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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Canterbury Provincial District]

Whitelaw, John

Whitelaw, John, Architect, 146 Worcester Street, Christchurch. Mr. Whitelaw was born near Glasgow, Scotland, received his early education at a parochial school, and was apprenticed to a builder. He arrived in Canterbury in 1863, and for the first few years worked as a carpenter and joiner, and subsequently as a master builder. In 1869 he started flax-milling, but shortly afterwards met with an accident which disabled him for twelve months. Mr. Whitelaw was next appointed chief clerk of works in the Provincial Engineer's Department, and after the abolition of the provinces was retained in a similar position in the Public Works Department. Retiring in 1878 from the public service, he commenced practice as an architect, and has often acted as arbitrator and valuator. For nearly twenty years he was valuer for the Property and Land Tax Department and for various local bodies. He has designed many commercial buildings, private houses, churches, and schools. Mr. Whitelaw took great interest in the establishment of the Sydenham Borough, and was for about two years a member of the committee formed for that purpose. He was elected to a seat in the council for Sydenham, and became chairman of the Borough Works Committee. He is also returning officer for Christchurch City, and was chairman of the Sydenham Licensing Committee in 1893–95. Mr. Whitelaw is also a sheep-farmer, and has a property of about 1000 acres in Ashburton County, of which his youngest son is in charge. He was married in Glasgow in 1860 to a daughter of the late Dr. W. Willison, of Douglas, Lanarkshire, and has two sons and three daughters.