Tahu Rhodes

Arthur Tahu Gravenor (Tahu) Rhodes, was born on 2 August 1893 and was educated at Christ's College Christchurch.

He joined the British army and was commissioned into the Grenadier Guards in 1911. He served in World War 1 as ADC to General Sir Alexander Godley commander of the 1st NZEF from 1914 to 1916. He served in Gallipoli and Egypt. In 1916 he rejoined the Grenadier Guards and was wounded.

On the 24 January 1916, he married Helen Cecil Olive Plunket, the daughter of The Lord Plunket (5th), who had been Governor of New Zealand in 1904–1910.

He returned to NZ in 1919. He represented the Governor General on the staff of the Prince of Wales during his tour in 1920.

In 1921 he opened the General Trading Store in Christchurch, which specialized in fine goods and antiques. He ran the store with his business partner Harold Barker, until he returned to the UK in 1926.

George Edward Rhodes sold Meadowbank in 1916 and moved first to Elmwood and then 'Beverley' in Riccarton. Meadowbank changed hands a number of times between 1916 and 1923. It was then purchased by (Arthur) Tahu (Grovenor) Rhodes (1893-1947), George's second cousin. Tahu and his wife were noted for the lavish entertaining and parties they threw for the social elite of Canterbury. They were friends of Dame Ngaio Marsh (1895-1982), the world-renowned crime writer. She often stayed at Meadowbank and described it in her autobiography as a 'house, twenty miles away in the country. Its doors opened into a life whose scale of values, casual grandeur, cockeyed gaiety and vague friendliness will bewilder and delight me for the rest of my days'. Tahu Rhodes sold Meadowbank in 1926.

Tahu Rhodes died on 11 March 1947