Allom Lane in Cashmere – Named after Thomas Allom (1804-1872). Allom, an English artist, topographical illustrator and architect, was one of the founder members of what eventually became the Royal Institute of British Architects. He was a friend of Edward Gibbon Wakefield and spent some time in Canterbury where he lithographed some works of Heaphy. Two of his sons, Alfred and Charles, later emigrated to New Zealand. First appears in street directories in 1990. Information supplied in 2007 by Barry Allom in an interview with Margaret Harper.
A reasonable amount of information from the library website. There were a few entries on Papers Past and I thought that perhaps there was a mistake with the name Alfred but there wasn’t. There was also a brother Albert who came out to New Zealand and lots more entries about him on Papers Past. I wasn’t expecting this street to get interesting but I had a wee sidetrack. There were several entries on Papers Paper giving credit to Thomas Allom’s wife for the first bees in New Zealand. An article in 1895 said that bees were first introduced to New Zealand in 1845 by Mrs Thomas Allom who gave the bees to Miss Wakefield to bring to New Zealand. The author of the article then wanted to know who was responsible for introducing fleas and sweetbriars. I went googling as I expected there would be more information about this and there was more information as a Mary Bumby is credited with introducing bees to New Zealand in 1839. Mary Bumby is recognised by the Bee Keepers Association for this act.
I have actually walked this street twice as I also walked it in July 2019 when I walked Longhurst Terrace but forgot to write it up. If I don’t take photos I sometimes forget I have walked a street so this time I took a photo. Only 12 houses here and they were mostly built in the 1980s and 1990s. Great views but beyond my budget.
Lytteltonwitch's Walking the streets of Christchurch Project 