Tainui Street in the suburb of Somerfield, Christchurch

Tainui St in Somerfield – First mentioned in The Press in 1910 when T. W. Jacobs advertises 2 new 4-room houses for sale there.

A tiny amount of information from library website. Note library says it is in Spreydon but property valuation website says it is in Somerfield. Real estate agents say Lower Cashmere.

There were lots of entries on Papers Past as there were several streets with the same name in New Zealand. Lots of death notices plus houses for sale over the years. Cecil William Rudkin a knitting factory foreman was mentioned in 1918 as he was applying for exemption for going to war. The Rudkin family were mentioned a few times on Papers Past and they lived at 11 Tainui St. Trees were planted on the street in 1922 and in 1925 a house and shop was destroyed by fire. In 1912 a large property was available and it had 80 fruit trees on the property. No dramas in this street. I mentioned this street in my write ups about Darley St and Moana St. Part of Tainui St became Moana St in the early 1920s the street is extended. The map for 1930 shows the street as looking like a weird T shape but it now just goes from Somerfield St to Darley St.

I actually walked this street back in January and it is a pleasant tree lined street. Slightly scary as it was a very windy day and a tree branch had fallen onto the footpath. I also chatted to a local who commented about the strong winds and her garden. Most of the houses on the street date from 1910 to 1920. There are newer houses but they are mostly on back sections. When I walked the street there were large red ribbons tied around some of the trees. I did like this street.