PEACOCK FOUNTAIN CHRISTCHURCH BOTANIC GARDENS

Erected by the Christchurch Beautifying Association from funds bequeathed by the late Hon. J. T. Peacock.

The fountain, unveiled in June 1911, was always controversial. It was first located in the Botanic Gardens adjacent to where the Robert McDougall Art Gallery was later built, but was moved to the Archery lawn a few years later. The head of the Canterbury College School of Art, Robert Herdman Smith, stated in a letter to the Press in 1911 that "it exhibited no more taste than the gaudy decoration used by travelling showmen to embellish their merry go-rounds."

Recurring maintenance problems led to the decision in 1949 to dismantle the fountain. It was put into storage in 1980s. Of the 309 cast iron pieces that made up the fountain, many went missing over the years or deteriorated, so that 158 of them had to be re-cast. The restored fountain, with a new colour scheme (again controversial), was recommissioned by the Mayor Vicki Buck on 26 May 1996 to the south of Canterbury Museum, now in its third location. One letter to The Press claimed that the new colour scheme was "cause(ing) flu-like symptoms when looked upon." The total cost of the restoration project was $270,000.