Leslie Hills Drive in the suburb of Riccarton, Christchurch

Leslie Hills Drive – Named after Leslie Hills, the historic Rutherford family homestead in the Culverden/Hanmer area. The Rutherford family was involved in the Amuri Corporation which developed the Amuri Business Park. First appears in street directories in 1991.

A small amount of information from the library website. This street only has businesses on it. I searched Papers Past and Ancestry to see if I could find out why the property in North Canterbury was named Leslie Hills but couldn’t find anything. More than one person in the Rutherford family had Leslie as a middle name so I suspect that it is a family name. My research wasn’t helped by family trees on Ancestry website having incorrect information. I do wish that people researching their family trees would check their information before linking. The original owner of Leslie Hills was George Rutherford and he was born in Jedburgh.

Mandeville Street in the suburb of Riccarton, Christchurch

Mandeville St – Formerly Chinamen’s Lane. Named because of the Chinese market gardeners working on 30 acres where this street was formed. Re-named Mandeville Street. Named after William Drogo Montagu, Viscount Mandeville, later 7th Duke of Manchester (1823-1890). Chinamen’s Lane was an early informal name that never appears in street directories. Re-named Mandeville Road. The Duke of Mandeville was a member of the Canterbury Association from 1848. He took up Rural Section 145, an area of 350 acres on Riccarton Road. This was known as Lord Mandeville’s Swamp. Mandeville Road is first mentioned in The Lyttelton Times in 1859. It was dedicated in 1887 but does not appear in street directories until 1906. Becomes Mandeville Street in 1917.
A reasonable amount of information from the library website. Papers Past have both Mandeville Street and Mandeville Road names being used. Looks like this street has always been a mixture of industrial and residential. There are ads for the sale of houses plus birth notices at the same times there were ads for businesses. Two of the main businesses in the 1920s and 1930s were Butler’s Timber yard and Dominion Industries which produced linseed oil. Chinaman’s Lane is only mentioned in 1888 and it was someone complaining about state of the road.
There are houses at the Riccarton Rd end and businesses at Blenheim Rd end of this street. Most of the businesses seem to relate to housing ranging from furniture to new kitchens. Many of the houses date back to the 1910s and 1920s. There were also high density flats but only a couple seemed to be brand new. One business had what looked like a Llew Summers artwork in their grounds.

Kyle Street and Seton Street in the suburb of Riccarton, Christchurch

Kyle St – Named after Herbert Seton Stewart Kyle (1873-1955) Kyle was a veterinarian and mayor of Riccarton 1925-1927 and 1955- 1968 and Reform Party member of parliament for Riccarton 1925-1943. Named in 1938. First appears in street directories in 1946.
Seton St – Named after Seton Stewart Kyle (1906- 1923). Seton was the son of Herbert Seton Stewart Kyle (1873-1955). He died in an accident while playing cricket at St Andrews College. He was 17 years old. The family lived at 41 Riccarton Road. First appears in street directories in 1946.

A reasonable amount of information from the library for these streets. It should be obvious why I put these two streets together. Nothing in Papers Past about the naming of the streets but there were ads for both streets in 1945. Most of the houses in both streets were wooden houses built in the 1940s. Seton Street had one slightly more modern house while Kyle Street had a few more modern houses that were mostly dated from 1990s. Kyle St did have NIWA at the end of the street. Both were small streets which normally would be called place rather that street. Seton St runs off Kyle St.

The inquest for Seton Kyle has him dying from a ruptured liver after colliding with another boy. In Papers Past there was mention of Seton Kyle Memorial Cup for A & P Show. There was also a Memorial Cup in his name at St Andrews College.

Kipax Place in the suburb of Riccarton, Christchurch

Kipax Place in Riccarton and it isn’t on the library website. I couldn’t find any information about this street. Nothing on Papers Past and no one with that name on Ancestry website. Most the houses seem to be from the 1960s so it is an older street. The footpath is on both sides on this small street which would make 1960s about right. More recent streets like this one would only have a footpath on one side and I hate this. There is a place called Kippax near Leeds in the UK so that is a possibility. No photos and nothing stood out for me on this street. Mostly brick houses.

Bartlett Street in the suburb of Riccarton, Christchurch

Bartlett St formerly Manning Street. Named after Kenneth Hardwicke Bartlett (1904- 1974). Manning Street is first mentioned in The Press in 1892. First appears in street directories in 1896. Re-named Bartlett Street on 27 September 1948. Bartlett was a jeweller and a member of the Riccarton Borough Council.

A small amount of information from the library website and I didn’t find out anything more. The earliest mention on Papers Past that I could find was in 1909. Manning St was possibly named after a Joseph Manning but couldn’t find proof of this. I also didn’t find any information about Kenneth Bartlett but I did find a Mrs Ken Bartlett living on Manning St. Nothing on Papers Past for the renaming in 1948.

I walked this street a couple of days ago when I went to take a photo of the deserted Riccarton Rd. Bartlett is a short street that runs from Riccarton Rd to Deans Ave. Restaurants at the Riccarton Rd end and hotels/motels at the Deans Ave end. A mixture of older wooden villas and new modern houses on this street. Margaret Stoddart Retirement Home is on this street.

Kearneys Road in the suburb of Linwood, Christchurch

Kearneys Rd – First mentioned in The Press in 1906. First appears in street directories in 1913. A tiny amount of information from the library website. Nothing on Papers Past to say how this street got it’s name. Found an article from 1902 where it said that the road was going to be metalled. There were ads or articles mentioning that Kearneys Rd was in an area called Sandilands. The street used to be Kearney’s Rd which suggest it was named after a person. Eventually found Michael Kearney who died 12/11/1881 and after his death there were 4 properties sold off. These properties were in the Linwood and Phillipstown area.
From the Ancestry website I found that he lived at a place called Sandhills and was a farmer. It is highly likely that this street was named after Michael Kearney but couldn’t find any information to back this up.

