Robert Tapper was born at Reading, England, on 2nd October 1829, the eldest son of Robert Tapper, solicitor, Titchfield, Hampshire. He was educated at Kingston Academy, Reading, and afterwards at the Blue Coat School, where he became head boy in 1844. He left England for Australia in 1854 and on to New Zealand in 1862 when gold was discovered in Otago. He eventually settled in Invercargill in 1863 and commenced business as a timber merchant on the north east corner of Dee and Spey Streets (Block 70, Section 22) [Southland Times, 2 July 1872].

By 1864, he had established his ironmonger shop on Block I, Section 22, diagonally opposite his timberyard. He had purchased the section from a Mr David Inverarity, with the building having previously been used by Thomas Brunton & Co. [Southland Times, 6 Nov, 1867].

In 1873 he had a new two story wooden building constructed of red pine [Southland Times, 21 Nov 1873] [see photo 57].

In October 1876, Robert took his brother Alfred into partnership and the firm became R. & A. Tapper Bros. [Southland Times, 23 Oct 1876].

The ironmonger and timber businesses were sold to Messrs Guthrie and Larnach on 1st September 1878. [Southland Times, 16 Sep 1878].

After retiring from business, Robert Tapper went in for sheep farming and acquired several properties, the chief being Toi Tois Estate of 14,000 acres, Clifden Station, Waiau, and Eastbourne Park, Flint’s Bush.

Edwin [Alfred] Tapper was a councillor 1871-1873 and 1884-1887, and mayor of Invercargill 1888-1889.

Sources: Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Otago and Southland Provincial Districts]; Land Deeds Indexes; Papers Past.