Arthur Dudley Dobson
Arthur Dudley Dobson ( born September 9, 1841 in Islington, † March 5, 1934 in Christchurch ) was a New Zealand surveyor, engineer and explorer. He is especially known for the first European crossing of the later named after him Arthur 's Pass over the Southern Alps.
Early life
Dobson was opened in 1841, was born in Islington, the son of Edward Dobson ( 1816-1908 ) and Mary Ann Lough born. His father was a railway engineer and surveyor, which was to influence his later life. He received his education in Nottingham.
When the railway boom in England subsided, his father decided to emigrate to New Zealand. He bought land from the Canterbury Association and reached the Cressy, one of the First Four Ships on December 27, 1850 Lyttelton. His two eldest sons, George (1840-1866) and Arthur accompanied him.
His father found life in the new colony difficult with two children and sent them to her uncle, the Reverend Charles Dobson, pastor of Buckland in Tasmania. There they remained three years. On their return journey they landed in Nelson, where they at another uncle, Alfred Dobson, came under. This was a surveyor in the Nelson region and soon became the officially appointed surveyor of the province of Nelson.
His mother had arrived with the Fatima on December 27, 1851, exactly one year after Arthur, in Lyttelton. It was from her other children Mary Ann (1844-1913), Caroline (1845-1932), Edward Henry (1847-1934) and Mary Eliza (* 1848) accompanied. Other siblings were born in New Zealand: Robert (1852-1893), Emily Frances (1857-1943), Alex Herbert (1860-1948) and Collet Barker ( 1861-1926 ).
Arthur was taught by Reverend G. Cotterill in Lyttelton.
After his father was appointed in 1854 to the provincial engineer of the province of Canterbury, allowed a better financial situation to send the children to Christ's College, at that time the best school in Christchurch. After completion of education he started the surveying craft to learn from his father.
Professional life
An early job for father and son was to measure the thickness of the sludge in Lyttelton Harbour. Then they explored the main drain of Rangiora, which could be opened 81 km ² Wetlands.
Arthur Dobson spent several months with survey work in North Canterbury where he reached the Lake Sumner and the Hurunui River. Since December 1860, he spent two years with the immigrant from Germany geologist Julius von Haast. Haast was appointed in February, which in February 1861 provincial geologists and led a großent part of its geological activity from along with Dobson. Both explored and the exact measurements of the Kowai River researched, the Southern Alps and their glaciers. They climbed the Mount Torlesse, Mount Cook they failed.
His father directed the construction of the Ferrymead Railway between the wharf at Ferrymead and Christchurch. It was opened on 1 December 1863. She was the first public railway in New Zealand. The first telegraph line in New Zealand was built along the railway line and on 1 July 1862 put into operation. The New Zealand Post dedicated to the 100th anniversary of two stamps.
However, the most important project of his father was the ultimate supervision of the construction of the Lyttelton rail tunnel, which is registered as a historic landmark in category 1 at the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. Arthur Dobson created many of the sectional drawings of the building.
1863 Arthur went for seven months for survey work on the largely unexplored West Coast of the South Island. His work stretched from the Grey River to Abut Head, inland to the main crest of the Southern Alps. His brother Edward pioneered in this time, a route through the Harper Pass. Arthur Dobson returned to Christchurch and reported to the senior surveyor, Thomas Cass report.
Cass commissioned Arthur Dobson in 1864 to find out whether there would be a great pass from the watershed of the Waimakariri to the west coast. George and Arthur Dobson broke up in March 1864, Edward was added at Craigieburn. While there George surveyed possible road routes, Edward and Arthur continued their journey to the highlands. Aufgrtund of evidence of the resident on the West Coast Maori chief Tarapuhi they found a passport, which dropped steeply down to the present Otira. This route has long been used by the locals as a trade route for pounamu ( jade ). Arthur was preparing a report with the sketch of the nameless passport and handed it to Cass.
Soon after it came to the West Coast gold rush. Edward Dobson should examine each possible transition of the watersheds of the Waimakariri, Hurunui River Taramakau and the west coast. He came to the conclusion that " Arthur's pass" was by far the best access to the gold fields. The provincial government decided to build a road across the 251 km between Christchurch and Hokitika. Edward Dobson was appointed head of the project. The road was opened on 20 March 1866. The pass was known as Arthur 's Pass, near the village of the same name developed, and later the National Park was named after him.
On October 1, 1866 Arthur Dobson was appointed deputy provincial engineer of the Nelson Province. Soon after he married. In 1867 he explored the districts Motueka and Karamea, and measured a path through the mountain range of Mount Arthur. In April 1869 he was district engineer for the gold fields of the West Coast region, which lay on the territory of the province of Nelson. Its headquarters was located in Westport. In May 1871 he was promoted to provincial engineer and in December of the same year he became chief surveyor. Although further employed at the Nelson Province, has been transferred to it by the government in October 1872, the responsibility for the construction of railways in Westport.
He put his offices in Nelson in 1875 down due to a change of government in the provincial government. He was then appointed by the Central Government as a district engineer for Nelson. In this role he was also responsible for the construction of railways. He mapped with James Hector the coal fields of Westport.
In 1884 he went to London, met with botanists and geologists, attended concerts and galleries and took flute lessons. When he returned to New Zealand in 1885, the then prevailing economic crisis changed his life circumstances. He worked until 1889 in the Australian Victoria. Then he returned to New Zealand to take over his father's company.
Dobson was 1901 to 1921 Engineer of Christchurch City. He was knighted in 1931.
Family
Dobson married Eleanor, daughter of the employees of the Nelson Provincial Council Vermessunsteams, Henry Lewis. The wedding took place in Nelson on 20 November 1866. They had four children.
Julius von Haast was 25 June 1863 Dobson's brother in law, he married at St. Mary's Church in Heathcote Valley his sister Mary. The couple had four sons and a daughter.
Arthur's first son, Arthur George Dobson, was an engineer of the Selwyn County and died on January 17, 1905 after a fall from the cart. He was buried two days later on the Linwood Cemetery in Christchurch.
His wife died on September 27, 1930 at the age of 83 years.
His second son, Ernest Henry Dobson died on October 16, 1931, on the following day was buried in the Linwood Cemetery, but in a different part of the cemetery. On his grave stone is the inscription:
" In loving memory of Ernest Henry beloved husband of Elizabeth Mary DOBSON and second son of Sir Arthur Dudley and the late Eleanor DOBSON Died 16th October 1931 aged 62 years At rest"
Death and commemoration
Arthur Dobson died on March 5, 1934 in Christchurch to a cardiac arrest. He was buried at the Linwood Cemetery the following day on the same grave site as his first son and his wife. On his grave stone is the following inscription:
" Sir Arthur Dudley Dobson K. B. d 5 March 1934 aged 92 Discoverer of Arthur 's Pass, 1863. District Engineer, Nelson - Westport goldfield in 1878. City Engineer of Christ Church from 1901 to 1921. "
The Arthur 's Pass through the Southern Alps was named by his father after him. At the pass there is a built of rubble stone commemorative pillar with a plaque. The village of the same name and the surrounding national park is derived from the pass from her name.
The Dobson Street in Spreydon is named after him.