Steam Wharf Lane in the suburb of Woolston, Christchurch

Steam Wharf Lane in Woolston and there was nothing on the library website. I was surprised that there was nothing on the library website as most houses date from 1990s plus one from 1945. I suspect that the house from 1945 would have been part of a property that had either a Ferry Rd or Dyers Rd address. I didn’t actually walk the street as it just looked like a private driveway and I am never comfortable walking such streets. I was surprised to realise that there were 9 houses here. There was a wharf in this area and in the earlier days it was called Christchurch Quay but it was soon called Steam Wharf Ferry Rd. This was to distinguish it from the Heathcote Steam Wharf. In October 1891 there was an obituary for Edward Watson Tippets and he was the manager of the Steam Wharf until it closed. All employees were transferred to work at the Christchurch Railway Station. Edward Tippet was born in Walbrook, London and came to New Zealand in June 1851 on the Steadfast. He sold his house on Stanmore Rd in 1878 and then lived in hotels. This was very common those days. It doesn’t look like he ever married and is buried in Linwood cemetery. There is a wee walkway nearby that takes you from Alport Place to Dyers Rd and the walkway is called Steam Wharf Stream Reserve. It follows a wee stream obviously called Steam Wharf Stream.

Edited to say that the house dating from 1945 would have been on the part of Dyers Rd that is now Alport Place.