Leistrella Road in Hoon Hay – First appears in street directories in 1951.

A tiny amount of information from the library website and I couldn’t find out how the street got it’s name.

Papers Past had ads in 1962 and 1966 for the sale of sections. There were a few birth and death notices. The sewers were connected in 1961.

Most houses here were built in the 1950s and then in the 1990s. These houses were in the original part of the street. In the new part of the street the houses are still being built.

I walked the original part of the street which runs off Hoon Hay Rd and you come to a gate saying private property. There is a house beyond these gates. The houses here are typical wooden houses from the 1950s and the 1990s houses are made from brick. There was one house with a nice garden but the lawn was artificial grass.

When I checked google maps before writing up the street I realised that the street is being extended so I had to go back and walk the new part of the street. The new part of the street runs off Cashmere Rd and houses are still being built here but some look like they are occupied. There is what looks like a reserve at the Cashmere Rd end of this street. At this stage the two parts of the street don’t meet up and are blocked off.

Muirson Ave in Hoon Hay – Named after Reginald Gordon Vivian Muirson (1913-1990). Muirson was a builder of “spec” houses in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. First appears in street directories in 1952. Muirson’s dates supplied in 2008 by Marie Shears, formerly Woolley.

A small amount of information from the library website and nothing that I can add about the name of the street. A small number of entries on Papers Past. There were sections available in 1954. In 1953 there was a fire in the rubbish dump that was owned by the Heathcote County Council.

Only 13 houses here and most were built in the 1950s and the oldest house was the art deco house built in the 1940s.

Penny Lane in Hoon Hay – nothing on library website.

Only three houses here and it is a private lane. There is a childcare business called Penny Lane on Hoon Hay Rd next to Penny Lane. The lane was possibly named after the business or it was the other way round.

Maryhill Ave in Hoon Hay – First appears in street directories in 1953.

A tiny amount of information from the library website and I couldn’t find out the reason for name. It was either someone’s name or a place name in Scotland.

Several entries in Papers Past and it was a new subdivision in 1953. In 1955 there was Crown Land offered and returned servicemen had first option in the ballots. In 1955 the street was extended to Sparks Rd. There were sections available between 1970 and 1972. Lots of death notices.

Most houses were built in 1950s and another big lot built in 1990s. I didn’t really like this street and it wasn’t until I had walked the full length that I realised why. Many of the wooden 1950s houses had been roughcasted. When I was looking at buying a house about 20 years ago my late brother said never touch such houses as you don’t know what the cladding is hiding.

Rima Lane in Hoon Hay – nothing on library website and the houses were built in the 1980s. I suspect that the street was named after a person but couldn’t find any information about it.

There were only 4 entries on Papers Past dated 1989 and they were ads for houses.

It was a tiny narrow private lane and I didn’t walk it.

Wyn St in Hoon Hay – First appears in street directories in 1952.
A tiny amount of information from the library website and I couldn’t find out a reason for the name of the street but suspect that it was a surname.
A lot of information on Papers Past and there was an article in 1957 about the street being metalled plus footpath being formed. The subdivision was formed in 1952 and there were houses built there shortly afterwards. The residents weren’t happy about how long it took to form the road properly. In 1954 there were state sections available for ballot and as usual for these ballots returned servicemen had first preference. There were ads for sections in 1952 and 1956. There was a large number of death notices and I recognised at least two surnames connected to people I worked with in the Post Office. Most houses were built in the 1950s with a few in later decades.
The footpath was a bit rough to walk on as pipes had been laid recently. Most houses were typical 1950s style with a couple of exceptions. Two houses stood out and one from 1980s was built in an older worker’s cottage style. The other house that stood out was built in the 1970s and had a weird log cabin cladding.

Downing Street in Hoon Hay – First appears in street directories in 1951.

A tiny amount of information from the library website and I couldn’t find out how the street got it’s name but suspect that it is a person’s surname.

Because of a certain famous street in the UK there were thousands of entries on Papers Past. I limited my search to Downing Street, Hoon Hay so possibly missed some entries. There were sections available in 1950s and a new footpath was formed in 1957. Lots of entries about the Presbyterian Church. The church was mentioned in 1959 as meeting being held in the church hall. The official opening for the church was in 1962. They then applied for consent to erect a church in 1971.

