Richardson Terrace in the suburb of Woolston, Christchurch

Richardson Terrace in Woolston – Named after John Richardson (1847?-1927). River Road South first appears in street directories in 1896. Becomes River Road West in 1900. Re-named Richardson Terrace in 1904. John Richardson, a tanner, was the first mayor of Woolston when the borough was created in 1893. He was mayor until 1896, and again from 1902. He lived at Regent Street (later part of Ferry Road), Woolston, until shortly before his death. Richardson Terrace runs off this. First appears in street directories in 1911. A reasonable amount of information from the library website. There is a memorial to John Richardson at the Ferry Road end of the street but as I actually walked this street in November 2019 I can’t remember if I manage to get a photo of it. I have no idea why I didn’t research and write up the street back in 2019 but sometimes I walk too many streets.There were too many entries for River Road in Papers Past as it was a common name for streets. Lots of entries about flooding problems and it is obviously still an issue on this street. In 1910 there was discussion about forming the road once title to the land required for road widening was completed. Discussion in 1914 about extension to bridge over Bell’s Creek at Richardson Terrace. In 1913 the Woolston Lawn Tennis Club opened on land that they had purchased. In 1930s there were meetings about the railway bridge and the height of it. Described as being dangerous and the risk of trucks hitting it. In 1935 there was discussion about building a library on the corner of Opawa Rd and Richardson Terrace. The library is still on this corner and Richardson Terrace is on the border of Opawa but the library has it in the suburb of Woolston. Lots of articles about accidents and cars occasionally went into the river. Lots of mention about setting up the memorial garden to J McCombs and there is an entrance to this memorial garden on Richardson Terrace. Lots of death notices. In 1913 John Richardson was born in Cupar in Scotland and he was orphaned as a child of 4 or 5 years old. He was bought up by his uncle John Smith. He came to New Zealand with his aunt and uncle in 1864 on the ship West Australian. His uncle established a tannery and carrier business in Woolston. John Richardson inherited this business when his uncle died but sold it to Walter Hill in 1897. John Richardson married Matilda Witty on 21st August 1889 at the residence of Matilda’s sister. John was aged 42 and Matilda aged 57 at the time of their marriage going by marriage records. Matilda’s first husband died in Yorkshire in 1885 and John was a bachelor. Matilda had several members of her family in Christchurch including her son George Witty. Both John and Matilda are buried in Woolston cemetery but most family trees on the ancestry website haven’t figured this out. John died in 1927 aged 80 and Matilda died in 1913 aged 81.There are still many older houses on this street dated between 1890 and 1920 but there are a few built more recently. There seems to be at least one house for every decade. Lovely houses here but still wouldn’t live here because of the flooding issues.