Biography

Frank Hathaway Hitchings was born in Blackheath in 1843, and came out to New Zealand on the Silina [i.e. Celaeno] in 1869. On the voyage out he became interested in astronomy. He and his wife Margaret, née Wiiliams, lived at 69 Durham Street, Sydenham, where Mr. Hitchings worked as a bricklayer and chimney sweep.

He built an observatory in his back yard, where he made a particular study of sunspots. In 1902 he was made a member of the Royal Astronomical Society. He died in 1921.

In 1876 Frank Hitchings built the brick terraced houses at 63-81 Durham Street, known as Blackheath Place. Mr. Hitchings wanted to build more of them for workers, but the Christchurch City Council would not allow him, pointing out that people had emigrated to get away from such housing. Blackheath Place still stands.

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