Gibbon Street in Sydenham – Named after Edward Gibbon (1737-1794). Gibbon was author of The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. One of the “poets and writers” streets of Sydenham, Addington and Waltham named by a committee of the Sydenham Borough Council on 19 January 1880. First appears in street directories in 1887. Made a public street from 1 January 1888.A small amount of information from the library website. I searched 19th January 1880 on Papers Past but didn’t find anything about the street naming. Looks like I will have to walk into town to the library and see if they have the information. There used to be a nearby Wakefield St so it is possible that it was actually named after Edward Gibbon Wakefield. A John Wakefield lived on Gibbon St and in 1887 a fire destroyed his brand new house. There were many death notices and a few marriage notices. In 1888 the street was to be widened and the residents had to give land for this. In 1905 Amy Amelia Allen was fined for allowing her house to become a nuisance. She was running a poultry farm inside her house. In 1930 a dilapidated house to be pulled down as not only was it dangerous but it was being used by bad characters. In 1900 there were complaints about rubbish being dumped in an old pit. Further reading and I found out that the rubbish was actually nightsoil. Yuk is the only the word I have for this. In 1891 and 1892 there was a lot of articles about something called Gibbon Street Applications. It was very confusing but seems to be some sort of voter fraud. The Council wanted the names removed from the roll and the reason from the council was that they weren’t real owners of the properties. Another article said that 22 people on Gibbon St hadn’t paid their rates. A letter to the editor in 1899 called it the Gibbon Street Transactions of 1891. The letter writer asked if the liquor loving councillors had sunk to corrupt means to further their political ends. The letter mentioned that in 1891 there were 32 sections sold in two days. It was also called Gibbon Street Bogus Elections. I googled to see if I could find out any more information but nothing. I walked this street on Monday and it runs from Ingoldsby St to Rogers St. There are 70 properties on this street and there are two from 1890. There are several from 1910 and some were in good condition but others were looking very sad. Houses date from every decade with many from 1970s. One very modern set of buildings were ugly but there were also some lovely older houses on the street.

Croydon Street in Sydenham- Probably named after Croydon in Surrey, England Land for sale in “Croydon Street, Sandridge” is advertised in the Star in 1891. First appears in street directories in 1894.A small amount of information on the library website. Not a lot of information on Papers Past. Found the same land for sale ad from 1891. Several death notices over the years and in 1888 someone was fined for cows roaming on the street. In 1902 there was discussion and drains and in 1905 there were flooding issues. There was an old water course that seemed to be causing the problems. In 1931 there was talk about a new street to run from Croydon St to Tennyson but land from a property on Tennyson St would be required. The new road would shorten the travel time from St Martins to Sydenham. I checked the map from 1929 and Southampton St ended at Croydon St. Southampton St now curves around and goes all the way to Tennyson St so it looks like Southampton St was extended rather than a new street being created. I walked this street on Monday and the street runs from Huxley St to Southampton St. The houses date from 1905 to 2017 with most being from 1970s and 1990s. A variety of styles and a couple of the older houses from 1910 are lovely. The most interesting house is on the corner of Huxley St and Croydon St and technically it is on Huxley St. It dates from 1915 but has been altered and has a weird 1940s art deco plus 1915 look. I am not sure if I like it or not.

Chaucer Street in Sydenham – Formerly Wakefield Street. Probably named after The Vicar of Wakefield, by Oliver Goldsmith (1730-1774). Re-named Chaucer Street. Named after Geoffrey Chaucer (c.1343-1400). Wakefield Street first appears in street directories in 1892. Re-named Chaucer Street on 1 September 1948 when 120 streets were re-named. Both names continue the theme of “poets and writers” streets of Sydenham, Addington and Waltham named by a committee of the Sydenham Borough Council on 19 January 1880.A small amount of information from the library website and I am not sure that the reason for the Wakefield name is correct. My reason for this is that there is a nearby Gibbon St and it is possible that these two streets are named after Edward Gibbon Wakefield. There was also four families living here with the surname Wakefield but they didn’t seem to be connected to the family of Edward Gibbon Wakefield. Very little information on Papers Past about this street. There was a house fire in 1904 which totally destroyed the house. There was another house fire in 1920. A few death notices. In 1930 they were considering exempting the street from widening under the Public Works Act. I walked this street on Monday and it runs off Hargest Crescent. There are 12 properties here and one dates from 1915 and three from 1920. Sadly they have been totally ruined by being covered with roughcast. The most interesting house was from the 1990s and almost had an Art Deco look.

