Torlesse Street in Avonside – Named after the Priscilla Catherine Torlesse (1824?-1896) was a niece of Edward Gibbon Wakefield and sister of the Rev. Henry Torlesse and Charles Obins Torlesse. She lived at 238 Gloucester Street and is buried at Linwood Cemetery. Charles Obins Torlesse (1825-1866) was a surveyor and a nephew of Edward Gibbon Wakefield. He arrived in Canterbury in 1841 and established himself at Fernside, Rangiora. He died in England. Frances Torlesse (1825- 1925) worked with Anglican social welfare groups. In 1893 she was honorary superintendent of the Home of Refuge, Linwood. She also lived at 238 Gloucester Street but died in England. The Rev. Henry Torlesse (1832-1870) was a vicar of Banks Peninsula. In a government housing subdivision. The name was submitted by the Director of Housing Construction, Mr A. Tyndall. Named in 1938. First appears in street directories in 1939. Information supplied in 2006 by Richard Greenaway.

A reasonable amount of information from the library website and Richard Greenaway is a good researcher. Plenty of information online about the Torlesse family.

The earliest mention on Papers Past was in 1938 when names were chosen for the streets in the Government Housing Block which was also called Armstrongs Block. Lots of death notices over the years plus they seemed to be an accident prone lot on this street.

In February 1948 an accident on the South Island Main Trunk line was mentioned as three people from this street were injured and one person died. I did google New Zealand train crashes and this crash happened in Seddon where the train driver misjudged the speed to go around a curve. He was inexperienced on this route and he was found not guilty of manslaughter. In 1967 there were several mentions of Torlesse Street cottages to be built for pensioners. These cottages ended up with their own street name of Mabel Howard Place.

I walked this street on Sunday as I was geocaching in the little park that runs off this street. It is a tree lined street that should be a pleasant street. Most houses here were built in the 1930s and 1940s with some from 2022. Looks like at least half of the houses are still social housing including the new ones built in 2022. It was fairly obvious which houses are now privately owned. Not sure about the house that looks like it houses a hoarder. The street runs from Kerrs Road to the river.

Mabel Howard Place in Avonside – Named after Mabel Bowden Howard (1894- 1972). Mabel Howard was a trade unionist, community worker and politician and the Labour member of parliament for East Christchurch 1943-1969. This complex comprises 59 Council-owned rental units built in 1968. Named in 1967.

A small amount of information from the library website and nothing that I can add about the name of the street. Mabel Howard was well known and the bloomer incident in Parliament is also fairly well known. Sadly I hadn’t realised that she had died in Sunnyside from dementia.

There are 59 units here being to Otautahi Community Housing Trust. When they were built they would have been owned by the City Council and were pensioner cottages. The official opening was in September 1968 and this opening had been delayed. The official opening was supposed to have happened in April 1968 but was delayed because of the April storm. Most of us will remember this storm and I remember being stuck on the school train between Linwood Railway Station and the Heathcote Railway Station for what felt like hours. We were glued to listening to the transistor radio that was owned by someone called Mike.

Most of the entries on Papers Past were death notices which is hardly surprising considering the ages of the residents. There was a sad death in 1981 where a man’s body was found in his burnt out flat. The cause of the fire was a cigarette.

I only walked a few metres here before deciding that I didn’t feel safe. The units are no longer pensioner housing and I recognised one of the residents as being one of the aggressive beggars that hangs around the central city. He claims to be homeless but he obviously isn’t homeless. Definitely no photos here.

Braemar Place in Avonside and there wasn’t any information on the library website. I will assume that it is named after Braemar in Scotland. I love Braemar in Scotland and I have stayed there.

The houses on this street all date from 1940 so it is surprising that there is nothing on the library website.

Very few entries on Papers Past and I was expecting at least one entry to say that it was part of a State Housing estate but nothing. There also weren’t any ads for the sale of sections. The earliest entry is from 1950 and it was in the court news. A few death notices and engagement notices. There was a mortgagee sale in 1977 and a house for sale in 1988.

There is a footpath on both sides of the street and some of the houses look like they are still State Houses. I didn’t particularly like the street but this was probably because I didn’t feel comfortable walking here. No photos but the houses are typical looking for 1940s State Houses.

Locksley Ave in Burwood and Dallington Red Zone – Named after Locksleys, the home there of Joseph Palmer (1826-1910). In December 1918, the Burwood Burgesses’ Association decided to ask the Waimairi County Council to rename River Road, Locksley Avenue “as there are several River roads round Christchurch” Locksley Avenue first appears in street directories in 1921. Until about 1950 it was a narrow shingle road with willows growing into the river on both sides.

A small amount of information from the library website and it was actually Lockleys and not Locksley. It was also possibly the name of the area rather than a house as in Papers Past Lockleys was described as a township.

As River Road it was mostly ads and in 1911 a large property was sold and described as being suitable for subdividing.

Found the article about the renaming. In the 1920s the need for flood gates was frequently mentioned. In 1924 the land owners agreed to sell sufficient land for widening the street. They were still talking about widening the street in 1950. From 1920s through to 1950 there was a poultry farm. The property was for sale in 1950. In 1955 there was a state housing programme bordered by McBratneys Road, Queensbury Street (Fleete Street) and Locksley Avenue. This block of land was called Merrys Block Government Housing. The year of 1958 was a busy year as there were sewage works plus Kerrs Reach was developed. In 1960 the riverbank was damaged by a Drainage Board contactor.

