Macann Lane in the suburb of Spreydon, Christchurch

Macann Lane in Spreydon – Named after Reginald Edward Carson Macann (1919-1989) and his wife, Nola Olive Macann (1928-2013). The Macanns lived at 438a Barrington Street from 1949. In 2013 this address is 8 Macann Lane. From 1969 the Macanns had a market garden there with glasshouses. The original access to the house became the private laneway to provide access to the sections at the rear. The source of this information says her mother, who purchased one of the last sections, had the impression the Macanns had intended to stay at their Macann Lane property once the land had been divided up, and some of the sections were originally intended to go to their children, but they sold the lot and moved to Lyttelton Street. According to an elderly family friend, the whole area was originally farmland before the Macanns moved there. They could also remember seeing cows being walked up Howard Street on the way to the saleyards. Named on 22 March 1971. First appears in street directories in 1976. Information supplied in 2012 by Amy Roberts. Information on date of naming in a letter sent to the City Librarian from the Town Clerk dated 24 March 1971.A huge amount of information from the library website and there is nothing that I can add about the naming of the street. I probably met the Macann family from my days of working at Barrington Post Office but can’t remember them. Note I am talking about the original Post Office which was in the building where Couplands Bakery is now situated and there was an entrance to Barrington Mall here.There are 14 properties here with all being built in the 1970s except for one built in 1950. The entrance to the lane looks like a private driveway and I didn’t actually walk it last night. I did walk it in December 2019 when I was delivering the Addington Times and I remember having a lovely chat with one of the house owners. She had a gorgeous garden. Most the houses here had lovely gardens and I suspect that it is mostly retired people who live here. A lovely wee place but probably not for me as I would let the street down as I am not good at doing gardening.LikeCommentShare