Mr. Launcelot Giles was born in Somersetshire, England, in 1818, and was brought up on a large cheese and cider-making farm. He arrived in Lyttelton by the ship “Oriental” in 1856, bringing with him his wife and nine children, and after spending a few months on the Stanmore road, Christchurch, bought land at Clarkville. His homestead was built on a sixty-four acre section, which he named Somerset Farm. The original house did duty for many years, and was afterwards replaced by the present homestead. Mr. Giles had had experience in England in connection with threshing machinery, and early imported a plant to the colony. Subsequently he got out more modern machinery and worked his machines for a long period. Mr. Giles was married, in 1838, to Miss Clothier, of Somersetshire. This lady died in 1877, leaving seven sons and five daughters. In 1879 Mr. Giles was married to a daughter of the late Mr. W. Moore, of Eyreton, who, with his two children, arrived at Lyttelton by the ship “Isabella Hercus,” in 1855. Mr. Moore had been a cabinetmaker in England, but became a farmer in New Zealand. At his death on the 8th of March, 1900, Mr. Giles left two sons and one daughter, born of his second marriage. His descendants number 180 persons.