Chertsey, New Zealand facts for kids

Chertsey is a small town in the Ashburton District of New Zealand's South Island. It is located near State Highway 1. This main road goes around the town to the west. Chertsey is found between the towns of Ashburton and Rakaia. It sits on the wide, flat area known as the Canterbury Plains.

History of Chertsey

Early European Settlement

In 1872, the first land from the government was made available. The next year, a man named W.A. Brown bought land in the Chertsey area. He decided to name the district "Chertsey." He chose this name after a town in England where his wife was born and where he used to live.

In 1876, Thomas Wilkinson also bought land in the district. The next year, the village was officially mapped out and named Chertsey. Soon, a large 21-room hotel was built. A blacksmith shop and a post office also opened. After that, a butcher's shop, two general stores, a bakery, and a place to buy coal and timber were added.

Oil Drilling Attempts

In 1914, the Canterbury Petroleum Prospecting Company began drilling for oil. They stopped drilling in 1921. Oil was found at a depth of 420 metres at a spot called Chertsey 1. In September 1921, a drill bit broke off deep in the well. The ground around the well was very sandy, so they could not get the broken bit out.

Later, in the late 1960s, another well was drilled. It was called J.D. George 1 and was about 10 kilometres south of Chertsey 1. Small amounts of oil were found at 1650 metres deep. However, this well was also stopped.

The Big Fire of 1926

A very serious event happened in 1926, known as "The Big Fire." It caused a lot of damage in the Chertsey area. The fire started near the Chertsey town. It was caused by a train. The fire then spread for 20 kilometres towards the coast.

When the fire reached Taverners Road, it was over 3 kilometres wide. One local farmer sadly lost his life trying to create a fire break. The fire moved too fast for him. Many farms in the area lost a lot of their animals. At first, the Minister of Railways did not want to take responsibility. But the Prime Minister, Gordon Coates, stepped in. Because of him, the farmers received money for about half of the damage.

Chertsey After World War II

By the 1960s, only a few businesses remained in Chertsey. These included the general store, the Chertsey Hotel, and an engineering company. As transport improved and large supermarkets opened in nearby Ashburton, the Chertsey store had to close in the 1990s. The Chertsey Tavern also closed its doors in 2013. This left only a second-hand bookstore as the last business in Chertsey.

However, New Zealand's dairy farming industry grew a lot. Because of this, Chertsey has seen its population increase. Many farms that used to raise sheep or grow different crops have now switched to dairy farming.

Education

Chertsey School is a primary school for students in years 1 to 6. It has 31 students. The school first opened its doors in 1878.

Sports in Chertsey

The Chertsey Domain has been the main place for sports in the community since the late 1800s.

• Rugby Union: This sport was first played in Chertsey in the late 1880s. It continued until World War I.
• Rugby League: This is the only team sport currently played in Chertsey. The Chertsey Oilers team plays in the Aoraki Rugby League competition.
• Softball: Softball was played in Chertsey in the late 1990s. The team was called the "Chertsey Chuckers." They played in the Ashburton Softball competition.
• Cricket: Cricket was started in the 1970s. It was a regular sport played at the Chertsey Domain throughout that decade.
• Harness Racing: This is a popular sport in the area. In 1994, a Chertsey trainer named Colin Calvert won the important New Zealand Trotting Cup with his horse, Bee Bee Cee.
• Greyhound Racing: This sport is also held at the Chertsey Domain on its greyhound track.

Notable People from Chertsey

Many interesting people have connections to Chertsey:

• Patrick "Peter" Harvey (1880–1949): He played rugby union for clubs in Chertsey and Rakaia. He was chosen to play for the All Blacks, New Zealand's national rugby team. He played one test match against the touring Great Britain team in 1904.
• Clinton Stringfellow (1905–1959): Born in Chertsey. In 1929, he was part of the New Zealand national rugby team that toured Australia. He played seven matches on that tour, including two international games.
• William Lister: He was a New Zealand Light heavyweight boxing champion in 1935 and 1938. He won the title in 1935. In 1938, he won it again by beating his own brother, Tom.
• Tom Lister: He was also a New Zealand light heavyweight boxing champion in 1938. His son, also named Tom Lister, played rugby union for the All Blacks from 1969 to 1971. Another son, John, became a professional golfer.
• Catherine "Kate" Wilkinson (born 1957): She was a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives. She represented the National Party from 2005 until she retired in 2014.

Population Information

The Chertsey area covers about 572.52 square kilometres. It had an estimated population of 1,810 as of June 2023. . This means there are about 3.2 people living in each square kilometre.

The population of Chertsey has changed over the years:

• In 2006, there were 1,422 people.
• In 2013, the population grew to 1,602 people.
• In 2018, it was 1,611 people. This was a small increase of 9 people since 2013.

In 2018, there were 600 households in Chertsey. There were more males (867) than females (747). The average age was 34.6 years old. This is a bit younger than the national average age of 37.4 years.

Here's a look at the age groups in 2018:

• 381 people (23.6%) were under 15 years old.
• 294 people (18.2%) were aged 15 to 29.
• 780 people (48.4%) were aged 30 to 64.
• 156 people (9.7%) were aged 65 or older.

Most people in Chertsey are of European background (83.1%). Other groups include Māori (7.3%), Asian (13.0%), and Pasifika (0.9%). Some people identify with more than one ethnic group. About 21.4% of people were born outside New Zealand.

Regarding beliefs, about 45.1% of people said they had no religion. About 46.6% identified as Christian. Smaller numbers followed other beliefs like Hinduism, Islam, or Buddhism.

For people aged 15 and older, 17.1% had a university degree or higher. About 18.5% had no formal qualifications. The average income was $42,600. Most people (59.8%) worked full-time. About 19.0% worked part-time, and 2.0% were unemployed.

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