the town of Tinwald is in Canterbury, New Zealand, now little more than a suburb of Ashburton. It lies to the south of the larger town, separated from it by the Ashburton River.

The town was named after Tynwald, the parliament of the Isle of Man.

Prominent former citizens of Tinwald include William Massey, who was Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1912 to 1925.



the following was taken from NZETC, was written about 1900 and has a lot mmore information on the settlers if you click this link:
TINWALD

... The Town Of Tinwald is situated close to Ashburton, on the south bank of the Ashburton river.
Its railway station, which is two miles from Ashburton, is the centre of the township.
The saleyards, which are about one mile from the railway station, are well designed for cattle and sheep sales, which are held fortnightly.

As a town district, Tinwald has a population of 561, but this enumeration does not include the large farming district of which it is the centre.
The portion of the town nearest Ashburton is occupied principally by the business men of that borough, and retired farmers.
The local place of business include two general stores, a drapery establishment, two blacksmiths' shops and a hotel, and there is a good public school.
Tinwald has a domain, which has long been a favourite resort with picnic parties, who enjoy themselves on the banks of the pretty miniature lake, and under the overhanging willows and shrubs which fringe its banks.
Races are held on the local racecourse once a year, on New Year's day.

(a summary of some of the residents in 1900. CLick the above link for more ... incudes photos):

Morrison, George William, General Blacksmith, Graham's Road, Tinwald. Mr. Morrison was born at Leithfield, where he was also educated. He was apprenticed to his trade in 1874, at ?Lagmhor,? when that estate was the property of the late Mr. John McLean.

Gudsell, James, General Storekeeper, Butcher and Baker, Tinwald. Mr. Gudsell was born in Surrey, England, where he received part of his education. At the age of ten, he came to Lyttelton with his parents, by the ship ?Egmont,? in 1862.

Robinson, Joseph, General Storekeeper, Archibald Street, Tinwald. Mr. Robinson was born at Ludborough, Lincolnshire, England, where he was educated. After serving an apprenticeship to the milling and bakery trades, he went in for farming. He came to Lyttelton by the ship ?Invercargill? in 1884, and shortly afterwards went to the Ashburton county, where he was engaged at farm-contracting, pipe-draining, and afterwards at chaffcutting

Clothier, John Alfred Coal and Produce Merchant, Tinwald. Mr. Clothier was born at Kaiapoi, and is a son of the late Mr. Edward Clothier, who arrived in Canterbury by the ship ?Jane Seymour? in 1853. He was educated at Kaiapoi, and was employed by the late Mr Joseph Clark, of Kaiapoi Island, with whom he came to Ashburton in the year 1878

Williams, Thomas, Carrier, Tinwald. Mr. Williams is a native of Montgomerieshire, England, and came to Lyttelton in January, 1873, by the ship ?Star of India.? After following farming for a number of years, he joined his brother in the butchery business at Winslow, where he remained for five years. He then started in business as a general carrier. In 1885 he bought the plant and business of Mr. J. Johnston, who was at that time doing the carrying trade between Ashburton and Tinwald, and started as a general carrier

Bonnington, Frederick, Farmer, Tinwald. Mr. Bonnington has been in New Zealand for more than half a century, and his physical robustness bears splendid testimony to the beneficial effects of the climate of the Colony. He was born in Derbyshire, in 1844, and accompanied his mother to Nelson in the ship ?Mariner,? in 1850

Doherty, Charles, Farmer, Graham's Road, Tinwald. Mr. Doherty is a native of Limerick, Ireland, where he was brought up on his father's farm, a portion of the Earl of Dunraven's property. He came to New Zealand by the ship ?Hydaspes,? and shortly afterwards went to Rangitata, where for some years he managed a farm for Mr. J. H. Twentyman, after which he was appointed manager for Mr. J. Ballantyne in the same district

Hampton, James, Farmer, Grove Farm, Tinwald. Mr. Hampton was born in County Armagh, Ireland, in 1848, and was brought up to agriculture. He came to New Zealand, in the ship ?Charlotte Gladstone,? and landed at Lyttelton. For some time he was engaged in farming at Southbridge, and removed to Ashburton in 1874

Long, Adam, Silverstream. Farm, Lagmhor Road, Tinwald. Mr. Long is a native of County Limerick, Ireland, where he was educated, and brought up to farming on his father's farm. While a young man he went to America, and was engaged in stone-turning in the city of Concord, for three years. After visiting the World's Fair at Chicago, he came to New Zealand, via San Francisco, and landed at Lyttelton in October, 1893

Rogers, John Wheeler, Farmer, Graham's Road, Tinwald. Mr. Rogers was born in Worcestershire, England, but was brought up and educated in Shropshire, where he gained experience in sheep breeding on his father's farm. He himself had a farm of 300 acres for six years, but sold out on leaving for New Zealand. Mr. Rogers landed at Lyttelton by the ship ?Soukar? in 1877, and became manager for Mr. Andrew Duncan, at West Melton, for six years

Mr. John Carter, who was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1838, and came to New Zealand about 1859, was among the earliest settlers in the Ashburton district, and was closely identified with its agricultural progress. He was for two years manager of the Mount Hutt station, and afterwards took over the management of the Wanaka Lake station in Otago

Mr. Arthur Johnston Huston, of Carter's Terrace, Tinwald, is a native of County Derry, Ireland, where he was educated and brought up on his father's farm. He arrived in Lyttelton in 1868, and went to Christchurch by the first passenger train that steemed through the tunnel. After arriving in Canterbury he worked on Mr. John Millen's farm at Southbridge for twelve months, and then on Messrs Dudley and Lawrence's farm at Leeston

Mr. Donald McLean, of ?Kinraid,? Tinwald, has had more than half a century's colonial experience, and comes from the Western Highlands of Scotland, where he was born in 1835. He came out to Melbourne early in 1852, and followed the ?rushes? to the diggings. When, ten years later, he arrived in New Zealand, he was appointed manager of the well-known Lagmhor estate, and filled the position for thirty-six years. This estate was then owned by the Messrs McLean Bros., and was stocked with 20,00 sheep chiefly Merinos