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.

Matthew Place in the suburb of Aidanfield, Christchurch

Matthew Place – Probably named after the Rt. Rev. Dr. Matthew Joseph Brodie (1864-1943). [Christchurch City Council records say this street is named after a Sister Matthew. Fraser Faithfull was not able to trace a Sister of this name.] Brodie was Roman Catholic Bishop of Christchurch 1915-1943. Named in 2001. Biographical information supplied in 2007 by Fraser Faithfull, archivist with the Good Shepherd Provincialate in Abbotsford, Victoria in correspondence with Margaret Harper
A lot of information from the library website for a tiny street. Modern houses mostly of brick. A couple of houses had recently sold but beyond my price range. No footpath here so I had to walk on the road. No photos.  I have found a Sister Matthew Tohill who died 31/03/1966 aged 65 years. Her name was at the Mt Magdala Cemetery so I believe that the council records are correct and the library website is incorrect.

Constance Place in the suburb of Aidanfield, Christchurch

Constance Place – Continues the theme in the Aidanfield subdivision of street names recognising former Sisters of the Good Shepherd Community, and place names with a strong association to the community. Named in 2010.
A bit of information from the library website but personally I would liked a bit more information about Constance. I didn’t take any photos here. A short street with modern houses and as usual with these small streets there is only a footpath on one side. I find this so annoying.  I have found Sister Constance O’Neill at the Mt Magdala Cemetery and she died 23/04/1948 aged 62.


Mariposa Crescent in the suburb of Aidanfield, Christchurch

Mariposa Crescent – Named after the steamer Mariposa. The Sisters of the Good Shepherd Order travelled to New Zealand on the steamer Mariposa in 1887. 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 2010.
Another street where the library website had interesting information. Another modern street of boring modern houses. Again mostly brick with an occasional house with cladding that looks like weatherboard. One house definitely looked like a toilet block on this street. The saving grace for the street is that it had a couple of nice wee reserves and a playground. One house had a really nice decoration on the outside. I am sure that it would look nice on my house.

McMahon Drive in the suburb of Aidanfield, Christchurch

McMahon Drive – Named after Sister Antonia (Letitia) McMahon (1894- 1976). Sister Antonia was born in Victoria and worked in Christchurch approximately 1915- 1960. 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. Biographical information supplied in 2007 by Fraser Faithfull, archivist with the Good Shepherd Provincialate in Abbotsford, Victoria in correspondence with Margaret Harper.

That was a lot more information that I was expecting from the library website. This street was a lot longer than I expected and it is in a new subdivsion and all the houses were modern. They were mostly brick houses with a few made of that cladding that looks like weatherboard. I couldn’t get decent photos here and there was two houses close to each other which were in what I would call a Scandinavian style. There were a couple that were in what I call toilet block style and they are so ugly. Gardens were mostly just lawn and very well-kept but boring. I did stop to chat to an older man as he had large insects decorating his garden. One was a spider so I had to stop and talk. He made them himself with a lathe after he had to stop working because he had had a stoke. He also was originally from Glasgow but has been in NZ for 45 years. He was amazed that I knew he was from Glasgow. Two of the photos are of the green areas but you can see the style of houses as well. The other photo is of an information board and not only was the information interesting but the information board itself was interesting.

Penbury Street in the suburb of Sydenham, Christchurch

Penbury Street – Formerly Aynsleys Alley, No 2. Named after the Murray-Aynsley family. Re-named Percy Street. Named after Hugh Percy MurrayAynsley (1828- 1917). Re-named Leith Street and later Penbury Street. Probably named after Penbury in Kent.
Aynsleys Alley, No 2 was renamed Percy Street in 1889. Murry-Aynsley probably owned the land where the street was formed. Re-named Leith Street on 7 March 1904. Re-named Penbury Street on 1 September 1948 when 120 streets were re-named.
Interesting information from the library website. A lot of name changes for a tiny street that looks like an entrance to a car park. The main building here was for a martial art studio. Cool art work.

Lawson Street in the suburb of Sydenham, Christchurch

Lawson Street – Formerly Elizabeth Street. Conway Street was incorporated into Lawson Street. It ran from Queen Street (later Buchan Street) to Hawdon Street. Named after Henry Lawson (1867- 1922) Elizabeth Street appears on an 1879 map and first appears in street directories in 1887. Re-named Lawson Street in 1909. The Star says Elizabeth Street “was vaguely re-named Lawson Street after “a poet”. Lawson was an Australian writer and poet. Conway Street appears on an 1879 map and is first mentioned in The Press in 1880. Is incorporated into Lawson Street by 1912.
I found the information from the library website to be a bit confusing. A short street in business area of Sydenham. The only photos are of street art that is now on a building site which is why there are men in one of the photos. The street actually goes to Colombo St and there is a bank on that corner.
Edited as I now realise that my sons used to go to judo on this street when they were much younger. I had in my head that it was Lawson St but when I saw a martial Art place on Penbury St I thought that I must have got my streets confused. I was not confused as the martial art place that my sons went to was on Lawson St but the building has been demolished and the business has moved to Woolston. There is an empty overgrown section where it used to be.

Harold Street in the suburb of Sydenham, Christchurch

Harold Street – Formerly Aynsleys Alley No 4 and Aynsley Street. Named after Hugh Percy Murray-Aynsley (1828-1917). Aynsleys Alley No 4 was re-named Aynsley Street in 1889. Murray-Aynsley probably owned the land where this street was formed. Re-named Harold Street on 1 September 1948 when 120 streets were re-named.
Interesting information from library website but doesn’t say where the name Harold came from. I used to know this tiny street really well as the back entrance of the Sydenham ANZ was here. This was before the earthquakes. Only one of the businesses that I remember is still here. Two photos are of a cake making business.The other is of an old house that was looked dilapidated for as long as I can remember. The gate is new and there is a portable shed in the yard of the old house where a tiling business has set up business.