From the Archives

Recently I visited the Anderson's Bay Cemetery looking for the family grave of the Richards family, a family very closely associated with St Hilda's in its early years.

Once located, despite time having taken its toll on some of the stone, it was pleasing to find that it was still possible to read most of the wording which records the burial history of this remarkable family.

The impressive memorial grave was erected in 1936 as the last resting place of Isaac Richards, Bishop of Dunedin from 1920-1934. He had also been St Hilda's first Chaplain and as such was very prominent in the spiritual life of the school for nearly 40 years. He and his wife, Gertrude produced six children, most of them educated at St Hilda's in its early years, three of them being first day pupils.

The headpiece of the grave is a very simple, but effective stone construction. At its base are three blocks of stone of diminishing size, which are used to affix the names of of the family that the memorial serves, and on top of these is an impressive raised Celtic stone cross that dominates the whole structure.       

The text that was applied to the stone blocks when the memorial was originally erected, reads as follows from top to bottom:

IN MEMORY OF

GERTRUDE ALICE RICHARDS

OCTOBER 15TH 1926

Gertrude Alice (Alice), the older of the Richards' two daughters, died at the age of 37. She was a first day pupil at St Hilda's in 1896 and went on to become a nurse, but tragically died young, probably from tuberculosis.

The next block down is a memorial to the two sons who were killed in World War One, and reads:

ALSO OF

ROBERT RICHARDS

AND HUGH LIDDON RICHARDS

WHO FELL ON GALLIPOLI MAY 1915

The two sons, Robert and Hugh Liddon, both had their early education at St Hilda's. Hugh Liddon was killed at Gallipoli in April, 1915 and Robert died from war wounds received there two weeks later. They are remembered today at St Hilda's by the memorial St Michael's window in the Chapel, with the tie rope from “Hilda”, the horse bought with funds raised by the pupils for Robert's use.

The next block down reads:

ALSO OF THEIR FATHER

ISAAC RICHARDS

BISHOP OF DUNEDIN 1920

BORN 1859 DIED 1936

In 1937, a memorial window dedicated to Bishop Isaac Richards was unveiled by his daughter, Ann, in the St Hilda's Chapel. Isaac Richards had completed a very full life. Born in Devon, England in 1859, he was educated at Oxford University completing a M.A. Degree in Mathematics. After being ordained, he migrated to New Zealand with his wife, Gertrude, in 1886. While in Auckland as Vicar of St Marks in Remuera he played five first class games of cricket for Auckland, before moving to Dunedin in 1895 where he became Warden of Selwyn College and also very influential in the new St Hilda's. In 1900 he was appointed Vicar of Tuapeka, based in Lawrence, a position he held for 16 years before becoming Canon of St Paul's Cathedral in Dunedin and Archdeacon of Invercargill. In 1920 he became Bishop of Dunedin a position he held until 1934 when ill health necessitated his retirement. He died in Christchurch in 1936.

At the base of the column is a bronze plaque which records the later additions to the family grave. It reads:

ALSO IN MEMORY Of

GERTRUDE 1858-19

WIFE OF ISAAC

AND THEIR SON

REGINALD JAMES 1893-1950

AND THEIR DAUGHTER

ANN 1888-1975

Gertrude, who outlived her husband by two years, was also from Devon, and is remembered not only as a loving wife and support for her husband, but also the mother of six remarkable children.

Reginald James Richards was educated at Christ's College, Christchurch and was Head Prefect for two years. In 1932 he was appointed Headmaster of Christ's College, a position he held until 1950.

Ann Richards was a founding day pupil at St Hilda's in 1896, had an impressive school record both as a pupil and staff member, and in later life became very involved in the Christchurch Branch of the Old Girls.

An impressive family indeed, with father and four of the children having a very close association with St Hilda's. Of the eight members of the family, five are buried in this family plot at Andersons Bay Cemetery, and the two boys killed at Gallipoli remembered. The only member of the family not buried here is Isaac Lionel, the youngest child, who became a minister. He died in 1962 and is buried in Christchurch.

John Huggett - St Hilda's Collegiate School Archivist