GREENWOOD, GEORGE DEAN (1851-1932) was born at Haworth, Yorkshire, England, the son of George Oates Greenwood, and brother of Dr Harry Greenwood. Educated privately and at a public school at Reading, he learned farming in Leicestershire, where he hunted with the Quorn and Pytchley.

Three of his uncles, James, Joseph and Edward, had arrived in Canterbury from Australia in 1843, and taken up a property at Purau, on Banks Peninsula, in which his father also had an interest. In 1847 they sold it and bought more stock for their run at Motunau.

Greenwood went to California in the hope that he might find it suitable for sheep farming but, being disappointed, he returned to England. His father, being now the sole survivor of the partnership, had bought the Teviotdale estate in north Canterbury (1867), and in 1875 Greenwood paid a visit to New Zealand to inspect the property. He then studied the wool trade in Bradford and in 1878 took charge of Teviotdale. He was one of the first breeders to attempt the evolution of a type of sheep specially suited to New Zealand and by crossing the Leicester with the merino he produced the Corriedale, which gave superior wool and mutton.

Greenwood had a thorough knowledge of station management. He sold off much of Teviotdale, but bought other properties in Queensland and Argentina, with which he had great success. One noteworthy instance of his foresight was his conversion of a cattle property in Australia to sheep. He was one of the founders of the North Canterbury Freezing Co., of which he was for some years chairman.

In 1908 Greenwood took up racing with great success. He engaged R. J. Mason as trainer and bought such horses as Sunglow, Perle d'Or, Acrostic, Lady Wayward, Formden and Armlet. He had an extraordinary series of successes in New Zealand and Australia, including the Derby (12 times), the Jackson Plate (10), the C.J.C. Challenge stakes (10) and the Auckland (6), Middle Park Plate (6), the St Leger and the A.C. Gimcrack stakes. Greenwood married first a daughter of Robert Chapman (Springbank) and second Mrs Helene Cross. He died on 28 Aug 1932.

Cycl. NZ, iii; Who's Who NZ, 1932; The Press and The Lyttelton Times, 29 Aug 1932 (p).

Reference: Volume 1, page 178

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