25 Facts About Cathcart Wason

John Cathcart Wason, generally known as Cathcart Wason, was a Scottish farmer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament in two countries: first in New Zealand and then in Scotland.

Cathcart Wason established Barrhill, a model village, and after the failure of this colonial venture, he returned to Scotland.

Rigby Wason was a barrister and a successful farmer who converted much of his Corwar estate from moor to arable land; he had served as a Member of Parliament.

Cathcart Wason was educated at Laleham and at Rugby School.

Cathcart Wason came to Canterbury in New Zealand in 1868.

Cathcart Wason had four siblings; three older brothers and one younger sister.

The land was first taken up by John Hall, but had changed ownership several times before Cathcart Wason bought it, including 1,250 acres of freehold land, in February 1869 or April 1870.

Cathcart Wason renamed his property Corwar after his father's lands in Scotland, and set about trying to create a model estate.

Cathcart Wason's planting of pine trees and of oaks, walnuts and poplars extended over 600 acres and allowed shelter from the prevailing north-west winds to allow sheep farming and the growing of wheat, while water power was used for agricultural machinery.

Cathcart Wason bought and sold land, and by 1882 Corwar was consolidated as a freehold estate of just over 5,000 acres with a large mansion overlooking the river, complete with gate lodge and gate-keeper.

However, Cathcart Wason had expected a railway to be built near Barrhill, but when it was built on a more southerly route, the village began to decline.

Cathcart Wason was elected to the House of Representatives in the 1876 election on 11 January for the electorate of Coleridge, and was appointed as a government whip the following year.

Cathcart Wason stood for election in the newly formed Wakanui electorate in the 1881 general election.

Cathcart Wason won by a small margin, and Ivess petitioned against the election on numerous grounds.

Cathcart Wason lost his seat in Parliament without having ever taken it.

Cathcart Wason did not stand again until the 1893 general election, when he ran unsuccessfully in the Ashburton electorate.

Cathcart Wason was elected as MP for Selwyn in the 1896 election on 21 December.

That parliamentary term finished on 15 November 1899 and that is when Cathcart Wason retired from politics in New Zealand.

Cathcart Wason's father Rigby was an MP for Ipswich before Cathcart was born, and his brother Eugene represented two UK constituencies at various times between 1885 and 1918.

Cathcart Wason travelled overseas on several occasions, marrying Alice Seymour Bell, in Sydney, Australia, on 18 June 1873.

Cathcart Wason sold his New Zealand estate in 1900 and returned to Scotland, where he was elected as Liberal Unionist MP for Orkney and Shetland in the 1900 general election, and bought a house in London and a property in Ayrshire not far from the original Corwar.

Cathcart Wason resigned his seat on 7 October 1902 and successfully stood for re-election in the 1902 by-election as an Independent Liberal.

Cathcart Wason was re-elected as a member of the Liberal Party in the subsequent general elections in 1906, January 1910, December 1910 and 1918.

Cathcart Wason continued to sit as MP for Orkney and Shetland until his death.

Cathcart Wason died in London on 19 April 1921 aged 72, survived by his wife.