In 1967 a footbridge was built to connect Locksley Ave to Avonside Drive opposite Snell Place. This bridge was demolished after the earthquakes and a new one has been built to replace it. I didn’t take a photo of this bridge today but I did take a photo of it a couple of years ago. In 1984 there was a pumping station built by Walls Drain. In 1987 a stillborn baby’s body was found beside the river.

Lots of death notices over the years plus a few drownings in the river. Quite a few accidents on this street especially by New Brighton Road. There is an information board on this street about a property called Groveley but this property was actually on the nearby street of Glenarm Tce.

All the houses have been demolished here and street view on Google maps no longer show the images from before the earthquakes. The houses were on one side of the street and the river was on the other side of the street. About half way along the street there is a path that leads to a playground. I did find a geocache on this street which means I got the virtual souvenir for this weekend.

Stiles Place in Burwood Red Zone – Named after Cyril Alec (Bob) Stiles (1904-1985). Stiles was one of New Zealand’s first Olympic rowing medallists. Named in 1966. First appears in street directories in 1970. Information on date of naming in a letter sent to the City Librarian from the Town Clerk dated 13 December 1966.

A small amount of information from the library website. The Wikipedia page for Cyril Alec Stiles is very brief with very little information. His obituary said that he was a boat builder and instrumental in the forming of Kerrs Reach.

In Papers Past it was mostly ads and a few death notices. There were 16 sections for sale between 1968 and 1970.

When I walked this street today I hadn’t realised that it was a separate street to Arnst Place and only realised when I looked at the map. There is no longer street view on google maps for what red zoned streets looked like before the earthquakes.

My photo was taken from Arnst Place and Stiles Place is off to the right of the photo.

Arnst Place in Burwood Red Zone – Named after Richard Arnst (1883-1953). Arnst was the world sculling champion in 1910. Named in 1955.

A small amount of information from the library website and I was surprised that I couldn’t find an obituary for Richard Arnst. There were over 1500 entries for him on Papers Past so I narrowed my search to 1953 and 1954 and there was only a very brief death notice. The Wikipedia page doesn’t mention his marriage or son.

There were sections for sale in 1959 and 1964 and the selling point was that sewage was installed. It was also an ad where a builder wanted the loamy sand to be removed. In 1989 the street was closed for one day so that a documentary could be filmed.

There are obviously no houses here any longer and google maps no longer show street view from before the earthquakes which is really annoying.

Fleete Street in red zone of Burwod and Dallington – formerly Queensbury Street. The section south of New Brighton Road was formerly Queen Street and was incorporated into Fleete Street. Named after Percy Lonsdale Fleete (1884-1968). Queensberry Street first appears in street directories in 1913. Re-named Queensbury Street in 1934. The section south of New Brighton Road was re-named Queen Street by 1930 and later, in 1955, Fleete Street. Fleete, a market gardener, is listed as a resident of the street in 1954, living at 69 Queensbury Street.

A reasonable amount of information from the library website and the only mention of Percy Lonsdale Fleete on Papers Past is in a death notice for his wife in 1964.

I only looked at Fleete Street as I covered Queensbury Street fairly fully when I walked that street. The council notice said that Queensbury Street South from New Brighton Rd to McBratneys Road to be called Fleete Street. The same notice said that Queensbury Street South from Birchfield Ave to McBratneys Road to be called Madge Street. In 1955 the council notice said that Madge Street would be called Fleete Street. Confused as yes I was. I checked old maps and Queensbury Street which became Fleete Street all ended at Birchfield Ave. It was only after 1954 that the street is shown as going all the way to McBratneys Road.

It was mostly death notices on Papers Past and a few engagement notices including one for a relative of the ex-husband. Sewage wasn’t installed on this street until 1961 and there were drainage pipes being laid in 1982.

Another street where I couldn’t find images from google maps for the street from before the earthquakes. I was able to look at these images in 2023. This area is very popular with dog walkers.

Kim Place in Dallington Red Zone – Named after Kim Novak (1933-).Kim Novak was one of America’s most popular movie stars in the late 1950s. One of two streets named by Harry Morgan, a draughtsman with the Ministry of Works. First appears in street directories in 1957. Information supplied in 2005 by Bob Pritchard, subdivisions officer, Christchurch City Council.

A small amount of information from the library website and nothing that I can add about the name of the street.

Not much information on Papers Past as it was just a few ads and a few death Notices.

I couldn’t find out what the street looked like before the earthquakes as google maps no longer show these images. This must be a fairly recent change as I was able to do this in 2023.

Ava Place in Dallington Red Zone – Named after Ava Lavinia Gardner (1922-2001). Ava Gardner was an Academy Award nominated American screen actress. One of two streets named by Harry Morgan, a draughtsman with the Ministry of Works. First appears in street directories in 1957. Information supplied in 2006 by Bob Pritchard, subdivisions officer, Christchurch City Council.

A small amount of information from the library website and nothing that I can add about the name of the street.

Not much information on Papers Past with just a few death notices and a couple of engagement notices. There were sections for sale in 1956.

Another street where google maps no longer show what the street looked like before the earthquakes

Tilbury Place in Dallington Red Zone – First appears in street directories 1960.

Not much information on the library website and it was probably named after Tilbury in the UK.

Not much information on Papers Past. There were sections for sale in 1957. There were a few death notices and a few ads plus in 1967 a car plunged into the river near here. I can’t tell you what the street looked like from before the earthquakes as google maps no longer offer this function.