Cardrona St in the red zone of Avondale – Probably named after the Cardrona River near Peebles, Scotland. Named in 1955.

A tiny amount of information but the library website and as the rest of the streets nearby are named after places in Scotland this is probably correct. The mention in 1955 about naming the street doesn’t mention why. In 1960s there are a few houses for sale but the majority would have built in the 1970s. In 1971 the company Merritt Beazley was selling 41 sections and they would have built the houses as well. Not much more information on Papers Past. Street view from 2007 showed a pleasant but ordinary looking street. There was also a hotel called Cardrona on Avon on the corner of Cardrona St and Breezes Rd. Street view for 2012 show most houses still standing but they weren’t looking good. There are no longer any houses here but you can still see where there used to be gardens.

Ardrossan St in the red zone of Avondale – Named after Ardrossan, a town on the North Ayrshire coast in western Scotland. Named on 15 December 1969, the same day as neighbouring Alloway Street. First appears in street directories in 1977. Information on date of naming in a letter sent to the City Librarian from the Town Clerk dated 24 March 1970.

A small amount of information from the library website. Not many entries on Papers Past. In 1974 the work on the subdivision was delayed because of bad weather. In 1975 there were 23 sections of the drainage board land sold at auction and by 1978 and 1979 there were ads for the sale of houses. Street view on google maps in 2007 showed a pleasant street with mostly typical 1970s style of houses but a couple I quite liked. Street view for 2012 showed that most houses were still standing but only a few looked like they still had people living in them. The road was a mess and I was surprised that the google car was able to drive down it. There are no longer any houses here and it is in the red zone.

Alloway St in the red zone of Avondale – Named after Alloway, a former Scottish village that is now a suburb of Ayr. Named on 15 December 1969, the same day as neighbouring Ardrossan Street. First appears in street directories in 1976. Information on date of naming in a letter sent to the City Librarian from the Town Clerk dated 24 March 1970.

A small amount of information on the library website and nothing that I can add about the name of the street. Interesting that the street was named in 1969 as I didn’t find that information on Papers Past. I did find in May 1973 mention of 27 sections being sold by public auction. The land was originally drainage board land and the article was a reply by the Chairman of the Drainage Board Mr M R Carter to a complaint by T McGuigan MP for Lyttelton about how much the sections were sold for. In 1974 and 1975 there were houses and ownership flats for sale. Ownership flats were a big thing in the 1970s. On a death notice for the street I recognised a surname from Lyttelton. Google maps in 2007 street view showed a very ordinary looking street and in 2012 most houses were still standing but many were looking damaged. No longer any houses here and the street is in the red zone.

Prestwick Street in the red zone of Avondale. Another street that wasn’t on the library website which surprised me as it was built in early 1970s. Several entries in Papers Past and in 1970 there was a call for tenders to built new kerbs, stormwater pipes, paths and grassed berms. In 1972 there were several ads for the sale of brand new houses in the new subdivision. The name will be from a place in Scotland. After googling Prestwick in Scotland I will add it to my travel wish list. The nearest that I have been to Prestwick is Glasgow airport. That is an adventure that I won’t forget as I was in the queue behind a stag group who were in kilts. Because of their boots and other items they set off the body scanner. They had to strip off so many items and I thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment along with everyone else in the queue.

There are no longer any houses here and google street view in 2007 showed a pleasant street with some nice gardens. In street view from 2012 many of the houses have been demolished especially the ones near the river. The rest were fenced off and only a couple of houses looked like anyone were still living in them. Still the remains of people’s gardens along what used to be a street.

Nevis Place in the red zone of Avondale. I was surprised that this street wasn’t on the library website. Papers Past had a few entries which included death notices and the sale of houses. All entries were between 1973 and 1978. There are obviously no longer any houses here. I checked google street view and there were still a few houses still standing in 2012 but they were obviously fairly munted. Street view from 2007 showed an ordinary looking street with 1970s style of houses. The name Nevis would be from Scotland as the rest of the area had street names from Scotland.

Lonsdale St in New Brighton – Probably named after the peerage of Lonsdale. Hugh Lowther, 5th Earl (1857-1944) was the holder of the title at the time the street was named. Formed in 1892. The Star, 8 March 1892, p 3 says “George King & Co. Ltd….has also sold a large number of sections in Lonsdale Street, New Brighton, at prices ranging from £25 to £45. Since a start has been made at the formation of Lonsdale Street quite a rush is going on for these sections…” On 14 May 1892 it is advertised as a “coming street, adjoining the Plantation as it does…” First appears in street directories in 1911 running from Rawson Street to Keppel Street only.

A reasonable of information from the library website. Huge number of entries on Papers Past because of a street with the same name in Melbourne so added New Brighton to the wording. Still a large number of entries. Sections were for sale in 1892 and 1900. Many birth and death notices and found a couple that I research a bit further as they possibly are connected to my family tree. In 1904 an artesian well was sunk for flushing purposes. In 1911 the foundation stone for the new Roman Catholic Church was laid by Bishop Grimes. In 1934 there was a new catholic schoolroom. A small maternity home called Nurse Black’s was mentioned in birth notices from about 1918.

I sidetracked slightly when looking at Papers Past as in 1920 a man shot his wife in what was known as The New Brighton Affair. The woman survived. In 1947 a man was found dead in his home as a result of a fight in Lyttelton.

