Skip to main content

Story: Wairarapa region

The Wrigleys’ small farm

Image
The Wrigleys’ small farm

In 1854 James Wrigley took part in the first ballot for sections – one town acre and 40 rural acres – in the Small Farms Association settlement of Masterton. The following year he moved to the town and became its first bootmaker. In 1866 he married Sarah Bennington, 23 years his junior. The couple had six children. This 1880s photo shows the family on their farm, which supported a small dairy herd.

Using this item

Wairarapa Archive

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page

Ben Schrader, Wairarapa region – European settlement, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/12081/the-wrigleys-small-farm (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Ben Schrader, published 2 March 2009, updated 1 March 2017.