WIGRAM, SIR HENRY FRANCIS (1857-1934) was the son of a London barrister, William Knox Wigram, and the Hon Mary Ann Pomeroy, daughter of Viscount Harberton. He was educated at Harrow, and had spent a few years in the service of the Bank of England and one year with a shipping firm when his health failed and he emigrated to New Zealand. After spending some years in various places he settled in Christchurch in 1883, and two years later established the business of Wigram Brothers, maltsters and brick makers, with kilns at Heathcote and Woolston. He also founded in 1887 the Canterbury Seed Co. (of which he was 30 years chairman). He was a director also of the New Zealand Refrigerating Co., the Christchurch Brick Co., Ward and Co., and the Lyttelton Times Co. (of which he was for 30 years chairman).

Devoting himself closely to his business and taking for the time no part in public life or local government, he acquired a leading position in the city and in 1900 was elected chairman of the committee to arrange the celebration of the jubilee of the province. In 1901 he was a commissioner for the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York, and during the Boer war he was prominently associated with various patriotic movements in Canterbury. In May 1902 he was invited to stand for the mayoralty of Christchurch and elected unopposed. There were at that time three privately owned tramway systems in the city, most of the tramcars being horse-drawn. Wigram was a member and deputy chairman of the first tramway board elected under the act of 1902, which defined a wide area for the operation of the projected electrical system. As mayor he took an active part in unifying the administrative boroughs included in the tramway area. Sydenham and St Albans were the first to amalgamate (Apr 1903), and Wigram became the first mayor of greater Christchurch (1903-04). In 1903 he was called to the Legislative Council, and in order to devote himself freely to his heavy public duties he retired from active business.

Wigram was one of the earliest public men in New Zealand to appreciate the possibilities of aviation, and before 1914 he urged in the Legislative Council the advisability of an adequate air defence for the Dominion. Having obtained official sanction, he promoted the Canterbury Aviation Co. with a capital of £30,000. The company during the war of 1914-18 sent to England for service 180 pilots. After the war it continued to receive a government subsidy. In 1923 Wigram promoted a fund for the purchase of the aerodrome to which he himself contributed £10,000, besides giving an area of 81 acres of land adjoining the field. He assisted in the formation of the Canterbury Aero club (to which he presented the Wigram cup); fostered the establishment of other private clubs throughout the country, and was patron of the Aero Club of New Zealand. For his services to aviation he was knighted (1926). He was also one of the first motorists in Canterbury and was first president of the Canterbury Automobile association. For many years he was president of the Canterbury head-centre of the Royal Life Saving society. His benefactions included gifts to the coal and blanket fund, and the coping wall surrounding Christchurch cathedral. In 1916 he published The Story of Christchurch. Sir Wigram in 1920 retired from the Legislative Council and from many public positions for reasons of health, but continued to take a keen interest in aviation until his death on 6 May 1934. He married in 1885 Agnes Vernon (daughter of Harry Eden Sullivan), who survived him.

N.Z.P.D., 29 Jun 1934; Who's Who N.Z., 1908; Wigram, op. cit.; Lyttelton Times and The Press, 7 May 1934.

Reference: Volume 2, page 256

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