Scott Street – Named after John Lee Scott (1848-1913) and his brother, George Scott (1852-1930). The brothers co-founded Scott Brothers, a firm of engineers. The street was formed on Rural Section 239, 50 acres on the South Christchurch Road originally bought by A. R. Creyke and later owned by the Scott brothers. A property for sale in Scott’s Road, Pound Road, is advertised in the Star in 1878. At a meeting of the Sydenham Borough Council on 12 May 1879, the “unhealthy state of Scott’s Road” was discussed. The residents of the street were required to form and metal it. It appears to have had the alternate name of Sir Walter Scott Street. Named after Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832), a Scottish historical novelist and poet. This name continues the theme of “poets and writers” streets of Sydenham, Addington and Waltham named by a committee of the Sydenham Borough Henry Hedge and Emily Pugh were married on 18 March 1884 at The Pines, Sir Walter Scott Street, Sydenham. A meeting of the Sydenham Borough Council held on 16 May 1887 refers to a Mr Baird’s offering “to give a piece of land to straighten Sir Walter Scott Street”. Scott’s Road appears on an 1875 deposit plan and first appears in street directories in 1887. Alexander Baird, a moulder, is a resident. Becomes Scott Street in 1894.
Well that was a lot of information from the library website and a bit confusing as to the origin of the name. A street with mostly older places and some were in poor repair. I wasn’t sure where Scott Street ended and Browning St started as there wasn’t a street sign to tell you. There was one section that had a new block of flats being built on it. It is years since I last walked down this street and there was probably an older house on this section originally. Not many photos today but I did take a photo of one very sad wee place that had obviously had a fire. Note I walked this street several monthly ago and when I recently walked past the street it looked like the fire damaged house had been repaired and it was looking good.
I checked Papers Past and in Oct 1889 the name was changed from Sir Walter Scott Street to Scott Street so I suspect that it has nothing to do with the Scott brothers. Several other streets were changed at the same times. Two other changes were Charles Dickens Street to Dickens Street and Lord Brougham Street to Brougham Street. The cynic in me thinks that the council wanted shorter street names that would fit better on street signs.
Lytteltonwitch's Walking the streets of Christchurch Project 