POTTS, THOMAS HENRY (1823-88) was born in England, educated there and trained as a gunmaker. He had a prosperous business in Birmingham, and was able to devote much of his attention to his hobbies, botany, entomology and horticulture. In 1853 (having married Charlotte Jane, daughter of Henry Phillips) he sold his business and came to Canterbury in the John Taylor, bringing with him in specially designed cases a fine assortment of English and European plants (including azalea and rhododendron). He acquired a large section at the corner of Tuam and Antigua streets in Christchurch and soon had a fine garden. In 1856 he took up land at Ohinetahi, Governor's Bay, which by hard work and artistic planning he transformed from a wilderness into a garden. Here he brought up his family and indulged his study of nature and the habits of birds and animals. For many years he wrote weekly notes 'Out in the Open' in the New Zealand Country Journal, and a volume of them was published in 1882. His graceful prose gave distinction to their unique interest. He was elected a fellow of the Linnaean Society. Potts was a generous benefactor alike of philanthropic and scientific objects. He made numerous gifts to the Canterbury Museum and for some years, as a governor of Canterbury College (1873), he was on the museum and school of art committee. He was in the Provincial Council for Port Victoria (1858-61, 1866-75) and was M.H.R. for Mount Herbert (1866-70). His death occurred on 27 Jul 1888.

Parlty Record; N.Z. Jour. Science, vol. ii (p); Natural Hist. Cant.; Potts, Op. cit.; Lyttelton Times, 8 Apr, 28 Jul 1888. Portrait: Parliament House.

Reference: Volume 2, page 93

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