Tagorama

**Transalper** · 9th August 2009, 17:15

Dam, had hoped we would have moved on by the time I got back toi town.
I googled "mr bridge" with and without quotes, with and without "church" / "land" / "donate" and various other things with and without mr bridge but kept getting a load of non relevent rubbish. Google is full of bridges but generally they aren't people. lol.
Will look again with your latest post in mind, but am thinking a ride to Rakaia may be a start, at least to rule out some of the canterbury area.

**Guzza** · 9th August 2009, 17:23

google is a fickle mistress and she hates me today.

**PeterJ** · 9th August 2009, 18:06

Had thought... SouthBridge, Rakaia and then Rangiora

Saintly James, Mr Bridge, Any more than that and I might as well go get it myself and start again!.....

**Transalper** · 9th August 2009, 18:16

Yes, just been reading an article from an old news paper including all the above, just working on an exact address or suppose I could take a picture to the locals.
Just need a few more minutes

**Transalper** · 9th August 2009, 18:30

Nope, Church I was reading about was apparently demolished.

**Transalper** · 9th August 2009, 19:39

Normal Googling did not produce an actual address for me but I stumbled upon this while trawling satellite view and then street view... looks about right so after tea we'll see.

**martinrz** · 9th August 2009, 20:22

You might be to late

**martinrz** · 9th August 2009, 20:29

It was St James Church on the left as you drive into Southbridge.
Next tag a little closer to home for the mid week tag team.

**Transalper** · 9th August 2009, 20:34

By crikey, all dressed up and one last check as I walked out the door, I kind of feel lucky, if you posted a few minutes later I'd have been gutted when I got back

That is indeed where I was going.

**Transalper** · 9th August 2009, 22:25

So I said I was all geared up and ready to go right?
No time like now then.... It was the Willowbank entrance in Hussey Rd.

**Transalper** · 9th August 2009, 22:38

Try this one.....

Edit: included a daytime shot from file to help with perspective.

**Guzza** · 9th August 2009, 23:06

Originally Posted by Transalper

By crikey, all dressed up and one last check as I walked out the door, I kind of feel lucky, if you posted a few minutes latter I'd have been gutted when I got back

That is indeed where I was going.

I Wasnt quite so lucky. I was informed by PeterJ as I got to the church that some one had been through in the arvo to claim the tag

Turned out I had been sitting on most of the correct clues all along, just not that one piece of definitive info thast tied it all together. "Mr Bridge" Was Charles Joseph Bridge, who sailed out here on The Randolph, one of the first four ships. His farm was called Homebrook and in the beginning, consisted of 10,000 acres. The homestead was located a few km away from Southbridge on Jollies Rd. The land stayed in the Bridge Family until 1917 when it was all sold to the government to be divided up for returning servicmen from WWI.

The land the church stands on was donated by Bridge. The origional timber church was distroyed, the existing brick one was built in the early 30's. The old boy himself can be found in the grave yard. One of Bridge's sons, C.Hastings Bridge, was a Surveyor in partnership with George Hanmer