Manchester Street – Named after the English bishopric of Manchester. Named by surveyors Captain Joseph Thomas (b. 1803?) and Edward Jollie (1825-1894). One of the original streets of Christchurch named in 1850. The names were taken from bishoprics listed in Burke’s Peerage. First mentioned in The Lyttelton Times in 1852 when 1/4 acre sections are advertised for sale there. Manchester Street from North Belt (later Bealey Avenue) to Dean Street (later Purchas Street), became a public road in 1899 on subdivision by the Church Property Trustees of the Anglican Church which owned much of the property in the area.
A reasonable amount of information from the library website. This is part one of Manchester St and today I walked from Bealey Ave to Moorhouse Ave part of the street. There are older houses at the Bealey Ave end including the massive McLean Mansion. A couple of months ago they were going to open up McLean Mansion to the public and I planned on going but sadly some health and safety people stopped the opening. Many new buildings here mostly for various businesses and also many empty sections. Near the Avon River is the Margaret Mahy Playground plus I found a Greening the Rubble space. Between the river and High St there is a lot of empty space which is used for community events. Between High St and Moorhouse Ave there is mixture of new and old buildings. At the Moorhouse Ave there is a large Pak n’ Save supermarket and car sale yards. Manchester St is mostly businesses from Avon River to Moorhouse Ave and a few older houses and modern townhouses from Bealey Ave to the river. The cancer society rooms used to be on Manchester St when I was going to the support group. Manchester St was also where prostitutes worked. I don’t know f they still work this area.
I took photos of a mixture of the older houses and new townhouses. A church school, a community garden and McLean Mansions. Also photos of new business buildings. NOTE: I actually walked this several months ago and since then I have managed to do the McLean Mansions tour. I also have realised that I haven’t finished walking this street.
Roker Street in the suburb of Somerfield, Christchurch
Roker Street – Stark’s Road was incorporated into Roker Street. Probably named after Roker in North East England. The section of Roker Street running west off Selwyn Street was formerly Stark’s Road. Named after James Stark (1833?-1895) Roker Street first appears in street directories in 1910. Stark was a judge of draught horses. His address at the time of his death was Willow Bank, Starks Road. He was living on Lincoln Road in 1880.
A reasonable amount of information from library website. This street also has a cycleway and there were protests about this cycleway as the original plan was to demolish several houses. The Sydenham Cemetery has an entrance here. A nice quiet street with many lovely old wooden houses. There were also older houses that had various claddings over the original weatherboard. I loved one house where I am guessing that the owner likes birds. I managed several photos here. I vaguely recall that I used to visit an elderly man here regarding the family tree.
Drummond Street in the suburb of Sydenham, Christchurch
Drummond Street formerly Poulson’s Lane Formed in 1875 when a Mr Woodford purchased land here and subdivided it into twenty lots. Re-named Drummond Street in 1889. Due to an oversight the street remained in the original title until 1995 when the Council finally took ownership.
A wee bit of information from the library website. A tiny street and because it is an older street it has a footpath on both sides. Nothing on the library website about where the name Drummond came from. Mostly older houses with a new house at the end of the street. This street is more of a place rather than a street as it is a no exit street. There were a couple of tiny houses that looked new and more like baches than proper houses. They seemed to be made of polite but I wouldn’t have expected that this cladding to be used these days. I did manage a photo of an old cottage.
Barnett Avenue in the suburb of Sydenham, Christchurch
Barnett Ave – Named after Councillor John Septimus Barnett (1869?-1945). This was a special avenue constructed in 1938 on which were built cottages for old-age pensioners. The street was named as a compliment to Barnett who was chairman of the housing sub-committee. The first 16 houses were offically opened by the mayor on 26 August 1939.
Interesting information from the library website. Not many old age pensioners living here these days. Seems to be mostly people with mental health and drug issues and luckily today I had no problems. This street is next to Sydenham Park and a couple of years ago I was followed by a man here and it was scary especially as he was yelling and screaming. I don’t often feel nervous walking in Christchurch but I did that afternoon as it was getting on for dusk. The flats all look exactly the same and are fairly untidy.
Kinsella Crescent in the suburb of Aidanfield, Christchurch
Kinsella Crescent – Named after Sister St Canice “Anne” Kinsella (1911-1990). Sister Kinsella worked in New Zealand 1967- 1973. The street names in the Aidanfield subdivision are those of former Sisters of the Good Shepherd Order and former residents of the Good Shepherd Sisters’ Home at Halswell. Named in 2001.
