Christopher and Ann had eight children baptised at St James Church in Manchester between 1798 and 1814. At this time they were living in Deansgate Manchester and Christopher was a tailor. In the recession that followed the Napoleonic wars Christopher was not doing well in the tailoring business and was not in good health, so he decided to emigrate with his wife and five surviving children to the eastern part of the Cape Colony.

The Wedderburn family sailed on the Stentor with George Smith’s party of 1820 Settlers. The party was dissatisfied with the leadership and, on arrival, petitioned Sir Rufane Donkin, the Governor of the Cape Colony, for Christopher Wedderburn to be made leader, which was agreed to. He and his family moved onto “Greenfountains”, their first land grant. Christopher and his eldest son William were each allotted 100 acres. William sold his share to his father and with the proceeds opened Wedderburns Emporium in Grahamstown. In 1839, after 19 years at Greenfountains, Christopher and his second son George formed a partnership and they moved to a farm in the Bathurst district which they named “Lindale” after the area where Christopher was born. Lindale Farm, as described in Metrowich’s book “prospered and became famous for its cheese and butter”. Christopher died in 1848 and Ann in 1856, and they were buried at Salem.