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William Reece
23rd Mayor of Christchurch
In office 20 December 1899 – March 1901
Preceded by	Charles Louisson
Succeeded by	Arthur Rhodes
Personal details
Born	(1856-10-23)23 October 1856 Christchurch, New Zealand
Died	17 July 1930(1930-07-17) (aged 73) Riccarton, Christchurch, New Zealand

William Reece (23 October 1856 – 17 July 1930) was a New Zealand businessman and local-body politician. He served as mayor of Christchurch for the years 1900 and 1901.

Early life

Reece's father, Edward Reece, was the son of a Shropshire farmer. He arrived in Lyttelton in August 1855 on the Caroline Agnes. On 1 January 1856, Edward Reece married Isabella Asher at Lyttelton. William Reece was born on 23 October 1856 in Christchurch. William would have four younger brothers and one sister.

His father became a well-known iron monger with a shop in Colombo Street. From 1862, his father owned Bottle Lake and the Waitikiri swamplands for farming.

William Reece received his schooling at the Christchurch Academy where he was head boy in Latin and French. He was then sent to England to get an education in business management, leaving on the Waitangi in January 1875.

Professional life

Upon William Reece's return to Christchurch in 1879, his father handed his business over to him. When his father died in 1887, he then shared the responsibility of managing it with his brother Charles Stewart Reece. His brother retired in 1892 and William managed the company by himself from then on.

For a time, the artist Charles Frederick Goldie lived at Reece's Bottle Lake Farm. Goldie donated a painting of his sister Violet to Reece. The painting stayed within the family until 1966 and is now held by Te Papa, the national museum.

Political career

Local politics ran in the family for William Reece. In 1862, his father was elected onto the inaugural Christchurch Municipal Council.

Louisson was succeeded by Reece, who was elected unopposed on 20 November 1899 and installed as mayor on 20 December 1899.

Mayoral elections were usually held in the second half of December, but in 1900, that would have clashed with the Canterbury Jubilee celebrations (the First Four Ships first arrived in December 1850). Mayoral elections were thus postponed until April 1901. Reece declared in December 1900 that he could not serve another term due to other commitments, and Arthur Rhodes received a requisition asking him to be nominated as mayoral candidate.

Reece was the inaugural chairman of the Christchurch Tramway Board from 1903 to 1906.

Family and death

On 28 April 1880, Reece married Eva Raine (born 1861) at Christ Church Cathedral in Nelson. They were to have five sons and two daughters.

Eva Reece died in 1926. After her death, Reece lived with one of their daughters (Mrs Molyneaux). He died at their home in Riccarton on 17 July 1930. He was buried at Linwood Cemetery. He was survived by five sons and one daughter.

References

1. "Chairmen and mayors". Christchurch: Christchurch City Council. Archived from the original on 22 May 2010. Retrieved 10 February 2010.
2. ^ Macdonald, George. "Edward Reece". Macdonald Dictionary. Canterbury Museum. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
3. "William Reece (1856–1930)". Christchurch City Libraries. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
4. birth certificate 1856/5727
5. "Ex Mayors". The Cyclopedia of New Zealand (Canterbury Provincial District). Christchurch: Cyclopedia Company Limited. 1903. Retrieved 16 March 2010.
6. ^ Macdonald, George. "William Reece". Macdonald Dictionary. Canterbury Museum. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
7. "Bottle Lake and Waitikiri: the early years". Christchurch City Libraries. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
8. ^ "Obituary: Mr William Reece". The Press. Vol. LXVI, no. 19983. 18 July 1930. p. 11. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
9. "Sorrowful Moments". Webb's. 9 August 2011. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
10. "Christchurch Municipal Council". Lyttelton Times. Vol. XVII, no. 971. 1 March 1862. p. 4. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
11. "Mayoral Elections". The Star. No. 6647. 20 November 1899. p. 3. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
12. "Mayoral Installation". The Star. No. 6673. 20 December 1899. p. 3. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
13. "In memoriam: William Reece". The Press. Vol. LXVI, no. 19986. 22 July 1930. p. 13. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
14. "William Reece, 1856–1930". Christchurch City Libraries. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
15. "Personal items". The Press. Vol. LXII, no. 18802. 21 September 1926. p. 8. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
16. "Christchurch City Council Cemeteries Database". Christchurch City Council. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
17. "Late Mr William Reece: the funeral". The Press. Vol. LXVI, no. 19985. 21 July 1930. p. 13. Retrieved 11 April 2020.

• 1856 births
• 1930 deaths
• People educated at Christchurch West High School
• Mayors of Christchurch
• Burials at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch
• Colony of New Zealand people