Cowlishaw St – Named after William Patten Cowlishaw (1839- 1903). Cowlishaw was a barrister and solicitor who founded the firm of Garrick & Cowlishaw. He was provincial solicitor, a member of the Provincial Council, and also city solicitor for many years. The entrance to the street was once the entrance to his home. Formed after Cowlishaw’s death in 1903. In 1904 a petition was received by the Heathcote Road Board from ratepayers, asking that Cowlishaw Street be formed. First appears in street directories in 1906.
A reasonable amount of information from the library website. On Papers Past found the same information about the petition from the ratepayers asking for the street to be formed. There was additional information about the petitioners agreeing to pay the costs. Sections were available for sale in 1905. William Cowlishaw was born in Sydney 01/11/1839 and died 27/03/1903. He is buried at Avonside Cemetery. Under personal items in January 1903 there was a piece that said friends of W P Cowlishaw would be pleased to hear that he was able to be out on Friday for a brief period.
In June 1903 there was an ad for the sale of the residence of the late W P Cowlishaw including five acres of land in charming grounds.
The Avonside Drive end of this street borders what used to be Avonside Girls High School but googling this school has that the school now at the old QEII site. when I walked this street there is still a school here and if it isn’t Avonside Girls High I have have no idea what school is now here. There seems to be one house left standing here but the rest have gone.
Lytteltonwitch's Walking the streets of Christchurch Project 