In 1996 the Christchurch City Council purchased an inner city site bounded by Worcester Boulevard, Montreal and Gloucester Streets.

This issue focuses on the eastern section facing Worcester Boulevard.

• Beginning
• Early Occupants
• Dexter and Crozier
• David Crozier
• Change

Beginning

The earliest occupants as with the rest of inner Christchurch west of the Avon River were Maori. For centuries kainga had been established and much of the land in the vicinity was utilised for food gathering. With the arrival of European settlers however, the nature of what was no more than rough covered silt dunes was to change.

Early Occupants

Early in 1851 the Canterbury Association began the subdivision of Christchurch into town sections. This part of the new art gallery site was one of three sections allotted to the Anglican Church Property Trust.

By the late 1860s a two storey residence had been built and stood on this site and by 1877 the area had been substantially enlarged and was surrounded by a garden with established trees. A decade later this property on 180 - 182 Worcester Street West was owned by Mr Morgan Archibald and by the turn of the century it was the home of Mr Edgar Comerford an early Christchurch photographer.

In 1912 the property was purchased by Dexter and Crozier and cleared to make way for their new showroom and motor garage.

Dexter and Crozier

Dexter and Crozier had originally been established in 1896 in Auckland by Rueben Dexter and David Crozier at premises on Victoria Street, East. At first the company was a cycle importer and manufacturer specialising in Rambler Cycles which were brought into NZ from the USA. By the later 1890s, largely as a result of the foresight of David Crozier, the company had pioneered the importing of motor cycles beginning with a `Thomas Autoley' in 1899, and an `Indian' in 1901.

In 1903 David Crozier saw the future potential of the motor car and travelled to the United States to investigate first hand the motor industry there. As a result of that visit he was successful in gaining the agency for Cadillac in New Zealand. These early Cadillac cars were single cylinder machines, chain driven, with just two-seats. Within two years Dexter and Crozier were able to advertise that there were more Cadillacs in New Zealand than any other make of car.

In 1906 the company had a very successful stand in the Machine Hall of the New Zealand International Exhibition held in Hagley Park, and for this they were awarded a gold medal. Two years later the firm decided to open an office and garage in Manchester Street, Christchurch. Among the earliest customers were the New Zealand Express Company and Mr R. E. McDougall, the benefactor of this Gallery.

Within a few years the Manchester Street premises had become inadequate for the needs of the growing company and a decision was made to relocate to a site that had been purchased at 57 - 59 Worcester Street West. There, in 1912, a new brick and stucco building of more than 1000m2 was opened. It included a showroom, garage, and work and assembly shops. These new premises of Dexter and Crozier known as `The Motor House' were considered to be the most exclusive and up-to-date of their type in New Zealand at that time.

Not only were the premises the most modern, but in March 1912 Dexter and Crozier imported 30 new Cadillacs. These were self-starting with electric rather than kerosene or carbide lamps. Between 1912 and 1918 other models were added to their showroom floor including; Oakland, Paige, Detroit D & C, Briscoe, Saxon, Maudin, Bean, Beloise and Thornycroft. In 1915 the company imported the first V type 8 cylinder vehicles and in 1917 the Cletrac which was the first caterpillar farm tractor to arrive in New Zealand.

Most of these vehicles were from the United States but in 1918 this was to change when the company went British and gained an agency for Austin cars, thereby terminating a 14 year exclusive association with Cadillac The early Austin cars were imported from the Longbridge works in England and were either fully assembled or just chassis, the bodies being made in Christchurch by the coach builders Cooper and Pryce.

The first Austin sold was a 20 hp tourer which cost the owner £635 - 10 -1 out of which the company, got £29-8-5.

In 1919 David Crozier and Rueben Dexter dissolved their partnership. Dexter continued to run the Auckland branch as Dexter Limited. On 20 November 1919 a new company was registered for the Worcester Street address as David Crozier Limited. The two principal shareholders were David Crozier and Andrew Hughes, who was in charge of the workshop and car assembly. The driving force of the company however was without question David Crozier who as a businessman was described as a man of vision, practicality, and high commercial integrity, who valued industry, loyalty and thrift.

David Crozier

David Crozier was born in Glasgow in January 1870 the son of Charles Crozier and Charlotte Matchinson, both of Irish decent. In 1874 his parents emigrated to New Zealand and settled in Auckland, where Crozier gained his formative education. Following this he commenced an apprenticeship in 1884 at the engineering and blacksmithing department of the Auckland Railway Workshops at Newmarket.

