John and Elizabeth Finch immigrated to New Zealand as young parents. Born in Derbyshire England in 1814, John worked as a labourer before leaving for Otago. Elizabeth was also born in Derbyshire, in 1821. The couple married about 1840. Along with their four children, John and Elizabeth left London for New Zealand in November 1847. They travelled on board the John Wickliffe, the first ship to reach Otago carrying immigrants for the proposed Presbyterian settlement. Treacherous weather and storms battled the Wickliffe as it journeyed to Otago and after 166 long and rocky days at sea the ship arrived in Port Chalmers in March 1848.
As some of the first colonial settlers in Dunedin, John and Elizabeth faced the difficult task of constructing a home in the fledging settlement’s harsh and wild terrain. Barracks were initially constructed on the beach from local materials such as native grasses, flax and timber. The Finch family lived in these barracks before eventually settling in the Stafford-Princes Street area in 1849. Whilst living in Dunedin John worked as a storeman and a public carrier.
After nearly a decade of living in Dunedin, John then purchased a farm, named ‘Athol Farm’, on the Tokomairiro plain and Jane and the family moved with him. Misfortune struck in 1867 when fire consumed the farm’s barn. Rumours circulated that the fire was not accidental; however, it is unknown if the arsonist was ever caught.
John and Elizabeth had an additional six children in New Zealand. In 1875 however, they lost one of their sons, William. Elizabeth passed away that same year. John died later in 1887. His obituary noted that he ‘never took a prominent part in public affairs but followed the quiet life of a settler’. Mark Finch subsequently took over the running of ‘Athol Farm’.