1. John George Ruddenklau JP was Mayor of Christchurch from December 1881 to December 1883.
28 Facts About George Ruddenklau
1. 2.
George Ruddenklau was very active with a number of organisations, founded the German Benefit Association, and was the driving force behind the establishment of the German Church.
3.
Johann George Ruddenklau was born in Niedermeiser on 23 May 1829 and baptised two days later.
4.
George Ruddenklau's parents were John Ruddenklau and his wife, Annie Gertrude Ruddenklau.
5.
John George Ruddenklau often signed documents and was referred to as J G Ruddenklau, but he was known by his middle name and he used George Ruddenklau in print when he needed to differentiate from his brother John.
6.
George Ruddenklau moved to London in 1850 or 1851 where he continued to work in his profession.
7.
George Ruddenklau was joined in London by his younger brother John Ruddenklau, who worked there for some years before returning to Germany.
8.
George Ruddenklau took up farming; first in Rangiora and then in Cust.
9.
In circa 1853, George Ruddenklau married Sarah Ann Workman in London.
10.
Historian George Ruddenklau Macdonald has recorded that they arrived by the Bosworth, but the passenger list published by the Lyttelton Times on 23 December 1857 mentions his wife and daughter only.
11.
George Ruddenklau gradually took over the four shops at the end of High Street facing the triangle that has since 2008 been known as Stewart Plaza and which for many decades held the Stewart Fountain.
12.
Exactly a year later, George Ruddenklau opened the two-storey City Hotel on the site.
13.
In June 1864, George Ruddenklau was elected president at the annual meeting of the Licensed Victuallers' Association.
14.
Only two months later, George Ruddenklau had to defend a breach of the Public House Ordinance for failing to keep the entrance lamp of his hotel lit during the prescribed hours.
15.
George Ruddenklau engaged his fellow Christchurch city councillor, architect Samuel Farr, to design an adjacent brick building facing Colombo Street.
16.
George Ruddenklau retired from business in August 1869 and sold his hotel to John William Oram, the second-oldest of the Oram brothers.
17.
In late 1871, George Ruddenklau was the founder of the German Benefit Association.
18.
George Ruddenklau travelled to Germany in February 1873 and among other duties, he found a pastor and arranged transport for the three bells that the church building committee had requested from the German Chancellor, Otto von Bismarck.
19.
George Ruddenklau first stood for election for Christchurch City Council in January 1866; city councillors were elected for two-year terms at the time.
20.
Five people contested the four available positions, and George Ruddenklau came fourth and was thus successful, just one vote ahead of the person who came last.
21.
In January 1868 when George Ruddenklau's term came to an end, four positions on the city council had to be filled.
22.
George Ruddenklau was installed as the next mayor on 21 December 1881.
23.
In September 1882, George Ruddenklau received a deputation led by ex-mayor James Jameson, supported by ex-mayors Charles Thomas Ick and Fred Hobbs and many other influential citizens, urging him to stand for second term.
24.
George Ruddenklau consented and two months later, he was returned elected unopposed.
25.
George Ruddenklau decided to retire in 1883 after two terms as mayor.
26.
One of the last public duties carried out by George Ruddenklau was to open the Armagh Street Bridge on 11 December 1883.
27.
George Ruddenklau died at his home in Addington on 15 December 1891, aged 62.
28.
George Ruddenklau's City Hotel was demolished in mid-1931, but the licence and the proprietor transferred to the New City Hotel further south on Colombo Street; this building is still standing and is a registered heritage structure.