St Saviour’s Church at Holy Trinity, Lyttelton. The gifting event was a very successful occasion and the large turnout (100+ persons) really appreciated discovering the two remarkable ‘Lyttelton’ art works contained within the ‘Godley Gifts’ book set, discovering FitzGerald’s genius, and having the opportunity to renew (or discover) an awareness of the refined beauty with which our earliest Canterbury settlers were able to express themselves.
Among those present at the presentation included: Hon. Ruth Dyson, MP for Port Hills; Councillor Andrew Turner, Deputy Mayor of Christchurch; The Bishop of Christchurch Peter Carrell; the former Bishop of Christchurch David Coles; the Dean of Christchurch Lawrence Kimberley; the Principals of Christ’s College, St Margaret’s College and Cathedral Grammar School; other city council persons (heritage etc); a dozen and a half members of the Canterbury Pilgrims and Early Settlers Association; members of the Lyttelton Historic Museum Society; ditto from Diamond Harbour.
The deputy mayor Andrew Turner spoke first, followed by Haydn Rawstron. The third speech was delivered by ‘heritage authority’, Jenny May. Ruth Dyson spoke a few words after she received the book set on behalf of the Lyttelton Community, and before she handed it on to Dr Kerry McCarthy of the Lyttelton Museum, ‘for safe keeping’.
66 volumes from other book sets of the limited edition, each opened at a different page, were displayed on 6 tables (32 of volume 2,’Seadrift’, and 34 of volume 3,’Watercolours’), in order that every single one of FitzGerald 66 watercolours from ‘Godley Gifts’ could be viewed. The book set gifted to Lyttelton, no 50, was chosen to commemorate the year 1850.
The event also inspired two sales of ‘Godley Gifts’ sets.
