William Charles and Edith Benbow   

William Charles Benbow (b: 12 Feb 1864 at Georgetown, Temuka to parents William (1826-1909) and Mary Benbow (1827-1899); educated at Temuka School, left for employment as a farm labourer and became a mill owner; he d: 12 Aug 1921 in Timaru Hospital aged 57Y and was bur: 16 Aug 1921 Temuka Cem.)

Woilliam mar: 05 May 1886 at Temuka to Edith Stringer (b: Jan 1867 in Milton, Oxfordshire to Edwin and Ann Stringer; she d: 16 Jul 1922 in Temuka, bur: 18 Jul 1922 Temuka) Their first child infant William (d: 7 wks); William; Reginald; Herbert and Alice (adopt)

1893: He worked as a traction engine driver and at a sawmill at Raukapuka, Geraldine

1897 - Geraldine Electorate; William and Edith are living at Arowhenua; labourer, residential

Industrial & Arbitration Act of 1905   1. The hours of labour shall be left to the discretion of the mill-owner, but he shall not require employees to work by lamplight or other artificial light, except in cases of emergency, when one hour shall be allowed. 2. When employees are engaged to work by the hour their rate of pay shall not be less than 1s per hour. 3. Any employee may agree with his employees to employ them on piecework, and in such cases the piecework rates shall be as follows: For ordinary workers, 12s per 1,000 bushels wheat or barley, and 10s per 1,000 bushels oats. Three bagman shall be employed in all cases, and shall be paid at the same rate as those fixed for ordinary workers, but it shall be at the option of the employer to get one of the three to assist the stackman when required. 4. Nothing in this award contained shall apply to any driver or feeder. 5. It shall be the duty of the waterman to attend to his horses whether the mill is working or not 6. Men employed at piecework rates who are required to be on duty to assist in shifting the mill from camp to camp shall be paid at the rate of 1s per hour for the time during which they shall be required to be on duty for such purposes, but they shall not be entitled to any payment for shifting the mill from stack to stack.

William Benbow's Garrett Traction Engine (abt 1904)

8 A weeks notice of termination of employment shall be given by the employer to his men, and of the intention to leave the employment shall be given by the men of the employer. 9. All food shall be supplied on the co-operative system; the employer to supply the galley, cooking utensils and coals only, at a charge of 15s per week, and the cook, food and al other requirements to be paid for by the employees. The galley and cook shall be under the control of the employer, and a pass-book containing a record of the provisions purchased shall always be kept in the galley for the inspection of the men. 10. This award shall apply to all threshing-machines working in South Canterbury.... , Agreements, Orders, Etc., Made Under the Industrial Conciliation, by NZ Dept. of Labour - 1907)

1904 Started a threshing and sawmilling plant  on his own account and later with assistance of his sons.

Temuka Leader: 4 Mar 1909: One Pound reward will be given to anyone giving such information as will lead to the recovery of TWO HORSES which strayed away on Wednesday last from my mill at Mr Patricks farm, Gapes Valley. One is a bay hack, long ledded with three white feet, the other a Bay draught. Supposed to be togrther. William Benbow, Temuka 

1911 - Electorate: Temuka Number 423: Surname: Benbow Given Name: William Charles
Residence: 54 Hornsby Street, Temuka; Occ: mill owner (In Temuka Municipal Brass Band)

Photographed before 1902 at Pleasant Valley (date when the Guilford family left for Tarata). Third from left is William Charles Benbow with his Garret traction engine - can you name any of these men? None appear young enough to be his 3 sons who worked with him for many years. Seated in front are George and his father William Guilford.

 

Temuka Leader: 29 Mar. 1910: Messrs W F Evans and Co will hold a sale of 12,000 feet of pine timber, slabs and firewood, on account of Mr W C Benbow, at Mr Hendersons farm, Orari on Thursday next.

William was always fond of music and was a member of the old Volunteer Drum and Fife Band. In 1911 he joined the Temuka Municipal Brass Band, and throughout his life, was one of its staunchest members. Ashburton Guardian,  6 May 1912: TIMARU, May 5: Last week Mr W. Benbow, of Temuka, met with a painful accident. A dray in an open paddock was being loaded, when the horse became restive and bolted, and in attempting to check its career, Mr Benbow tripped and the vehicle passed over his back. Fortunately the dray was empty and no bones were broken, but he was somewhat severely injured. Temuka Leader: 2 Dec 1913: Timber sale at Arowhenua, Temuka: Tuesday 2nd Dec; Guiness and Lecren, Ltd, Auctioneers  have received instructions from Mr W C Benbow to offer on the above date, on his property at Arowhenua 15,0000 feet of Pinus Insignus Buildng Timber, to be sold in lots to suit. Ashburton Guardian,  20 Dec 1918: SPEED LIMIT BREACHES. On charges of exceeding the motor speed limit fines were imposed as follows: (on traffic bridge) William Chas. Benbow (Temuka) His health grew steadily worse, was taken to the Timaru Hospital and there he passed away 1921 aged 57Y At his funeral, the Band, under Conductor Jos. Dephoff, and the Salvation Army Brass Band, under Bandmaster J.P. Rive, were present, Mr Jas Allfrey being the drum major. As the long cortege made its way to the cemetery, the combined bands played "The Dead March" and on reaching the cemetery gates they lined the way from the hearse to the gates, playing sweet music as the bearers with the coffin and the mourners passed between them. The burial service of the Salvation Army was read by Commandant Armstrong. During the service prayer was offered by Bandmaster Rive and addresses were delivered by Envoy Andrews and Bro E Butler. During a short service at the house "My Home is There," was sweetly sung, and at the grave side several other hymns were sung, the bands accompanying. The bearers were four nephews of the deceased, Messrs T and E. Mattingley, Ben. Trumper and Frank Guilford. The floral tributes of sympathy included wreaths from the wife and sons, members of the Temuka Municipal Brass Band nd Mr and Mrs Trumper (artificials), the employees, Mr and Mrs D McInnes, Andrew and Mary Armit, Mr and Mrs Burtenshaw, Mr and Mrs Thomas, Bob and Louie, Mr and Mrs Swap

William and Edith's family:

1 William Charles Benbow (b: 24 Jan 1887 in Geraldine d: 06 Mar 1887 in Geraldine)

2 William Jonathon Joshua Benbow b: 27 Apr 1888 in Geraldine; d: 05 Aug 1936 in Timaru Bur: 07 Aug 1936 Temuka Cem. Married: 1911 Alice Maria Looker b: 26 Apr 1889 in Rangitata d: 20 Mar 1970 in Christchurch Bur: 23 Mar 1970 Temuka Cem

3 Reginald Whitcliffe Benbow (b: 02 Mar 1890 in Geraldine; d: 08 Jul 1970 in Temuka Bur: 09 Jul 1970 Temuka Cem) he mar: 1914 to Agnes Cain (b: 28 Sep 1883 at Seadown; d: 12 Sep 1946 at Temuka)

4 Lesley Herbert Benbow (b: 23 Nov 1892 at Geraldine; d: 1978 at Rotorua) mar: 1917 at Temuka to Catherine Bertha Walsh (1880 at Epson, Surrey, England, she d: 1953)