[1] William Deans arrived on the Canterbury Plains in February 1843 with Samuel Manson and James Robinson Clough.

Deans had chosen a location next to a lowland forest (now known as Riccarton Bush) as the site for his farm; land known to Māori as Pūtaringamotu.

[5] William Deans died in July 1851 on a trip to New South Wales when his ship got wrecked at Cape Terawhiti.

[6] This event delayed John Deans' departure for Scotland by several months; he was due to go and marry his fiancée.

[6][8] Whilst John Deans had chosen and cleared a site for a larger house prior to his departure for Scotland, no further work was done on it before his death.

[11] In 1947, Deans Cottage was relocated by traction engine by some 170 metres (560 ft) to where the scout hall is currently located.

The last remaining piece of land, a triangle described by the Avon River, Kahu Road, and the drive to Riccarton House was purchased by the city council in 1975.