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William Guise Brittan (3 December 1809 – 18 July 1876), mostly known as Guise Brittan and commonly referred to as W. G. Brittan, was the first Commissioner of Crown Lands for Canterbury in New Zealand.
Later, he lived in Staines and then in Sherborne, Dorset, where, together with his older brother Joseph Brittan, he was proprietor of the Sherborne Mercury, a newspaper covering the area beyond the boundaries of Dorset. He married Louisa Brittan (née Chandler) and his brother married her sister Elizabeth Mary Brittan (née Chandler).
He joined the Canterbury Association, despite being of much lower class than most of its members. When a Society of Canterbury Colonists formed in 1850, with the objective of representing land purchasers (referred to as colonists, as opposed to 'emigrants' for labourers and ), Brittan was called to the chair for the first meeting on 25 April 1850. A management committee was formed, where Brittan was joined by James FitzGerald and Henry Sewell. Brittan impressed Edward Gibbon Wakefield, one of the instigators of the Canterbury Association. Wakefield wrote to John Robert Godley, the other driving force behind the colonisation scheme who was already in New Zealand, and suggested that Brittan be given a role of responsibility.
Brittan came to Christchurch on in December 1850 and was thus one of the Pilgrims (the term adopted for all those early arrivals). His wife and four children travelled with him. He chose land at Papanui Bush and alongside the Avon River just outside the initial town area (these days the area to the east of Fitzgerald Avenue), where he built his first substantial home, Englefield Lodge. His older brother Joseph followed him to Christchurch in 1852 and established his farm some downstream, which he called Linwood.
We are in an awkward position. Here was a Gentleman who told us all sorts of things which a Representative ought to attend to and then declined standing himself, because of another Candidate whose intentions no one knew anything about—and who was just on the point of starting for an excursion without giving any one an opportunity of learning his sentiments about anything.
The meeting expressed dissatisfaction with Watts-Russell and that they would not hold themselves bound to support him. FitzGerald spoke in support of Watts-Russell, but was not well received. Fooks then spoke, but mainly to attack Sewell. The following day, Sewell met with FitzGerald and discussed that either himself or Watts-Russell should retire from the contest, but that if he himself was to retire, then Watts-Russell or at least some of his friends should inform the constituency about his intentions. FitzGerald's impression was that it should be Watts-Russell who should retire. Later that day, Watts-Russell wrote an announcement that he would retire from the contest, which was published in the Lyttelton Times on 13 August.
On 9 August, the Colonists' Society held a meeting at the White Hart Hotel. Christchurch's first hotel was on the High Street (then called Sumner Road) and Cashel Street corner, with Michael Hart as proprietor. The 50 to 60 attendees were addressed by Sewell, Stuart-Wortley, and Wakefield. As a result, committees were formed that were to achieve the return of these three candidates. At this point, Sewell thought that Brittan would not have a chance of getting elected, as he was most unpopular, and he refused to go canvassing. Over the next few days, Octavius Mathias, the vicar of St Michael and All Angels, was Sewell's main antagonist.
The nominations for the town and country electorates were held together on Tuesday, 16 August. The were erected in front of the Land Office (these days the site of Our City). The three candidates for the Christchurch Country electorate spoke first, with Stuart-Wortley and Wakefield winning the show of hand, and Brittan visibly offended, but demanding a poll. Sewell was proposed by John Hall, and seconded by postmaster and storekeeper Charles Wellington Bishop. Fooks was proposed by Joshua Charles Porter (a lawyer; later Mayor of Kaiapoi), and seconded by the publican Michael Hart. Whilst Sewell's speech was well received, Fooks was laughed at and interrupted (Sewell said that Fooks did him "more service than he could have done himself"). The show of hands was in favour of Sewell; no more than five hands were raised in support of Fooks.
The election in the town electorate was held on Saturday, 20 August, between 9 am and 4 pm. The method of voting at the time was that an elector would tell the returning officer his choice of candidate. As this happened in public, a tally of the votes could be kept, and Fooks was initially ahead, but within an hour, Sewell passed him. The result was 61 votes to 34 for Sewell, who was thus declared elected.
The election in the country electorate was held one week later, on 27 August, in the same place and with another polling station in Lyttelton. In both locations, Brittan came a distant last. There were rumours at the time that Stuart-Wortley was under age; to be eligible to vote or to be elected, one had to 21 years of age. According to Burke's Peerage, he was not of full age, but the family lawyer confirmed that he was.
Brittan's wife Louisa died in 1901, aged 92. The four children that emigrated with them were Emily Foster (18 December 1842 – 30 December 1897), William Guise (12 June 1844 – 5 March 1916), Harriette Louisa (four when she arrived), and Frederick George (19 February 1848 – 10 September 1945). Frederick Brittan was the last survivor from the First Four Ships, and his funeral service was held at ChristChurch Cathedral.
Harriett (1846–1934) married Rev. Charles Carlyon Coates in 1881. Their grandson was Charles Hazlitt Upham, VC and bar.)
Emily Foster, although married (to Tony Foster) with children, continued teaching (which was unusual at the time) and became headmistress, first at Christchurch West and then at Christchurch Girls' High School.
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