Author Archives: lytteltonwitch

Ti Rakau Drive -The developer said he wanted the name Te Rakau Drive, meaning cabbage tree, but checks turned up several different meanings for “rakau”, none of which was “cabbage tree”. Named in 1995 That was interesting information from the library website. A quick google gave me the information that Ti Rakau means cabbage tree. …

Continue reading “Ti Rakau Drive in the suburb of Woolston, Christchurch”

Shearwater Drive – nothing on library website about this street. Many of the streets in this area had bird names, Library website had this area as Woolston but it was closer to Ferrymead. The houses all looked new but I believe that many of them are rebuilds. Ti Rakau Reserve had an entrance on this …

Continue reading “Shearwater Drive in the suburb of Woolston, Christchurch”

Deyell Crescent – Named after Joseph Deyell (1867?-1936) – The stables of J. Deyell and Co. were at the corner of Deyell Crescent and Strickland Street in 1940, the year it first appears in street directories. This is the sort information that I like to get from the library website as it gives a bit …

Continue reading “Deyell Crescent in the suburb of Sydenham, Christchurch”

Riccarton Avenue formerly Middle Park Road and Riccarton Road. Named after Riccarton, a village and parish in East Ayrshire, Scotland. Named to continue the theme of naming Riccarton streets after places in Ayrshire, Scotland, from whence the Deans family originated. A small amount of information from the library website and I have nothing to add. …

Continue reading “Riccarton Avenue in the Central City, Christchurch”

Deans Avenue – West Belt and West Town Belt. Also part of Rolleston Avenue for a time. Named after the Deans family. Named by the Canterbury Association surveyors who laid out the boundaries of the original city within roadways called “belts” or “town belts”. The other three Town Belts were re-named in 1904. The suggestion …

Continue reading “Deans Avenue in the suburb of Riccarton, Christchurch”

Grebe Place – not on library website and De Lange Street which was on the library website but had no information. Both are modern streets so no point searching Past Papers. Grebe is a bird so it is likely to be named after this bird. As this is Wigram I would assume any street names …

Continue reading “De Lange Street and Grebe Place in the suburbs of Hornby/ Wigram, Christchurch”

Doppler Place -Named after the Pulse-Doppler, a 4D radar system. In the Wigram Skies subdivision where the streets have an aviation theme. Named in 2014. A small amount of information from the library website and I have nothing to add. Very modern houses here and none of them stood out for me. Very boring.

Chancery Lane in the Central City. Nothing on the library website as a street but Christchurch suburbs list has it on it’s list. The library does have a good article on it’s website about this lane.Sadly this lane is no longer there as it suffered badly in the earthquakes and today I couldn’t see where …

Continue reading “Chancery Lane in the Central City, Christchurch”

Lightning Close – Named after the Electric Lightning, a supersonic jet fighter aircraft of the Cold War era. In a further stage of the subdivision of Wigram Base. Continues the theme of using the names of military aircraft for street names in the subdivision. Named in 2001. A reasonable amount of information from the library …

Continue reading “Lightning Close in the suburb of Hornby/ Wigram, Christchurch”

Mosquito Place – Named after the De Havilland Mosquito aeroplane. In a further stage of the subdivision of Wigram Base. Continues the theme of naming the streets in the subdivision after military aircraft. Named in 2001. A small amount of information from the library website and I can’t add anything to it.A Christchurch suburb list …

Continue reading “Mosquito Place in the suburb of Hornby/Wigram, Christchurch”