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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Wellington Provincial District]
Roydhouse, William Francis
Roydhouse, William Francis,
now engaged in sheepfarming near the Wairarapa Lake, was connected with the colonial press for many years. Coming to the Colony in 1868 with his father (who had been engaged
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in England by the New Zealand Government as an electric telegraph expert), Mr. Roydhouse's first acquaintance with newspaper work was on the Mercury (afterwards merged into the Standard). the first paper in the Wairarapa. Some time later he started, in conjunction with Mr. J. Payton, the Wairarapa Daily, the first daily paper in the district, and still the leading Wairarapa journal. In 1884 he left the Wairarapa to try his fortunes in Wellington, where he established The Evening Press. In the following year he was joined by Mr. Edward Wakefield, and The Press boomed until an expensive libel action blighted its prospects. After a few years Mr. Wakefield left for England, and Mr. Roydhouse edited and managed the paper until 1893, when he disposed of it to a company, and bought the Wairarapa Standard, the journal upon which he had commenced his career. In 1896 he sold this paper, and, like Cincinnatus, retired to a farm.