Ensign Street in the suburb of Halswell, Christchurch

Ensign Street in Halswell – Named after the Mataura Ensign, a newspaper first published in Gore, Southland. Named by the developer, Karl Scott (1910-1997). A journalist, he was employed by the Mataura Ensign in his first job. This newspaper was named after the Scottish newspaper the Northern Ensign and was first published on 10 May 1878. First appears in street directories in 1958. Information supplied in 2008 by Bede Cosgriff (d. 2011) in an interview with Margaret Harper.

A small amount of information from the library website and nothing that I can add about the name. I researched Karl Scott and I then realised that I had already researched him in 2020 when I had walked some nearby streets. The electoral rolls have him living in Riccarton after moving to Christchurch from Gore. He purchased a property called Oaklands which used to be called Halswell House. He probably kept horses on this property and he wrote at least one book about horse racing.

A reasonable amount of information on Papers Past and there were sections for sale as early as 1955. These sections were between Nottingham Ave and Checketts Ave. There were several sections for sale in the 1960s. There was possibly a garden nursery in the street in the 1960s as there were lots of ads for the sale of plants especially flowers. In 1961 the road was sealed and footpaths formed in 1964. In 1960 there was negotiations to purchase land for a school on this street but the school is actually a good block away from Ensign St. In 1969 Ensign St between Lillian St and Nottingham Ave had a name change to Wales St. Also in 1969 the residents were against 13 shops and a supermarket being built here. In 1973 the new Ensign Street Shopping Centre opened. It was opposite the medical centre. The medical centre was probably fairly new as Dr N C McGill sought permission in 1972 to establish a medical centre on the street. In 1976 residents wanted the pointed pieces of Halswell stone to be removed claiming that they were like sharks teeth and dangerous. There were a few death notices and in the 1980s there were several ads for the supermarket Keystores. The 1983 storm is mentioned as several houses in Halswell lost their roofs. The wind and hail is also mentioned. I remember this storm as I was living in Hoon Hay and we had a broken window as a result of the storm. Thankfully I had moved my son’s cot into the hallway.

I walked this street yesterday as I was doing a geocaching lab adventure which started on this street. There are two painted powerboxes on the street. Most of the houses on this street were built in the 1960s with a few built in 1950 and 1970. There were a group of houses that I thought looked possibly like modern social housing but going by the valuation website they are just three flats. There is a variety of house styles but none stood out for me. There is still a medical centre on the street plus a shopping centre. I didn’t recognise the shopping centre as it looks like it has been rebuilt. It is several decades since I used to come here to get my hair cut. Lots of roadworks on the street at the moment.