Cameron Street in Sydenham – formerly Campbell Street – Campbell Street is first mentioned in the Star in 1882 when the Sydenham Borough Council was asked to take it over as a public street and “put it into a proper state of repair”. First appears in street directories in 1907. Re-named Cameron Street on 1 September 1948 when 120 streets were re-named. A small amount of information from the library website. Not a lot of information from Papers Past. A few funeral notices. Soames Bros of Jackson’s Creek, Campbell St had an ad for employing labourers. In 1906 the road was closed temporarily while the new culvert was built over Jackson’s Creek. Name was changed in 1948 in an effort to avoid confusion. No reason was given for the name choice. This street runs from Austin St to Humboldt St and there is an entrance to Cameron Park here. For a short street there are 56 properties here but many are multi dwellings on sections. There were only 4 houses dated between 1920 to 1940 and a couple from 1990. There were several from 1970s, 2000 and 2015 onwards. The older houses looked shabby as did the ones from 1970s. There was a sign for Jackson’s Creek near the corner with Humboldt St. At the same spot was a walkway through to Huxley St. I walked this street on Monday and it didn’t really do a lot for me. I would have known this street in the 1960s but it didn’t feel familiar.

Austin Street in Sydenham – Named after Alfred Austin (1835-1913). Austin was a lawyer, editor and poet and English poet laureate 1896-1913. Probably named to continue the theme of “poets and writers” streets of Sydenham, Addington and Waltham named by a committee of the Sydenham Borough Council on 19 January 1880. The Sydenham Borough Council decided to make Austin Street a public street on 13 March 1882. First appears in street directories in 1887.A small amount of information from the library website. Papers Past didn’t have a huge amount of information. Several sections were for sale between 1905 and 1907 and many mentioned sections being high and dry which makes me think that there was a flooding or drainage issue in the area. In March 1906 a resident requested that the Jackson Creek drain be completed at the same time as the drain in the orphanage grounds. Jackson Creek is the likely reason for water issues. In March 1904 the Lyttelton orphanage was destroyed by fire and the children were housed in a temporary location in Lyttelton. In April 1905 a private home was purchased in Austin St and altered to house the orphans. It became known as the Waltham Orphanage and the purchase price was £1200 and alterations and furniture upped the costs to £1600. This came out of the insurance payout of £2080 and the orphanage had a surplus. The orphanage had a fire in July 1918 but there was minor damage. The building was described as a 2 storey wooden building with 27 rooms and owned by Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. It housed 32 children and two staff in 1918. I found a lovely photo of the building online but it is subject to copyright. In 1940 the orphanage was a temporary convalescent home for soldiers. In 1928 there was discussion of widening the street and filling in Jacksons Creek. I walked this street on Monday and it is still a narrow street. At the Waltham St end there is a factory but the rest of the street has houses. Still a few from 1905 and 1910 and some are still looking lovely. A couple from 1960 and 1970 but the rest are mostly 1990s with a few post earthquake. I confess that I did like the fence with giant spiders on it and as I am writing this up I am looking at my fence and thinking about doing something similar. Yes I do like spiders. I looked at the map of 1929 but couldn’t work out which section was the orphanage. I knew this area fairly well in the 1960s and I am fairly sure that the factory on the corner of Austin St and Waltham Rd was there in the 1960s but going by the 1929 map it wasn’t there then.

