Settlement in Canterbury, New Zealand
Sheffield (formerly Malvern) is a small village located in the Selwyn District of the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island, near the Waimakariri Gorge.
Sheffield has a close association with its neighbouring village Waddington, which is further south-east along State Highway 73. The two villages share a community committee.
The two villages are located between Darfield and Springfield on State Highway 73 and the Midland Line railway. The towns were settled in the 19th century by farmers attracted to the area for sheep grazing.
Sheffield has a railway station and was once a railway junction. The first railway line reached the town in the late 1870s from a junction in Darfield with the Whitecliffs Branch. This line, then known as the Malvern Branch line, grew to become the Midland Line between Christchurch and the West Coast. On 28 July 1884, the Oxford Branch was extended over the Waimakariri River to Sheffield, making the town a railway junction. Plans existed to continue this extension south from Sheffield as part of the proposed Canterbury Interior Main Line, but this never came to fruition and the rail link with Oxford closed on 14 July 1930.
Demographics.
Sheffield and Waddington are described by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement. They cover and had an estimated population of 360 as of June 2024, with a population density of people per km2. They are part of the statistical area of Torlesse. Sheffield covers .
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Sheffield had a population of 99 at the 2018 New Zealand census, a decrease of 12 people (−10.8%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 24 people (32.0%) since the 2006 census. There were 33 households, comprising 48 males and 51 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.94 males per female. The median age was 42.8 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 24 people (24.2%) aged under 15 years, 18 (18.2%) aged 15 to 29, 51 (51.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 9 (9.1%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 90.9% European/Pākehā, 3.0% Māori, 9.1% Asian, and 3.0% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 51.5% had no religion, and 33.3% were Christian.
Of those at least 15 years old, 9 (12.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 24 (32.0%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $34,800, compared with $31,800 nationally. 15 people (20.0%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 39 (52.0%) people were employed full-time, and 12 (16.0%) were part-time.
Government.
Sheffield is part of the Selwyn electorate. The Selwyn District Council provides local government services for Sheffield.
Sheffield War Memorial.
The Sheffield community marked 100 years since the end of World War One by planting an oak tree for each of the 20 soldiers from the Sheffield area who lost their lives. The oaks were grown from acorns collected from the Gallipoli Oak which is next to the Bridge of Remembrance in Christchurch.
Saint Ambrose's Anglican Church.
The original church was built in 1878. A decision to replace it occurred in 1939 and work started in 1955, but it was not until 26 August 1962 that it was finally consecrated.
Sheffield Hotel.
Originally built in 1882. In poor shape, the Sheffield Hotel was taken over by new owners in 2014 who revitalised it. The Sheffield Hotel was destroyed by a fire in September 2021. The sole occupant of the hotel was awoken in the middle of the night by smoke alarms and escaped safely.
Education.
Sheffield School is a contributing primary school catering for years 1 to 6. It had a roll of 102 as of November 2024. The school opened in 1949 as a consolidation of schools in Waddington, Russells Flat and Annat.
References.
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