Descendants celebrate James Whinray’s legacy in Gisborne

Gisborne borough councillors in 1902 including James Whinray (far right, front row). Photo / Crawford Collection, Tairāwhiti Museum

Prominent colonial-era businessman, local body politician and pioneer conservationist James Whinray was honoured by English and New Zealand descendants in Gisborne this week.

Among his many contributions to Gisborne society from 1874 to his death in 1912 was his often-criticised campaign for the preservation of forests at Motu, which later became Whinray Scenic Reserve.

The reserve now consists of 428 hectares of native forest and waterfalls.

English great-great-nephew Robert (Bob) Whinray Garnett and wife Barbara travelled from Yorkshire on a five-week trip and met New Zealand great-granddaughters Lynley Manners and Glenys Meiklejohn (nee Whinray) in Gisborne this week, nearly 150 years after James Whinray came to the district.

They met with the Gisborne Herald at the gravesite of James Whinray at Makaraka Cemetery and also visited Whinray Scenic Reserve.

Bob Whinray Garnett, on his first visit to New Zealand, said he knew a relative had moved to New Zealand and had established a Whinray park.

But he knew little else because his parents did not discuss the life of James Whinray – the only one of 13 siblings to move to New Zealand.

It was only with the advent of the internet that he was able to learn more about Whinray Scenic Reserve and Whinray Eco Trust.

The reserve was “beautiful and lovely”, and James Whinray must have been a man of vision, Bob Whinray Garnett said.

Descendants of prominent 19th century settler James Whinray – (from left) Glenys Meiklejohn, Robert Whinray Garnett, who travelled from England, and Lynley Manners – are pictured honouring their ancestor at his grave site at Makaraka Cemetery. Photo / Wynsley Wrigley

He was highly impressed by the Motu River, the suspension bridge and the tropical forest.

“I can see his reserve now. The public can enjoy it.”

Manners said James Whinray won the land in a ballot and chose not to develop it.

“As a cabinetmaker trained in London, he could obviously see the worth of the timbers on the land. He tried to get the rail line out there. We’re just imagining him trying to get out there. It would have taken days.”

James Whinray was also a Gisborne borough councillor, a chamber of commerce president and served on the harbour board.

He owned Whinray’s Furnishing Warehouse in Gladstone Rd, near the Town Clock, and was a talented wood craftsman.

The Whinray Garnetts, while in Wellington, went to Te Papa to view a Dominion sideboard made by James Whinray.

The descendants also planned to visit Tairāwhiti Museum where they hoped to view a banner James Whinray commissioned for the Gisborne Chamber of Commerce in 1900.