Fred Hobbs | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of Fred Hobbs | |
| 8th Mayor of Christchurch | |
| In office 16 December 1874 – 2 January 1877 | |
| Preceded by | Michael Hart |
| Succeeded by | James Gapes |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 17 December 1841 Hambleden, Buckinghamshire, England |
| Died | 13 May 1920 (aged 78) Waitati near Dunedin, New Zealand |
| Spouse | Bessie Murray |
| Relations | Frederick Hobbs (son) |
Frederick (Fred) Hobbs JP (17 December 1841 – 13 May 1920) was Mayor of Christchurch, New Zealand 1874–1877 for two terms; he was the first mayor who served more than one term. He is credited with having made significant improvements to the drainage system, and thus improving health in the wider Christchurch area. Upon his lobbying, The Christchurch District Drainage Act 1875 was passed, and Hobbs became the first chairman of the Christchurch Drainage Board. The family were tailors and the location of their business premises in the north-east quadrant of Cathedral Square gave the area the name of Hobbs' corner. Fred Hobbs commissioned a new building of permanent materials for the site, which became known as Cathedral Chambers and which stood there from the mid-1880s to the 1970s. The locality changed name to Broadway corner, based on the popular café that occupied the first floor; this name is no longer in use in Christchurch.
The Hobbs family was known for singing. Fred Hobbs was involved in establishing at least two choirs in Christchurch, and his son Frederick Henry Hobbs worked for the English D'Oyly Carte Opera Company.