In 1891 he moved to Hawaii to take up a position in the engineering and blacksmithing department of the Ewa Sugar Plantation Company Honolulu, but within a year had resigned to join the Honolulu Iron Works. During the five years he was in Hawaii, Crozier was also in the local militia which had the task of quelling two uprisings; one to overthrow the ruling Queen and her government, and the other to defend the provincial government when the Queen and her supporters tried to regain power.

In 1896 Crozier returned to live in Auckland and soon after formed a partnership with Rueben Dexter.

Crozier was a keen sportsman all of his life and at this time his particular interest was in cycling. He competed in many cycle races and in 1902 was elected president of the Auckland Cycle Club. Crozier married Ellen Spargo at St Paul's Church Symond Street in 1898. Mrs Crozier was later to develop a strong interest in motoring and was one of the first three woman in Auckland to obtain a driving licence.

From 1904 to 1907 Crozier, often accompanied by his wife, took part in motor trials in Auckland. In 1906 Mrs Crozier drove from Auckland to Wellington, a journey that took her six days to complete.

After 1906 David Crozier began attending motor trials in the South Island. He also acted as his own salesman at this time often travelling long distances throughout New Zealand and to remote areas, seeking orders for his Cadillac cars.

When in 1908 Dexter and Crozier opened a branch in Christchurch, Crozier moved down from Auckland to manage the office, but it was not until 1919 when he founded David Crozier Limited, that he was able to fully develop his vision for the motor trade. One of the activities the new company was involved with was the first large motor show in New Zealand called the Olympia Motor Exhibition. It was held at the Colosseum in Gloucester Street. David Crozier Limited's stand was a central feature of the show and gained high commendation for its exhibits. This was to be the first participation in a number of Olympia motor shows over subsequent years.

In 1920 Crozier was elected Dominion President of the Motor Trade Association of which he had been a member since its inception. He became chairman of the Worcester Finance Company, Director of Austin Federation NZ Limited, and Associated Motor industries Limited.

A keen interest in the motor industry was shared by Crozier's son Clive, who was made general manager of the company, a position he held up until his untimely death in 1942.

During the 1930s considerable advances were made in the company and in 1937 the Worcester Street frontage was modernised and extended. Following Clive Crozier's death, his position in the company was taken by Mr John M Blyth. David Crozier remained as chairman and governing director although in semi-retirement devoting more time to sporting interests that included yachting. For many years he was Commodore of the Waimakariri Sailing and Power Club. In 1947 aged 77 he built for himself a six metre yacht `Davelin' which he raced.

By 1949 David Crozier Motors Limited had also taken over Larges Rental Car premises one door up on Worcester Street, and when Archibald Nicoll had to move from his studio of many years at 97 Cambridge Terrace, David Crozier offered him space on the first floor and declined to charge him rent.

Nicoll painted Crozier's portrait (illustrated) around 1950. This painting is currently on long term loan to the gallery from Mr D Nicholls, David Crozier's grandson.

Change

When David Crozier died in 1951 the controlling interest in the company passed to his wife, Mrs Ellen Crozier, with Mr John Blyth as chairman and governing director. Mrs Crozier died in 1955.

During the 1950s and 1960s David Crozier Limited expanded its operation forming branches at Victoria Street, Greymouth, Rangiora, and Amberley.

By 1970 they also held the dealership for the Massey Ferguson tractor. This growth was also matched at the Worcester Street premises which were gradually expanded, taking over nearby properties until the company also had a frontage on Gloucester Street.

By September 1969, when a new 1600m2 showroom was opened, David Crozier Limited occupied almost two thirds of what is now the new art gallery site.

The late 1960s saw some more changes which started in December 1968, when the company merged first with South Island Motors and then with Austin Motors, Otago.

In 1970, after 51 years, David Crozier Limited was absorbed into the national New Zealand Motor Corporation which in turn was also consumed in a 1980s take over leading to the eventual sale of the Worcester Street premises.

In 1987 the site was acquired with other properties for redevelopment; and the buildings demolished.

Today little sign remains of the 75 years of commercial activity apart from the concrete foundations. However we are advised that, whilst the buildings of David Crozier Limited may have gone from the surface of the site, some relics of the motor trade remain as over the years large quantities of car parts were buried beneath the ground. It will be interesting to see what turns up when excavation begins for the new gallery.

Maybe one of our New Gallery fundraising ventures could be a vintage carpart swap meet.

Neil Roberts
Senior Curator

• The Radiator, 15 June 1948 p 87
• International Press Who's Who NZ, 1938 p 113
• The Press, 18 September 1969 p10
• Conversations with Mr D.Nicholls (Grandson of David Crozier)