Most houses here were built in 1950s and then several houses built in the 1990s. The later houses were mostly built at the back of existing houses. This was very common in the 1990s.

Nothing outstanding about the street or the houses and the church is still there. The houses from 1950s are mostly wooden houses and the ones from 1990s are made from brick.

Cedars Street in Hoon Hay – Gee Street was incorporated into Cedars Street. Gee Street first appears in street directories in 1955. Cedars Street first appears in 1957. The section running from

Mathers Road was named Cedars Street; the section running from Kevin Street was named Gee Street. Gee Street was incorporated into Cedars Street on 20 July 1970. Date of re-naming of Gee Street supplied in 2008 by Bob Pritchard, subdivisions officer, Christchurch City Council.

A reasonable amount of information from the library website. I checked Papers Past but couldn’t find a reason for the name of the street. Also didn’t find it as a surname of anyone in Christchurch. I also thought that it might have been the name of a house that was on the street and Cedar House was a common house name but didn’t find one in this area.

A few entries on Papers Past and in 1955 the new Hoon Hay Domain was accessible from Gee St. There was also a Gee St in New Brighton. Sections available in 1955. There were also sections available on Cedars St in 1955 and they were Crown land sections which is balloted. In 1969 the council resolved that the road reserve between 19 and 20 Cedars St is redundant and the land to be subdivided into two sections. A walkway to be formed between Cedars St and Downing St. Walkway is still there. There were sections available in 1971 and 1972 and then there were more sections available in 1983.

I looked at a map from 1958 and Gee St ran between Waters St and Kevin St. There was a reserve separating the two streets. The reserve was on only one side of the street and on the other side there was a large property. The house on this property dates from 1880 but I couldn’t find out any information about it. I suspect that the streets were gradually formed from this property.

The street is a mess at the moment as it is being dug up for new pipes to be laid. Most houses here were built in either 1950s or 1970s and they didn’t really stand out for me. What did stand out for me was the house from 1880 and it is lovely. There used to be a childcare business that was in a private home in this street just over 40 years ago. I used this childcare business for my older son whenever I had work. I did casual relief work for the Post Office.

Edited as I found the Gee family who lived in this area. William George Alfred Gee with his wife Bessie lived on Tankerville Rd. His son George Gee with his wife Winifred also lived on Tankerville Rd. His son William Ernest Loveday Gee who was married twice lived at 23 Hoon Hay Rd and was living at 3 Wyn St when he died.

Capri Lane in Hoon Hay – nothing on library website yet the oldest house here is from 1950s plus there is a house from 1960s. The rest of the houses were mostly built in 1970s. Couldn’t find out how the street got it’s name.

Not much information on Papers Past. Sections were for sale in 1976 and it was described as an exclusive subdivision.

I actually walked past this street without realising that it was a street and had to go back to Hoon Hay Rd to walk it. It just looked like a driveway. There was a tiny footpath that went part way down the lane. I kept to the footpath so only walked part of it.

Bencard Place in Hoon Hay – Named after Christian Bencard and his wife. Norway Place was originally proposed as the name of the street in 1966. Bencard Place was proposed by the developer, John Taylor, in 1967, and it was officially named in 1968. Bencard was a Dane who married an English businesswoman and then lived at Gorgate Hall, East Dereham, near Norwich. During World War II, the Bencards entertained many servicemen and women at their home who were on leave, including John Taylor. He honoured the couple’s generosity by naming a street after them. Bencard Place first appears in street directories in 1970. Information on date of proposed name of Norway Place and naming of Bencard Place in letters sent to the City Librarian from the Town Clerk dated 13 December 1966 and 4 June 1968.

A reasonable amount of information from the library website and nothing that I can add about the name of the street. Papers Past had an article dated May 1972 when Mrs Bencard a widow visited New Zealand for the first time. She was thrilled that the street was named after her husband. The Bencards had a business relationship with a Mr Peryer and Mrs Bencard was staying with Mr and Mrs Peryer. The street name was approved in 1967 and street was previously named Norway Place. This was the only mention of Norway Place.

Looked like a pleasant street with nice houses but none stood out for me. Most houses were built in 1960s and 1970s with a few from 1980s and 1990s.