Timber tycoon, Acting Premier of New Zealand, and the mastermind behind the stunning Ellerslie Racecourse gardens, Sir Edwin Mitchelson, was a true visionary who helped shape modern Auckland.
Born in a modest cottage on Auckland’s Queen Street in 1846, Edwin began his working life simply, serving as an apprentice carpenter. Gifted with an unstoppable drive and vision, he move to Wairoa in the 1860s and quickly rose from rose from a local builder to a powerful timber and kauri gum merchant. He was a true pioneer, founding a shipbuilding industry on the Kaihū River, managing a fleet of trading ships, and driving the creation of the local railways.
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The Native Land act of 1888 allowed direct purchase of Māori land by private treaty, a move that, given the precarious state of the finances of many Māori at the time, almost guaranteed the alienation of significant tranches of native title.
But his impressive business success was just the beginning. Edwin soon stepped into the political arena. He served as an MP for Marsden and Eden, and eventually held major Cabinet roles including Minister of Public Works, Minister of Native Affairs, and Postmaster-General. When the Premier fell ill in 1890, Edwin stepped up as Acting Premier.
In 1903, he brought his unquenchable energy to bear back home, becoming the Mayor of Auckland. Many of Auckland’s parks and recreation grounds owe their existence to Edwin’s visionary leadership. He also spearheaded the modernisation of the city’s water supply to support a growing population.
But perhaps his most beautiful and lasting legacy comes from his deep love for horse racing. As a long-serving president of the Auckland Racing Club, Edwin was the mastermind behind the magnificent, sprawling gardens at the Ellerslie Racecourse. His passion for horticulture turned the grounds into a stunning botanical masterpiece that remains his most outstanding gift to the people of Auckland. (If you visit, you can still find a bronze bust of him looking over the gardens today.)
A dedicated Anglican churchman, Mitchelson served on the vestry of St Matthew-in-the-City and was a founder of the Diocesan School for Girls.
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Knighted in 1920 for his immense contributions to the community and his work with the St John Ambulance Association, Sir Edwin Mitchelson passed away in 1934 at the age of 88 and was laid to rest at Purewa.
FURTHER READING:
Recognising Two Leading Aucklanders
Mitchelson, (Sir) Edwin
Died 11 April 1934
aged 88 years
Block E Row 34 Plot 23
