Andrew Duncan (1834 – 10 December 1880) was Mayor of Christchurch 1869–1870. From a working-class background in Scotland, he emigrated to New Zealand as a young man and became a highly respected member of the Christchurch community. He is remembered for his later work as an immigration agent in Scotland on behalf of the Canterbury Province.

Duncan was born in western Scotland in 1834 to the gardener George Duncan (1791–1866) and his wife Christina. The four members of the Duncan family (the parents with Andrew and his younger sister Agnes) came out to New Zealand in 1858, arriving in Lyttelton on 21 September on the Zealandia.^[1]

Duncan recalled in 1873 that in his early days, he was "not ashamed to turn his hand to whatever employment presented itself". He ploughed, sowed and worked in road construction. He regarded the portion of the Great North Road from the Styx River to Chaneys that he had formed as "one of the best in the colony". For some time, he was employed by Christchurch's first mayor William Wilson in his nursery before he set himself up as a nurseryman and seedsman. He had shops in Gloucester Street and later in Cashel Street in the central city of Christchurch, and nurseries in Phillipstown (in Duncan's Road, named after himself, but soon renamed Nursery Road^[2]) and later in Ensors Road. He specialised in new or rare plants, and greenhouse stock.^[3][4]

Duncan married Isabella after he had been in Canterbury for a few years.^[5] His sister Agnes Duncan married William Boag on 17 June 1886.^[6] Boag became a wealthy man and the Christchurch suburb of Burnside is named after his residence. Agnes died on 17 September 1923, almost 20 years after Boag.^[3]

The Duncans had many children. Alexander Storie Duncan was born on 28 November 1870.^[7] Ronald O. Duncan was their sixth son and was born in Christchurch in 1875.^[8] James Robertson Duncan (d. 1914) founded the nursery Duncan and Davies in New Plymouth.^[9][10][11]

After his return from England, Duncan became involved in education. He was appointed to the Board of Education, and later chairman, and became commissioner of School reserves. In his role, he opened several district state schools.^[4]

He served on other bodies, like the Drainage Board, the Waste Lands Board, and the South Waimakariri Board of Conservation. He was a member of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association, and chaired this organisation at the time of his death. He was a member of the Christchurch Horticultural Society, including secretary at one point.^[4] At the time of his death, he was the vice-president of the Union Rowing Club.^[21]

The Duncans were one of five Scottish settler families in Canterbury.^[22] Duncan was active in the Presbyterian Church. He was a follower of the first Presbyterian minister, the Rev. Charles Fraser (1823–1886), of St Andrew's Church. In 1858, Fraser established Addington Cemetery (43.54350°S 172.62360°E / -43.54350; 172.62360 (Addington Cemetery)) in Addington as a public burial ground. It was often called the 'Scotch Cemetery' because of its links to the Presbyterian Church, but it was open to all denominations and was thus the first 'public' cemetery in Christchurch. The cemetery was eventually taken over by the Christchurch City Council.^[3][23] St Andrew's Church was relocated from its original site to Rangi Ruru Girls' School in 1986.^[24]

When Fraser's more liberal views clashed with those of his congregation, many of his congregation left, including the Duncans. A second congregation was formed at St Paul's Church. With two others, he travelled to Wanganui, trying and succeeding to attract Rev. Elmslie to St Paul's. John Anderson's oldest daughter, Jean, was married to Elmslie in 1881, with the reception at their house Inveresk. Anderson was Duncan's mayoral predecessor.^[25][26]

Although Canterbury was an Anglican settlement, the first three mayors were all Presbyterian Scotsmen—William Wilson in 1868, followed by Anderson in 1869 and Duncan in 1870.^[10]

Duncan, who had always been of good health, fell ill in mid-1880. What was thought of as bronchitis was diagnosed as heart disease, and his doctor recommended a trip to Australia. He travelled to Sydney, where he improved, and Melbourne, where he suffered a relapse. He came home on 18 November and never again arose from the sick bed. He died on 9 December 1880 at his residence in Ferry Road, aged 46.^[5][27] He was buried at Addington Cemetery on Monday, 13 December 1880, in one of the largest funeral processions that Christchurch had witnessed for some years. The Christchurch City Council adjourned their weekly meeting out of respect.^[21]