Clothier Street in the suburb of Phillipstown, Christchurch

Clothier Street in Phillipstown – Named after Samuel Clothier (1825-1889). Clothier and his family lived there for 4 years after arriving in Canterbury in 1850. Sections for sale in Clothier Street are advertised in the Star in 1883. First appears in street directories in 1892

A small amount of information from the library website. Papers Past had a reasonable amount of information especially birth and death notices. In September 1881 there was an ad requesting the removal of a dwelling place located on an Old Stanmore Rd property as a new street was to be developed on the property. In 1890 a new channel and culvert to be built plus the bridge to be widened. In 1935 Stacey and Hawker’s Bakery was mentioned. The street was tar sealed in 1941. From 1960s onwards only businesses were mentioned.

Samuel Clothier was living in the Kaiapoi area from the 1860s onwards but still owned the property in Christchurch. His wife died in 1870 and she was only 45. Samuel was found in his shed on his farm on Kaiapoi Island in 1889. I was amused to read in Papers Past that Samuel Clothier was bankrupt in November 1881. I have lost count of how streets in Christchurch were named after men who went bankrupt.

One entire side of the street is taken up with the business Goodman Fielder / Quality Bakers. The other side has various businesses but there was one building that was a bit of a puzzle. It had old toys on the window ledge but there wasn’t a business name on the building.

I walked this street today as I was doing the geocaching game of Adventure Lab in the area. It is easier to walk business / industrial areas in the weekend. Also my son would think that I was stalking him if I walked this street doing the week.