Burnbrae St in St Martins- formerly Burnbrae Road. Named after Burnbrae, a house in St Martins in the early 20th century In 1903 an advertisement appears wanting a “strong girl to assist with housework” at “Burnbrae, St Martin’s, near new bridge”. Burnbrae Road is first mentioned in The Press in 1910 in the Lost and Found column when a gold bangle is reported lost there. Burnbrae Street is first mentioned in The Press in 1917. First appears in street directories in 1934.A small amount of information from the library website. I didn’t find much information on Papers Past. In March 1917 the street was included in the city for fire protection. In 1930 there was a petition from the residents requesting that the street be included in the Drainage Board area. In 1931 Mr Beasley wanted his house to be connected to the sewer that ran down the middle of the street. Council said not possible unless all the residents in the area were willing to agree to this. The street was tar sealed in 1935. I walked this street on the first day of level 2. I was surprised that this short street had a separate name as I always thought it was part of Tennyson St. It runs from Tennyson St to St Martins Rd. There are only 10 properties and the oldest is from 1930 and the others from 1950 and 1960. The houses looked lovely what I could see but it was hard to see them because of the well established gardens.

Longfellow Street in Sydenham- Named after Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882).Longfellow was an American poet. One of the “poets and writers” streets of Sydenham, Addington and Waltham named by a committee of the Sydenham Borough Council on 19 January 1880. Made a public street from 1 January 1888. First appears in street directories in 1907.A small amount of information from the library website. A lot of entries on Papers Past about the Camelot Settlement which was built on the land that was originally the Police Paddock. The street became a public street in 1887. In 1890 constructing and widening the street was deferred pending negotiations for the widening. Mrs Woolley declined to give land for this purpose. Also an old clay pit would have to be filled in before the widening could happen and this pit was on W B Perceval’s land. Eventually happened as in 1898 the street was gravelled. Several mentions about the stormwater drain as the council wanted a bridge over the drainage. The council also wanted it fenced for safety reasons. There were often clashes between the council and the drainage board. In 1890 there were complaints about the city council dumping rubbish on a vacant section in the street. The Sydenham Borough Council requested that the city council stop doing this but they continued dumping the city’s rubbish here. In 1903 the street was extended to Southampton St and there still is a funny dogleg at this end of the street. From 1907 onwards there was many articles about the workmen’s homes under the Workers Dwelling Act. The settlement was called Camelot Settlement but at the beginning was called Sydenham Settlement. The house at 52 Longfellow St was originally built for the International Exhibition in Hagley Park that was held in 1906. In September 1907 it was dismantled and reassembled in the Camelot Settlement. Google 61A Tennyson St and you will get a lot more information. In 1928 there was a petition from the residents to stop a shop from being built on the corner of Longfellow St and Wembley St. Still several houses here that were the original Workers Dwelling and most are in good condition. There are a huge number of houses / flats from the 1970s and they are the typical style from the 1970s of either summerhill stone or concrete block. The modern houses here are fairly ugly and when I saw who had built them I could see why. Personally I wouldn’t touch one of these modern places as they have been built by developers that I don’t trust. Not showing my bias much. I actually walked this street on the first day of level 2 and the research sometimes takes longer than actually walking the street. A pleasant street and the older houses mostly looked lovely. There is a house from 1890 here and it has been modernised so I didn’t recognise it as being that age. I am getting rather good at guessing the ages of houses from the style of the house.

