Those walking or travelling down Riccarton Road – known as Harewood Road in them days – during 1851 or thereabouts, I’m sure would have slowed their step and craned their neck in wonder at what was rising out of the Shands Estate. What was that crazy John Shand up too? Is that a tower? Widower …
On the corner of Mandeville Street and Riccarton Road sits Mandeville Reserve, a gift from John Heaton Rhodes to the people of Riccarton Borough. In 1857, a beautiful house was built on that corner. It was named ‘Oakford’ and was owned by Henry Joseph Hall. He became chairman of the Riccarton Road Board in 1875 …
On 21st June 1851, Riccarton Road (or Harewood Road as it began as a route to Harewood Forest in Oxford as it was then known) was opened. Those who visited Riccarton during the beginning of 1851 spoke of the constant noise of the sawyers cutting down the Canterbury Association’s allocation of Riccarton Bush – sadly …