There wasn’t anything in Papers Past to say how the street got it’s name. I did find a Herbert Lonsdale but he didn’t live or work in New Brighton.

I walked this street a few weeks ago and there is New Brighton Catholic School and St Mary’s Catholic Church. The original church was demolished after the earthquakes and a new one built. Most houses on this street were built in 1970s and 1990s but there was also a large number of houses built between 1890 and 1920. The one built in 1890 is a cute wee cottage. The building that interested me the most was called The Pier Lodge Bed and Breakfast and it used to be called The Pier Lodge and Museum. I couldn’t find the history of the building but it looks like it was a church building at some stage. When walking the street there is a wee kink in it so that it looks like two separate streets

Hood St in New Brighton – Formerly Ann Street. May have been named after a member of James George Hawkes’ family. Re-named Hood Street. Named after Viscount Alexander Hood (1724-1814). Ann Street was formed in 1890 but does not appear in street directories. Re-named Hood Street at a special meeting of the New Brighton Council on 12 August 1907. Hood was an admiral in the British navy. Harry Hawker (1868- 1947), a councillor 1905- 1909, had suggested that New Brighton street names be changed to the names of British sea captains who had fought in the 18th and 19th century – a gesture linking Christchurch with the home country, was patriotic and emphasised the fact that New Brighton was a seaside suburb.

A reasonable amount of information from the library website. Couldn’t find any information about Ann St apart from the name change in 1907. I also couldn’t find any information on the ancestry website. In 1914 a new mission hall was mentioned and in 1915 the Presbyterian Hall was mentioned. They were possibly the same building. Lots of birth and death notices but most entries concern sand and sand hills. In 1917 a fence was built at the end of the street for safety reasons but sadly a year later a stranded whale got caught on the fence. In 1960 houses on this street were ordered to be connected to sewage.

I walked this street a few weeks ago and there is an entrance to the Bowling Club on this street and this club was mentioned in Papers Part as early as 1927. Couldn’t see any church hall on the street and I checked street view for 2007 and no hall appeared on this. Houses here cover most decades but many from 1970 and just as many from between 1905 to 1920. A couple stood out for me and one was a cute cottage and the other was a larger wooden villa. I quite liked this street and the many of the houses appealed to me.

Orrick Cres in Avondale – Named after James Orrick Thompson (1904-1976). Thompson was a seaman, turned builder, of 270 Wainoni Road. He served on the Heathcote County Council 1947-1953. First appears in street directories in 1952. The street was extended through to Hulverstone Drive in the early 1970s. Information supplied in 2008 by Gwendoline Hilda Agassiz in an interview with Richard Greenaway.

A reasonable amount of information from the library website. Not a lot of information on Papers Past. In 1960 it is mentioned that was objections to the land being rezoned from rural to residential. There were sections for sale between 1963 and 1966. More sections for sale in 1970 and 1971 and this would have been when the street was extended as part of the Cedarwood Estate. Several entries between 1973 and 1975 with complaints about heavy trucks using the street. The main issues about the trucks were driving at high speed and dirt falling off the trucks and into properties. James Orrick Thompson was bankrupt in 1963 and discharged from the bankruptcy in 1965. It is amazing how many streets in Christchurch are named after men who went bankrupt. I actually walked this street way back in April and I am a little bit behind in writing up streets. Most houses were built in the 1970s with a few in 1960 and 1980. There is an older house from 1910 but it wasn’t anything startling. When I looked at older street views on google maps there was some sort of church but it is now a community garden for a church group. Just checked my photo and it says Church of Jesus Christ whoever they are. There are no longer any houses at the river end of the street.

Dallington Tce in Dallington – Continuation of River Road. Named because it runs through the suburb of Dallington which, in turn, was named by Henry Joseph Campbell Jekyll (1844- 1913) after a family estate in Northamptonshire. River Road from Dallington bridge to McBratneys Road was re-named Dallington Terrace by the Waimairi County Council in 1926. First appears in street directories in 1928.

A reasonable amount of information from the library website. In Papers Past there was an entry in 1939 which was a complaint about the state of the road. In 1927 there were several entries about a newborn baby’s body being found on the riverbank. I couldn’t find any entries to show that the baby was identified. Sounds like fish or an animal had nibbled on the body. The residents sounded like an accident prone lot as there were several entries about accidents suffered by residents involving cars and bicycles including at least two deaths. Occasionally cars managed to end up in the river. The houses were only on one side of the street and the river was on the other side. Only 37 houses left on the street with most built between 1940s to 1970s. A couple date from 1915. There are now only houses at the McBratney Rd end of the street and the rest have been demolished and is now part of the red zone. I walked this street on Sunday while doing a geocaching lab adventure.

Bowie Place in the Avonside red zone and there wasn’t any information on the library website about this street. There was a little bit of information on Papers Past and it was a new street in 1970. It was named after a city councillor C S Bowie. In 1974 it was agreed to build 8 pensioner units on this street and the units would be built by adult apprentices. The apprentices were part of a new scheme and the units were built as part of their 16 week training course. Google maps from 2012 show that the street is blocked off and there are no longer any houses here. It ran off Avonside Drive and I almost missed this tiny street when I walked past it.