Tennyson Street in Sydenham – Early informal names were Pipers Lane and Pipers Road. Named after George Piper (1843-1909), who was also known as Whistling Piper. Re-named Tennyson Street. Named after Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809- 1892).George Piper and his brother had a brick kiln east of Colombo Street. Their father Thomas also worked there. The business was made bankrupt in January 1883. Pipers Lane first appears in the Star in 1877 in a report of a meeting of the Heathcote Road Board. George Piper was living in Tennyson Street at the time of his death in 1909. Re-named Tennyson Street. Tennyson was a poet. One of the “poets and writers” streets of Sydenham, Addington and Waltham named by a committee of the Sydenham Borough Council on 19 January 1880. Tennyson Street first appears in street directories in 1894.A reasonable amount of information from the library website. Papers Past had lots of birth and death notices. In the 1870s there were lots of entries about drainage and the drainage board. In 1878 there was talk about the drain being fenced and there was still talk about this matter in 1879. The street is described as having two houses and an old brick kiln on the street. In 1881 the council objected to increasing the size of the drain. In 1894 under the Public Works Act the council intended construction of Tennyson St but the Road Board wanted the council to reconsider as in their opinion the road was just a minor byroad. In 1897 the Christchurch City Rifles held their annual camp on the Police Paddock at the end of Piper’s Lane. Both Piper’s Lane and Tennyson St names were being used. In 1899 there was an application for a reserve of 7 acres fronting Tennyson St was approved. This land was where the Police Paddock was and it was eventually used for housing. Between 1912 and 1916 there were several mentions of Congregational Church raising money. In 1914 many complaints about the drains. In 1918 the council called for tenders for laying stormwater sewers. In 1927 the water mains were laid. In 1916 the occupier of 61 Tennyson St had an ad in the paper about laying mantraps on their premises. This house still exists and was part of the Camelot Settlement Workers Dwellings. I covered the Piper family when I wrote up the Piper Lane that runs off Birdwood Ave. Thoroughly researched this family but they aren’t connected to my mysterious grandmother. This street runs from Colombo St to Eastern Terrace and I walked it on the first day of level 2. There are still some lovely houses along this street and many date from 1920s. There are also many from 1970s and 1980s. There is a small shopping centre at the Colombo St end and the street ends at the bridge over the Heathcote River. I drive this street fairly frequently and it made a change to walk it. This street has a cycleway so I was annoyed to see someone riding on the footpath. I think everyone knows how I feel about this.

Percival Street in Sydenham – Named after Westby Brook Perceval (1854- 1928). Perceval was a lawyer, politician and agent general. He was member of parliament for Christchurch South from 1887. Percival Street is first mentioned in the Star in 1908 when land for sale there is advertised. First appears in street directories in 1910.

A small amount of information from the library website. Not a lot of information on Papers Past. There was another street with the same name in Rangiora also named after Westby Brook Perceval. Mostly death notices plus a builder who lived on the street went bankrupt in 1923.In 1925 there was a notice about duplicate street names and wanting suggestions for street names. There was a Percival St in Woolston and a Perceval St in Papanui .Westby Brook Perceval obituary in June 1928 says that he was born in Launceston in Tasmania in 1854. Educated at Christ’s College and Stoneyhurst College. Was a barrister in Christchurch and then Agent General for New Zealand. He was knighted in 1894.I walked this street on the first day of level 2. The street runs from Tennyson St and curves around to Longfellow St. The houses here range from being built in 1910 to 1990. There is an entrance to the Baptist Church and Archer Rest Home from this street. There is also a housing complex called Lancewood Courts Housing Complex and it was built and opened in 2000. It is described as being for single people with mental unwellness. Some of the older houses are lovely but the newer ones are typical of 1960s and 1970s style. Years ago before I went travelling overseas for 5 years I used to go to a craft group that was held in the church hall.

Severn Street in St Albans- formerly Severn’s Road Named after Joseph Samuel John Severn(1821?-1909).Severn was a baker who lived in Church Road (later Rutland Street).Among a number of streets laid out in 1910 by the owners, the Church Property Trustees, and later dedicated to the council. First appears in street directories in 1912. It was extended to Malvern Street in 1930. [Later developers of streets in the area mistakenly believed the street was named after the Severn River which runs through the city of Worcester, England.]A small amount of information from the library website. I couldn’t find much information on Papers Past. Mostly birth and death notices. In the 1930s there was mention of new properties built by Paynter and Hamilton Ltd. Joseph Severn purchased a block of land on the corner of Durham St and Kilmore St in 1873 and he ran a bakery and general store from this property. He already owned at least three properties in Christchurch which he rented out. In 1884 he had an accident and he broke a leg. He was described as a confused old man. He was born in Surry and he married Susannah Wallis in 1851. I couldn’t find out when he came to New Zealand but they weren’t in the UK census for 1851. John died 6th December 1909 aged 88 and his buried at Linwood. His wife Susannah died 16th January 1916 aged 87. There was only one family tree on the ancestry website and it doesn’t look like they had any children. I walked this street on Saturday morning and as I was walking it I assumed that it was named after the river and was going to write about seeing the Severn Bore. This is a lovely tree lined street and most of the houses here were built in 1910s and 1930s. A few were built in 1990s. Mostly wooden houses with nice gardens.