William Frank Cresswell

Cyclopedia of New Zealand

Mr. WILLIAM CRESSWELL was born in Hampshire, England, in the year 1835. When a boy he came with his father to New Zealand, and arrived at Nelson in 1842, by the ship “Mary Ann.” Shortly after landing his father died, and was buried on Fifeshire Island; it was the first burial in the new settlement. After serving his apprenticeship at the tinsmithing trade, young Cresswell worked as a journeyman till the year 1869, when he decided to start farming. He bought a fine property of 125 acres in the Lower Moutere Valley. It was all good agricultural land and well watered, and he worked it with considerable success till his death in the year 1897. This property is now farmed by Mr. Cresswell's a sons. Mr. Cresswell was a man of sound principles and strong determination, and as an advocate of temperance, he threw his whole heart and soul into his work, and even went so far as to refuse to grow either barley or hops for market purposes. In the belief that those products would ultimately contribute to the liquor traffic, he preferred to sacrifice money instead of his principles. Several pamphlets owed their origin to Mr. Cresswell's pen, and two of them may be mentioned here, namely, “A Brief Enquiry into the Truth of the Principle of Abstinence,” and “The Testimony of the Word of God against Intoxicating Liquors.” Mr. Cresswell was for many years chairman of the Lower Moutere school committee, chairman of the library committee, and secretary of the public hall committee. He was also a lay reader in the Wesleyan Church, and was universally liked and respected. Mr. Cresswell left a widow and a family of four sons and three daughters. Miss Cresswell is mistress of the Dovedale school. Source: The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Nelson, Marlborough & Westland Provincial Districts], 1906 https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc05Cycl-t1-body1-d1...

Obituary

ln the person of Mr William Cresswell of Lower Moutere, another pioneer settler of this district has passed away. Mr Cresswell, with his mother, arrived in Nelson in 1812 on the Mary Ann, and the first news received by them was that of the death of the husband and father who formed one of the expedition and who died on the Will Watch just before reaching New Zealand, and was buried on the Boulder Bank. Mr Cresswell endured all the hardships of the early days of the settlement, and passed through stirring times, going as he did, to the Victorian gold diggings where he spent some time as a young man. He later returned to Nelson where he followed his trade as a tinsmith, but ultimately sold out and purchased a farm at, the Lower Moutere where he resided up to bis death. He was an industrious and preserving man and by his efforts succeeded in making a comfortable home out of what was no better than wilderness. He was a sincere Christian, a staunch total abstainer, and also an ardent Prohibitionist, and respected by a large circle of friends. About 12 months ago Mr Cresswell received a severe injury, which ultimately caused his death at the age of 61 years, he passing away at an early hour on Sunday morning, at his home, surrounded by bis family. He leaves a widow and a family of four sons and three daughters, all grown up.
Source: Colonist, Volume XL, Issue 8722, 23 November 1896, Page 1 (Supplement) [https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TC18961123.2.24.14]

Funeral

The Friends of the late MR Wm. CRESSWELL are informed that his Funeral will leave his late residence, Lower Moutere, for the Motueka Cemetery on WEDNESDAY, at 1 p.m.
Source: Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXX, Issue 271, 16 November 1896, Page 3 [https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NEM18961116.2.20.2]