Park Terrace in the Central City, Christchurch

Park Tce in the Central City- formerly Mill Road. Named because of its proximity to Hagley Park. Appears as Mill Road on an 1862 map. The section of Park Terrace from Armagh Street to Salisbury Street was named officially in 1872. First appears in street directories in 1880A small amount of information from the library website. I couldn’t find anything about Mill Rd on Papers Past There were a couple of references that could have referred to this street but I wasn’t sure. In 1866 there was 47 acres of land available that had it’s frontage on Mill Rd leading from Lincoln Rd to Heathcote Mill. I couldn’t find out where Heathcote Mill was situated. There was also freehold land available on Windmill Rd with frontage on Mill Rd and close to town belt. Windmill Rd is the old name for Antigua St. Residents in 1872 requested the road be named Park Lane and I got the impression that this stretch of road didn’t have a name. Councillor Jones suggested Park Terrace which was obviously accepted. A Thomas Douglas didn’t like this suggestion and wanted Hagley Park as the name for the road. That would have been very confusing so I can see why that suggestion wasn’t accepted. I did find an entry for 1871 where residents requested a footpath and this was before the street was officially named. There were thousands of entries for streets with this name. In 1904 the residents were against telegraph poles that had been erected as they spoiled the view and they were still complaining a decade later. Willows were planted in 1933. In 1930 the Helen Connon Hall was nearly complete and it would be a hostel for female students at the University. Henry Wigram must have lived on Park Tce as his funeral left from his residence here and Lady Wigram’s name appeared frequently in the social pages. In 1909 the residents objected to the proposal that the street name be changed to Rolleston Ave and to be a continuation of Rolleston Ave. I have walked this street many times and thought that I had already written up about it but when checking found out that I hadn’t done this. The property website said that there are 148 properties here. I don’t know where they are hiding these properties as there certainly aren’t that many. A few built in 1980s and 2000. There is at least two big empty sections. One big empty section belongs to Bishopspark Retirement Village. It is possible that the villas have separate titles which would explain the number of properties. The property website has one house from 1915 and this used to be a gorgeous house. Sadly it is the house that was badly damaged by the arsonist. He was in court this week and he said that he couldn’t give a reason for the arson. Just that he felt like doing it and that he sat by the river watching it burn. The buildings are only on one side of the street and the river and Hagley Park is on the other side. A few months ago I read an article about Bishopspark and thought that if I was unable to manage living in my own home that this place would suit me. When walking past it I am not so sure but I do like the location. I didn’t take any photos of the house from 1915 as I have taken several photos of it recently both before and after the fire.

Edited to add – I have had a good look at the 1862 map and I wish that I had looked at before writing up the street. Mill Road was on the map and it is exactly the same road as Park Terrace. On the corner near where the current Girls High School is situated was Avon Mill. Rolleston Ave was part of Cambridge Terrace on this map. This map mostly just covers the area bounded by the four avenues. If you are interested google Christchurch map 1862 and it is on the library website.

Lincoln Rd went as as the hospital which is now Hagley Ave. Antigua St is on this map whereas I thought it was called Windmill Rd and there is a wee drawing of a windmill on the map. I need to check my write up about Antigua St as it was possibly two streets that became one street.