Ernest Andrews

Sir Ernest Herbert Andrews CBE (25 June 1873 – 9 November 1961) was Mayor of Christchurch from 1941 until his retirement in 1950. He had served continuously on Christchurch City Council since 1919.

Early life and family

Andrews was born in Brightwater near Nelson in 1873. He married Caroline Maria Couzins (born 5 August 1872) on 14 March 1900. They had three children: Alpha Herbert (born 1901), Pelham Winter (born 1904) and Gwendoline Cynthia (born 1909).^[1]

Eveleyn Charlotte Couzins (1896–1945) was his first wife's niece.^[2]

Political career

Samoan high chiefs Tupua Tamasese Meaʻole (fifth from left) and Malietoa Tanumafili II (second from right) welcomed to Christchurch in 1945 by Mayor Ernest Andrews (fourth from left) and Deputy-Mayor Melville Lyons (right)

Andrews was elected as councillor onto Christchurch City Council in 1919. In 1941, he was elected as mayor, a position that he held for three terms until his retirement in 1950. He provided continuous service to Christchurch City Council for 31 years.^[3]

Andrews' first wife died in 1937, before he became mayor, and so his niece, Eveleyn Couzins, acted as the mayoress from 1941 until her death in 1945. Couzins made a valued contribution to the community, especially through the organisation of parcels for dispatch to New Zealand servicemen abroad. Although she had suffered from some minor illnesses, she continued to carry out her duties as mayoress until she became seriously ill, two weeks before her death in June 1945.^[2] She is buried in B24P188 in Linwood Cemetery.^[4] Andrews' daughter Gwendoline then took over the role of mayoress.^[1]

Andrews was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for social welfare and patriotic services in 1946,^[5] and a Knight Bachelor in the 1950 Birthday Honours,^[6] the first Christchurch serving mayor to be so honoured. He retired in October 1950, having had been mayor for longer than any other incumbent up to that time.

Later life

Andrews died in Christchurch on 9 November 1961. The funeral service took place at the Rugby Street Methodist church, with which Andrews had been long associated. He is buried at Bromley Cemetery, with his first wife.^[1] The simple Andrews grave states that Caroline Andrews lived from 1872–1937 and Ernest Andrews from 1873–1961.^[7]

He was survived by his second wife, Florence May Emmett.^[7]

Honorific eponym

Andrews Crescent in the suburb of Spreydon is named in his honour.^[8]

References

Mayors of Christchurch
Chairman	John Hall John Ollivier Isaac Luck Edward Bishop William Wilson
Mayors	elected by councillors William Wilson John Anderson Andrew Duncan James Jameson Henry Sawtell Edward Bishop Michael Hart Fred Hobbs elected at large Fred Hobbs James Gapes Henry Thomson Charles Thomas Ick James Gapes (2nd) George Ruddenklau Charles Hulbert Aaron Ayers Charles Louisson Samuel Manning Charles Gray William Prudhoe Eden George Thomas Gapes Walter Cooper Harry Joseph Beswick Walter Cooper (2nd) Charles Louisson (2nd) William Reece Arthur Rhodes Henry Wigram Charles Mathew Gray (2nd) John Hall George Payling Charles Allison Thomas Taylor John Joseph Dougall1 Henry Holland Henry Thacker James Arthur Flesher Rev John Archer Dan Sullivan John Beanland Robert Macfarlane Ernest Andrews Robert Macfarlane (2nd) George Manning Ron Guthrey Neville Pickering Hamish Hay Vicki Buck Garry Moore Bob Parker Lianne Dalziel
Mayoral elections	annual term 1875† 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882† 1883 1884† 1885† 1886 1887† 1888† 1889† 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897† 1898† 1899† 1901† 1902† 1903† 1904† 1905 1906† 1907† 1908 1909 1910† 1911 1912 1913 1914 biennial term 1915 1917 1919 1921 1923 1925 1927 1929 1931 1933 triennial term 1935 1936‡ 1938 1941 1944 1947 1950 1953 1956 1958‡ 1959 1962 1965 1968 1971 1974 1977 1980 1983 1986 1989 1992 1995 1998 2001 2004 2007 2010 2013 2016
† Elected unopposed · ‡ By-election · 1 appointed following death of incumbent