G.H.P
So mysterious to have only the initials on a plot. By accessing the digitised burial register we realised this is the plot of George Housely Presswood. Knowing how pricey lead lettering is/was, it is unusual to see only initials followed by two lines of a hymn. “Rock of Ages” was written by the Reformed Anglican minister Augustus Toplady in 1763.
George was born in 1846 in Newark, England to John and Millicent. John worked as an ostler (a man employed to look after the horses of people staying at an inn). By 1871 George was working as an apprentice watchmaker. He departed for New Zealand in 1874 using the passenger name of “Housley Presswood” as an assisted immigrant . Travelling with him as his family were Ellen and son William (aged 1 ½). George and Ellen subsequently married in 1875. Three more children were born.
In March 1876 he opened his shop in High Street, Blenheim as a “practical watchmaker and working jeweller” but sadly in November that year his shop was destroyed by a large fire. In 1878 he donated £5 to the Blenheim Volunteer Fire Brigade. His premises were also destroyed again by a large fire in 1878. By 1885 he moved to Christchurch where once again his premises were destroyed by a large fire. Fortunately his stock had been removed for safety.
By 1887 he was trading in Masterton. In 1900 a large fire broke out but the brigade’s efforts were focussed on saving the Empire Hotel. Once the hotel’s contents were removed, their attention turned to Mr Presswood’s premises and managed to save it. He subsequently presented them with a trophy for competition amongst the members.
He retired to Napier but his stay there was a short one as he was admitted to Mt View Hospital in 1906. He died at Porirua Hospital in 1912.
His son William appears to have followed him into the jewellery business.
Plot Ch Eng/A/296
