Glenelg Spur in Hillsborough – Named after Glenelg, the home there of Cecil Claude Morton Ollivier (1878- 1935). Ollivier was an accountant, and at the time of his death, one of the city’s best-known businessmen. He had bought the house, then called Raroa, from George Bowron in 1922, and re-named it Glenelg. The driveway leading up to the house became Glenelg Spur. After Ollivier’s death, Glenelg was purchased by the trustees of the King George V Memorial Fund Board, and, from 1 August 1939, it became a permanent health camp. First appears in street directories in 1946.
A reasonable amount from the library website. Cecil Ollivier was only 58 when he died after an illness of 8 months. He went to Christ’s College and bred race horses. Olliviers Road is named after his grandfather. Information about the health camp got a bit confusing with dates. A website about the camp said that it was opened in April 1945 and closed in 2012 because of the earthquakes. It was then rebuilt by a private charity and reopened in April 2014. There was an article in October 2011 about the Glenelg Health Camp School to close. It is now called Stand Tu Maia Christchurch Office. Several mentions in Papers Past when the property was acquired by King George V Memorial Fund Board in 1939. The big house to be remodelled and there were extensive grounds and a swimming pool. Article in 1941 said that little process had been made and the outbuildings had been destroyed by a fire. In 1944 they were going to sell the property but this obviously didn’t happen. There was an opening ceremony of the new wing in 1948.
In 1950 talk about a road from Centaurus Rd to the health camp. Road was mentioned again in 1954 when it was agreed to the formation of a public road subject to owners to give land for the road and for the health camp to contribute towards the costs.
Several scrub fires over the years. In 1987 there was one property that received two rate demands. The boundary run between the house and garage so they got a demand from the Christchurch Council and one from the Heathcote Council. In 1959 moa bones were found in a garden.
There is supposed to be a house here dating from 1920 but it was down a long driveway and I couldn’t see it. There are houses dating from 1930s but they were surrounded by tall trees. A few houses have been rebuilt after the earthquakes. Great views from this street. Decided that walking this street counts towards my monthly hill walking stats. Who remembers Health Stamps?
Lytteltonwitch's Walking the streets of Christchurch Project 