Selwyn Street in the suburb of Addington in Christchurch

Selwyn Street – Named after George Augustus Selwyn (1809- 1878). Selwyn was the first Bishop of New Zealand 1841-1868 and later Bishop of Lichfield 1868- 1878.

The library website information was brief for a long street that is also an old street. I walked this street yesterday and started from the Beckenham end. There are some lovely well-kept villas this end of the street. A couple of more modern places but not many plus two places with a strange roof. Near the Milton intersection there were some rougher houses plus there is a dairy (deli, corner store) and a garage (petrol station) on this corner. From Milton St to Brougham St there are still some well-kept villas but again some modern places. On this street most of the modern houses are behind the villas. The villas would have had big sections in the old days and have gradually been subdivided. I did visit South Intermediate School as they have some great street art. A school friend’s ex-husband used to be headmaster here. Do they still use that word these days? He ex-husband was also the nephew of a French teacher from my high school.
Just before Brougham St there is the Selwyn Street shops which were mostly demolished after the earthquakes but is gradually being rebuilt. I used to use these shops a lot in the old days when there was a second-hand bookshop and a quilting shop. There is a new shop here selling good quality second-hand clothing. I was accosted for for money today in this area but I was polite.
The next section which goes from Brougham St to Hagley Ave I know really well. There is a motel on the corner by Brougham St. Some of the houses in this section are much rougher and looking rundown but then we are now in Addington. There are also more flats rather than houses this end as well. There are several businesses in this section. There are still a few workers cottages and a couple have been well looked. It is a pity that the Heritage people aren’t interested in them as they do have history. The trouble is that the history is of the poorer people of old Christchurch.
Last but not least we have the Addington Cemetery which is one of the oldest cemeteries in Christchurch. I think that we all know that this is one of my favourite places.

Note this street spans more than one suburb.