The Port of Timaru 1852-1955. By Charles E Hassall. 1955. First Edition.

Short History of the Port of Timaru 1852-1955. By Charles E Hassall.

Publisher: Timaru Harbour Board, Timaru, New Zealand, 1955. First Edition.

Good hardback with jacket. Boards a little warped. Rubbing and marks. No inscriptions. Some tanning. Minor marks. 212 pages with photos.

As South Canterbury's only city and port, Timaru dominates the region. Brothers William and George Rhodes founded the Levels run in 1851. They used the sheltered shore at Timaru, the site of an abandoned whaling station, to land stores and ship wool. Timaru's first building was a cottage on the beach, and the first permanent inhabitant was Sam Williams, the whaler who introduced George Rhodes to South Canterbury. Timaru owes its size and prosperity to its port. Initially, ships anchored in the shelter of basalt reefs. Their goods were carried ashore in small boats and offloaded in a landing service (a large shed). The first landing service was opened in 1858 at the bottom of Strathallan Street. It was bought by the government in the mid-1860s and used for the first shipment of wool direct to England. Entrepreneurs later set up a private service in competition. The George Street landing service building is one of Timaru's oldest structures.

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ALL PHOTOS ARE OF THE ACTUAL BOOK.