10 April 2013

Captain Henry Cain in Timaru, New Zealand

On the way back up South Island, after Oamaru, Timaru is the main town before regaining Christchurch, and although I'm unaware of any literary associations (apart from Owen Marshall) here, I was attracted by the expressiveness of the sculpture in front of the i-site.

'CAPTAIN HENRY CAIN
HENRY CAIN WAS BORN IN 1816 AND WENT TO
SEA AT THE AGE OF 13. AFTER 30 YEARS OF
SEAFARING HE SETTLED IN TIMARU IN MARCH
1857 AND OPENED A GENERAL STORE. THE TOWN
GREW AND BEFORE LONG HE WAS OPERATING
THE FIRST LANDING SERVICE AT THE FOOT OF
STRATHALLAN ST. CAPTAIN CAIN BECAME A
PROMINENT BUSNESSMAN AND SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC
FIGURE SERVING AS MAYOR FROM 1870 TO 1873.
HE DIED IN 1880 HAVING BEEN POISONED BY HIS
SON-IN-LAW. FOR MANY HENRY CAIN REPRESENTS
THE PIONEERING SPIRIT THAT MADE TIMARU.'
 

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