At the age of 22, Studholme sailed to New Zealand with his two younger brothers Michael and Paul. Together they bought farmland in Selwyn and Rakaia. The following year, after having set up farms, they travelled to Australia to pursue the Victorian gold rush.
Establishing settlement and farming
In 1852, the Studholme brothers returned to New Zealand. Famously, they took a ship which only went as far as Nelson. Together they walked the 350 miles back to Christchurch. From this time on John and Michael began establishing large stations in both the North and South Islands. Paul Studholme returned to England in 1858. Over the next 20 years they acquired by lease or purchase more than 370,000 hectares (910,000 acres) and farmed extensively.[2]
In 1854, to purchase cattle John and Michael Studholme both walked from Lyttelton to Dunedin (some 250 miles) at a time when there were no roads or bridged rivers.[3] This made them the first Europeans to make such a journey, and along with William Henry Valpy the first Europeans to explore the South Island extensively on foot.[4] Arriving in Dunedin, their cheque was refused at the cattle market since there was no bank yet in Otago to process it and no business transactions between the two provinces existed. John walked back to Lyttelton to get cash, leaving Michael with the cattle. He returned crossing rivers alone with the cash, blankets and provisions at great risk. From Dunedin after having paid for the cattle, the Studholme brothers took the cattle back to Christchurch crossing the Waitaki River. This would have been the first such crossing.[4]
After initially living at Lyttelton, John and his wife Lucy moved to land they owned at Hororata. When Michael travelled to England for five years in 1864, they moved to his established homestead at Waimate. In 1869 upon Michael's return, they bought Merivale Manor, then on the outskirts of Christchurch, from Lucy's brother and sold Hororata to Prime Minister John Hall.
He died in London aged 74 years, having returned to England in 1901.[5][6][7][8][9][10]
Coldstream
In 1867, the Studholme Brothers purchased 55,000 acres (22,000 ha) of flat tussock land known as the Coldstream Estate for £35,000 (about £3,800,000 in 2018 value).[11] It was named after the cold stream that rises near the homestead. Ernest Gray had originally taken up a pastoral lease there in 1854 and had been developing it as a sheep and cattle run. The brothers drained 2,000 acres (810 ha) of swamp and started a large cropping programme as well as running 26,000 sheep there. The Rangitata River runs through the land. At the time it was the smallest of the Studholme estates.[12]
John Studholme established Coldstream as his primary homestead, with Michael having previously done so at Waimate. By 1875, 4,000 acres (1,600 ha) were being used for crop farming, running twenty six-horse teams with a permanent staff of 35 men. A settlement was firmly established with a post office, store, church room, library, recreation centre, butcher, and blacksmith.[11]
In 1890, Studholme's son Col. John Studholme (known as Jack) took over farming Coldstream after marrying Alexandra Thomson, daughter of Archbishop of YorkWilliam Thomson. In 1901, they commissioned renowned New Zealand architect Joseph Maddison to build a new family homestead building.[13]
As a party-independent politician, he represented the Kaiapoi electorate from 1867 to 1874, when he resigned. He then represented the Gladstone electorate from 1879 to 1881, when he retired.[14] He stood for Ashburton in 1902, and came second.[14]
Studholme was repeatedly asked by Prime MinisterWilliam Fox to join the government; he resolutely refused, however.[4]
Other activities
Studholme was a director of the New Zealand Shipping Company[15] and the Union Insurance Company.[16] He was one of the first Canterbury magistrates, and was a first member of the Provincial Council for the Timaru district, which at that time comprised all the provinces south of Ashburton.[4]
Both John and Michael Studholme were avid horseracing enthusiasts and owned several racehorses. They won the New Zealand Cup three times: twice with their horse Knottingley and once with Magenta. They also owned the horses Belle of the Isle, Stormbird, and Nebula. John served on the committee of the Canterbury Jockey Club for many years.[4]
Col. John Studholme (10 February 1863 – 26 May 1934), who married Alexandra Thomson (1867–1907), daughter of Archbishop of YorkWilliam Thomson on 23 June 1897.
Joseph Francis Studholme (10 March 1866 – 12 July 1930)
Colonel John Studholme inherited the New Zealand estates and the homestead Coldstream. He continued his father's farming and philanthropy. Studholme College at the University of Otago is named after him.
The South Canterbury region and town of Studholme is named for the Studholme brothers, most particularly Michael, who was the first settler in the area.[17] Mount Studholme, inland from Waimate, South Canterbury, is the source of the Otaio River. Part of Kaweka Forest Park in Hawke's Bay is named the 'Studholme Saddle' as it is where three of the largest Studholme family farms (Karioi, Ruanui, and Ohauko) met.[18] The Upper and Lower Studholme Passes in the Southern Alps between the headwaters of the Landsborough and Hunter Rivers are also named after the family.
For better or worse, in 1870 Michael Studholme introduced the red-necked wallaby to New Zealand releasing them at his estate Waimate.