Interesting information from library website and this street is probably named after this sister. There was also a Kinsella family that lived in Christchurch and there is a link to my ex-husband’s family. His grandfather had an affair with a Bessie Kinsella wife of Thomas Kinsella. They eventually married after a divorce in 1924.
Another street of fairly large houses and many had columns which seems to be a common feature in this area.
Ginaty Lane in the suburb of Aidanfield, Christchurch
Ginaty Lane – Named after the Very Rev. Dean Laurentias Maria Ginaty (1836?- 1911). Ginaty was the Vicar-General of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Christchurch. He was involved in fundraising
A wee bit of information from the library website. This was a tiny private lane with only three large houses. I didn’t manage any photos here.
Sienna Court in the suburb of Aidanfield, Christchurch
Sienna Court – Named after Sister Sienna. Sister Sienna was one of the Sisters of the Aidanfield Order. The street names in the Aidanfield subdivision are those of former Sisters of the Good Shepherd Order and former residents of the Good Shepherd Sisters’ Home at Halswell. Named in 2006.
A wee bit of information from the library website. Sister Sienna’s name wasn’t on the gravestone in the cemetery. A small street that runs from McMahon Drive to Date Crescent. Mostly houses made from cladding that looks like weatherboard. I didn’t get a photo here.
Coppinger Terrace in the suburb of Aidanfield, Christchurch
Coppinger Tce – Christchurch City Council records say this street is named after a Sister Coppinger. Fraser Faithfull was not able to trace a sister of that name. The street names in the Aidanfield subdivision are those of former Sisters of the Good Shepherd Order and former residents of the Good Shepherd Sisters’ Home at Halswell. Named on 31 January 2001.
A wee bit of information from library website. There was no one with this name on the gravestone of the sisters. The name Coppinger is of Norse origin and common in Ireland so it is possible that it was one of the sisters. A long street of mostly brick houses. The houses were large and most of them had columns. I have noticed this feature in other modern subdivisions.There were a couple of wee reserves that were on this street and I like these little green spaces.I managed to get a photo of a huge house.
Byron Street and Sandyford Street in the suburb of Sydenham, Christchurch
Byron Street and Sandyford Street – Formerly Second Street and Hugh Street. The streets south of, and parallel to, Moorhouse Avenue were named in numerical order. The section of Second Street east of Colombo Road was re-named Byron Street. Named after Lord George Gordon Byron (1788-1824). The section of Second Street west of Colombo Street was re-named Sandyford Street. Second Street does not appear in street directories, only maps. On a 1879 map it is shown running from Harper Street (later Orbell Street) to Gasworks Road (later Waltham Road). Re-named Byron Street. Byron was an English 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. Aynsleys Alley No 1 was re-named Hugh Street and Aynsleys Alley No 3 was re-named Murray Street, in 1889. Named after Hugh Percy MurrayAynsley (1828-1917). He probably owned the land where the street was formed. Murray Street was renamed Ross Street on 7 March 1904 and became part of Hugh Street in 1934. Hugh Street was incorporated into Byron Street by special order of the Christchurch City Council on 19 July 1976.
A lot of information from the library website and rather confusing information. I decided to do these two streets together as they are practically just one street. When Sandyford St ends it becomes Disraeli St and then becomes Harman St. I have already done Disraeli and Harman Streets. This is a business area of Sydenham and lots of businesses connected to the car industry. Most buildings were older but there were a few brand new buildings. Sydenham was hit badly in the earthquakes. Found some street art on Byron St and I liked the artwork on the Adventure Centre. To cross from Byron St to Sandyford St I had to go under the Durham St bridge. The sign on the Junk and Disorderly shop has the words Grater Goods and this has always puzzled me but I have found out that Grater is the surname of the shop’s owner. When I get time will load a photo of street art.
Kent Street in the suburb of Sydenham, Christchurch
Kent Street was developed off the end of Caton Street. First mentioned in The Press in 1892 when moves were made to develop it into a public street. First appears in street directories in 1904.
Not much on the library website but then it is a tiny street in Sydenham. I didn’t take any photos as there are just a couple of businesses here and it actually it runs off Disraeli Street. Most likely named after Kent in England.
Lytteltonwitch's Walking the streets of Christchurch Project 