This street runs from Pages Rd to Ruru Rd and mostly older houses here. There is a park called Linfield Park on the street. There were several houses in this area which still had Christmas decorations on display. There was also a bowling club here with a flash entrance. Yes I was geocaching in this area.

McHaffies Place in the suburb of Wainoni, Christchurch

McHaffies Place – May have been named after Gilbert Hamilton McHaffie (1861?- 1905). McHaffie was a merchant of Flemington (later Aranui). He was a member, and also chairman, of the Heathcote Road Board 1894-1896, 1897-1899, 1901, 1902. He was on the Christchurch Domain Board for some time. He lived at Overton, New Brighton. First appears in street directories in 1983.

A small amount of information from the library website. It is highly likely that the street was named after Gilbert McHaffie or his family. Gilbert was born in Scotland and gave to NZ in 1880 via Australia. In Papers Past there was a notice dated 1908 about a marquee on McHaffies section near Tram Shelter shed Breezes Rd. This was for voting on polling day. Gilbert McHaffie died in 1905 and is buried at Linwood cemetery. He was aged 44 and described as a merchant and he died of diabetes. His widow Edith moved to the North Island at some stage. Gilbert was the member of many boards including Road Board, Hospital Board, Trotthing Assoc and Acclimatisation Society. He also bred a successful racehorse called Ribbonwood.
A small street with a park at the end of it. Most houses were built in the 1980s and there was one house that looked like an older house but it was also built in the 1980s in an older style. The park has several significant Manna Gum trees.

Riccarton Road in the suburb of Riccarton, Christchurch

Riccarton Rd –formerly Harewood Road – Named to continue the theme of naming Riccarton streets after places in Ayrshire, Scotland, from whence the Deans family originated. First mentioned in the Lyttelton Times in 1852.

A small amount of information from the library website. There is nothing on Papers Past about the naming of this road. Harewood Rd is mentioned from 1851 and Riccarton Rd from 1852. In 1852 there were sections for sales from the estate of William Deans. William Deans drowned in 1851 and I suspect that this is why the road got it’s name plus the estate was called Riccarton. His brother John died in 1854 and John’s widow did a lot to keep their memory alive.
Those days there were residential houses whereas these days the street is mostly businesses.At Upper Riccarton there is Bush Inn shopping centre. As you walk towards the city there are lots of motels. There also seems to be lots of medical businesses.There used to be a lovely historic building called Antonio Hall but sadly it has been sadly neglected and never repaired after the earthquakes. Also someone set it on fire. About halfway down there is Westfield Mall which used to be called Riccarton Mall. There are roadworks here and the road is a mess. Eventually you come to a church that has no name on it so I had to google it. It was called St James the Great and has been deconsecrated since the earthquakes. Almost opposite there is Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple. Then you come to the railway lines. A couple of cafes and a motel then an empty section where my favourite bookshop from before the earthquakes used to be. Then you reach Riccarton Ave. It is a long street to walk.

Rudleigh Avenue in the suburb of Upper Riccarton, Christchurch

Rudleigh Avenue in Upper Riccarton and this street isn’t on the library website.
I am surprised that it isn’t on the library website as it is an older street. QV website has houses built mostly in the 1920s and 1930s with a few from 1980s.
In Papers Past there is mention of this street as early as 1927 when council were looking at sewers and electric street lights. In 1930 the council were looking at fixing footpaths and erecting a street sign. In the 1930s there were 15 sections up for sale and they were aimed at staff at the Wigram Aerodrome as there had been a recent increase of staff there.
By 1942 there is mention of State Houses and fire protection for them. There had been a recent fire in a state house on a neighbouring street..
This street had mostly older wooden villas and some were lovely. This was a pleasant street and I couldn’t see that there large numbers of students living here.
I couldn’t find out how this street got the name Rudleigh. It sounds like a person’s surname but couldn’t find anyone in Christchurch with that name. It also isn’t a place name anywhere. Did find a street in Bristrol UK called Rudgleigh St.

Newnham Terrace in the suburb of Upper Riccarton, Christchurch

Newnham Terrace – Formerly Allan Street. Named after Allan Scott. Re-named Newnham Terrace. Named after Thomas Olivant Newnham (1865?- 1942). Allan (spelt Alan) Street is mentioned in an advertisement in the Press in 1910. The article in The Press, 29 September 1932, says Allan Scott was “a very old resident”. First appears in street directories in 1914. It was in a dog-leg shape and included what is now Hanrahan Street. Re-named Fuller Avenue in 1932 by the Waimairi County Council but residents objected to this name. Councillor Walter said that Councillor Newnham “had been connected with the district for a long period, and it would be fitting if it were called Newnham Avenue”. Newnham Terrace was formally named in 1934. Newnham was the chairman of the Waimairi County Council 1927- 1928. He is listed living at 5 Newnham Terrace in 1934.

A reasonable amount of information from the library website. Couldn’t find any information about Allan Scott on Papers Past. In the September article of 1932 where the objections to the name change to this street was discussed Thomas Newnham was present at the meeting. There was a Fuller family living on this street and I would love to know how they felt about the Fuller name being rejected. There was a death notice for Thomas Newnham in August 1942. In the 1940s there was a poultry farm on this street and there was also mention of State Houses.

A mixture of new and old buildings and most were high density housing aimed at students. At the Riccarton Rd end there was the ANZ bank, a gym and a bottlestore. I would hate to live here even if I was a student as I suspect that it could get very noisy. A couple of the buildings looked like they were possibly social housing. I vaguely recall in my banking days that I had a client who loved renting to students in this area.