James Bull

1831 - 1920

James was a carpenter from Chelsea in London, aged 26 when he came to New Zealand. He travelled on the Indian Queen which arrived in Port Nicholson early in 1857. 

His first assignment after arriving in Wellington was to build a chair for the Parliamentary Speaker. 

In 1858 he went off with long time mate Dick Howard who had tendered to build a new ferry house and hotel for Thomas Scott at the mouth of the Rangitikei River.

While building for Thomas Scott he met Christina, one of Thomas Scott’s four daughters. They married in 1859. 

When the ferry house was finished James travelled up the rough road from Thomas Scott’s Ferry though Parewanui to Captain Edward Daniell’s farm of Killymoon.  

James found a magnificent forest of Totara trees on the banks of the Rangitikei River. He immediately saw the prospects of launching a timber mill to supply timber to the local settlers. Around the same time James leased 5 acres of land from Captain Daniell to set up a general store in 1859, the shop was situated on High Street where the RSA is currently located.

By 1862 the store had also become the local Post Office with a liquor sales outlet included. 

In 1865 James built the Bulls courthouse and the Rangitikei Hotel. Soon afterward he built the Criterion Hotel and in 1867 built the Coach and Horse Hotel on the site where the Friendship hall now stands on the corner of Daniell and High Streets. In later years this was renamed the Clifton Hotel. 

James also operated a carrier business between Bulls and Wanganui which grew out of his timber cartage operation.  James also owned a Stables and wheelwrights workshop in Criterion Street, the Rangitikei Hotel, for a period, and the Rangitikei Brewery. 

James was a great citizen of the growing township so it was inevitable that it became known as going to Bull’s. It was not until 1872 that the name of Bulls was officially accepted by the Post Office. Until then it had various names, Daniells Bush, Middle Rangitikei, Clifton, Taumaihi and Bulltown. 

James was a generous donor to the town. In the 1870s he gave 3 acres of land over looking the Rangitikei river as a site for the proposed Rangitikei hospital, which was built in 1875. Around the same time he donated property in the central town area for a town hall. In later years he made land available for the towns Post Office, the Clifton Library and for the Bowling club in Criterion Street which opened in 1920. 

James’ wife Christina died in 1878 aged 37. He retired from all his enterprises in 1900 and returned to his home town of Chelsea in England where he died in 1920 aged 89. 

Information from

“The Beach Highway, The Road to the Rangitikei from 1849 -1875” by Paul Melody

“Bulls. A History of the Township” By Major R.A.Wilson, DSO