Author Archives: lytteltonwitch

Bennett Street in St Albans – formerly Bennett’s Street. Named after Thomas Bennett Tomes (1821?- 1875). Tomes, a grazier, bought Rural Section 276, 50 acres in Papanui Road. Bennett’s Street first appears in street directories in 1892. Becomes Bennett Street in 1918. A small amount of information from the library website and I couldn’t find …

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Lingard Street in St Albans – Named after Archdeacon Edward Atherton Lingard (1839-1903). Lingard was a schoolmaster and later vicar of St. Luke’s Anglican Church 1867-1902. The street was formed on land formerly owned by the Anglican diocese. Described as a “new” street in The Press in 1926 when the Church Property Trustees advertises sections …

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Claremont Avenue in Papanui – formerly Wakefield Avenue. Probably named after Claremont House, a large 18th century mansion near Esher in Surrey. Wakefield Avenue first appears in street directories in 1924. Re-named Claremont Avenue on 1 September 1948 when 120 streets were re-named. A Papanui war memorial street. A small amount from the library website. …

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Norfolk Street in St Albans – Formerly Fisher Street. Named after Robert Fisher Tomes (1856- 1923). Re-named Norfolk Street. Tomes was a son of Thomas Bennett Tomes (1821?-1875). Fisher Street is first mentioned in the Star in 1879 in a report of a meeting of the Sydenham Borough Council. First appears in street directories in …

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I can’t believe that I missed this when I walked Mays Rd a few weeks ago. There was a bridge built here in 1913 that went over Dudley Creek. Dudley Creek is a very long creek that goes through several suburbs. In Christchurch there are lots of creeks running under the city. In the old …

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Campana Lane in St Albans – The Riach family owned the Campana Hardy Plan Nursery for eighty years before selling the land to Mike Greer Homes in 2014. Named in 2016. Mike Greer homes development of 6 plots off 84 Tomes Street. A small amount of information from the update library website. It was actually …

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Jed Lane in St Albans – A private right-of-way named in 1967. A tiny amount of information from the library website. The updated library website had added that it was possibly named after HMS Jed. There were two ships named HMS Jed and one was in service between 1904 and 1919 and the second one …

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Springfield Road in St Albans – Named after the Springfield Estate in Papanui Road. James Wyatt of Bangor, Wales was granted Rural Section 136, 100 acres in Papanui Road and was presumably an absentee landowner. His son, Benjamin, arrived on the Cressy in 1850, aged 22 years. He is described in the Lyttelton Times in …

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Rutland Street in St Albans – Formerly Chinaman’s Road. Re-named Churchill Street. Named after the Most Rev. Churchill Julius (1847-1938). Also formerly Church Road. Named because the Anglican diocese owned land in this area. Re-named Rutland Street. Named after John Rutland (1825-1897) Chinaman’s Lane was completed in 1889 and the street naming committee was asked …

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Homersham Place in Burnside – First appears in street directories in 1993. Named after Brian Homersham (1915‐1983) and Contance Homersham née Pinwill (1918‐2016) founders of B. R. Homersham Ltd. Additional information In 1975 the Hamershams purchased two hectares of land at 155 Roydvale Avenue to construct a purpose built factory for the business. The company, …

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