Henry Wigram
Sir Henry Francis Wigram | |
|---|---|
| Born | Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age London, England |
| Died | 6 May 1934 (aged 77) |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, politician, aviation pioneer |
| Known for | Advancement of Christchurch public transportation, establishment of Royal New Zealand Air Force |
Sir Henry Francis Wigram (18 January 1857 – 6 May 1934) was a prominent New Zealand entrepreneur, political figure, and aviation pioneer. He significantly contributed to the advancement of Christchurch's public transportation network and played a key role in the establishment of the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
Early life and business
Born in London, Wigram was the son of Henry Knox Wigram, a barrister, and grandson of Octavius Wigram, who served as Governor of the Royal Exchange Assurance Corporation. His mother, Mary Anne Pomeroy, was the daughter of the 5th Viscount Harberton. He received his education at Harrow School.
Following early employment with the Bank of England and a shipping firm, health issues led him to relocate to New Zealand in 1883. He briefly returned to England in 1885 to marry Agnes Vernon Sullivan. The couple had no offspring; Agnes outlived him by 23 years, passing away in 1957.
Together with his brother William Arthur Wigram, Henry purchased a malthouse and brickworks located in Heathcote Valley near Christchurch and Lyttelton. Their enterprise expanded by acquiring two more brickworks and pipe manufacturing operations, along with establishing a nail factory and a seed company. His business stature earned him the position of chairman for the Canterbury Jubilee committee in 1900, and he remained engaged in civic matters for thirty years.
Mayor of Christchurch
Wigram was elected Mayor of Christchurch without opposition in 1902 and secured re-election unchallenged in 1903. His administration prioritized upgrading the tramway system, which until then had been managed by three separate companies operating horse-drawn trams. Serving as deputy-chairman of the newly created Christchurch Tramway Board from 1903, he guided the conversion to electric tram services inaugurated in 1905.
To streamline urban development, Wigram championed the consolidation of the eleven boroughs forming Greater Christchurch. He successfully orchestrated the incorporation of Linwood, St Albans, and Sydenham into Christchurch city.
Legislative Council
On 22 June 1903, Wigram was appointed to the New Zealand Legislative Council by the Liberal Government. Although he stepped back from daily business operations, he maintained several directorships, including with the Lyttelton Times newspaper. He resigned from his Legislative Council seat on 12 October 1920.
Aviation
During a visit to England in 1908, Wigram became aware of aviation’s promising future. After unsuccessful attempts to secure government support in New Zealand, he established a private flying school in Christchurch in 1915—the nation’s second after the Walsh brothers’ New Zealand Flying School in Auckland.
He purchased land at Sockburn for his Canterbury Aviation Company and personally financed the acquisition of three Caudron biplanes from Britain. The school’s mission was to prepare pilots for wartime service, promote defence aviation locally, and pioneer commercial aviation.
By 1919, the institution had constructed ten aircraft and trained 182 pilots. Wigram offered the flying school to government control for defence purposes; this offer was accepted four years later following a donation of £10,000. The airfield at Sockburn was subsequently renamed Wigram as a tribute.
He co-founded the Canterbury Aero Club and became the inaugural patron of the New Zealand Aero Club in 1930. In recognition of his public contributions, he was knighted in the 1926 New Year Honours.
In 1949, his widow Agnes initiated the Lady Wigram Trophy, an annual motor racing event hosted at the Wigram airbase.