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Story: Road accidents

Arthur’s Stone

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Arthur’s Stone

In 1843, missionary Richard Taylor made this sketch of the column he erected to commemorate the death of his son Arthur in a horse-riding accident in 1840. It is the forerunner of the modern roadside cross, used to mark the site of fatal road accidents.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: E-296-q-034-1

by Richard Taylor

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Nancy Swarbrick, Road accidents – Growth in road injuries and deaths, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/artwork/20898/arthurs-stone (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Nancy Swarbrick, published 17 February 2010, updated 1 December 2014.