William Reece

William Reece (23 October 1856 – 17 July 1930) was a New Zealand businessman and local-body politician. He served as mayor of Christchurch for the years 1900 and 1901.

Early life Reece's father, Edward Reece, was the son of a Shropshire farmer. He arrived in Lyttelton in August 1855 on the Caroline Agnes. On 1 January 1856, Edward Reece married Isabella Asher at Lyttelton. William Reece was born on 23 October 1856 in Christchurch. William would have four younger brothers and one sister. From 1862, his father owned Bottle Lake and the Waitikiri swamplands for farming.

William Reece received his schooling at the Christchurch Academy where he was head boy in Latin and French. He was then sent to England to get an education in business management, leaving on the Waitangi in January 1875.

For a time, the artist Charles Frederick Goldie lived at Reece's Bottle Lake Farm. Goldie donated a painting of his sister Violet to Reece. The painting stayed within the family until 1966 and is now held by Te Papa, the national museum.

Political career

Local politics ran in the family for William Reece. In 1862, his father was elected onto the inaugural Christchurch Municipal Council.

Louisson was succeeded by Reece, who was elected unopposed on 20 November 1899 and installed as mayor on 20 December 1899.

Mayoral elections were usually held in the second half of December, but in 1900, that would have clashed with the Canterbury Jubilee celebrations (the First Four Ships first arrived in December 1850). Mayoral elections were thus postponed until April 1901. Reece declared in December 1900 that he could not serve another term due to other commitments, and Arthur Rhodes received a requisition asking him to be nominated as mayoral candidate.

Reece was the inaugural chairman of the Christchurch Tramway Board from 1903 to 1906.

Family and death On 28 April 1880, Reece married Eva Raine (born 1861) at Christ Church Cathedral in Nelson. They were to have five sons and two daughters.

Eva Reece died in 1926. After her death, Reece lived with one of their daughters (Mrs Molyneaux). He died at their home in Riccarton on 17 July 1930. He was survived by five sons and one daughter.