possibly helped by the support of The Star just prior to the election.http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18811129.2.8 The Star 29 November 1881 13 April 2013 2 4245 Ruddenklau was installed as the next mayor on 21 December 1881.http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=CHP18811222.2.12.1 Christchurch The Press 22 December 1881 14 April 2013 2 5083 XXXVI After his one-year term, he was re-elected mayor unopposed.Christchurch http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=CHP18821123.2.18.1 6 June 2016 The Press XXXVIII 5355 23 November 1882 3 He retired after two terms and stood in the 1884 general election in the Stanmore electorate but was unsuccessful.http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=HBH18840723.2.9 The General Election Hawke's Bay Herald 23 July 1884 30 May 2010 3 6918 XXI Ruddenklau died in 1891.http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=CHP18911216.2.36 Obituary The Press 16 December 1891 26 May 2016 5 8047 XLVIII Taylor and his family left New Zealand in 1884 and settled in Oakland, California. References 30em Category:Mayoral elections in Christchurch Category:1881 elections in New Zealand Category:Politics of Christchurch Category:November 1881 in Oceania Category:1880s in Christchurch