Where Waltham Road crosses Eastern, Riverlaw and Fifield Terraces, you get the Wilsons Street Bridge. It proudly displays its Christchurch City Council plaque of being built in 1964. What is largely unknown is that this crossing –or very close to it – was where the very first bridge was built over the Heathcote River. Originally …
On 10th November 1961, harness racer ‘Cardigan Bay’, the first standard bred horse to win one million dollars, took to the track in Christchurch while Addington’s main public grandstand was well ablaze! Showing the focus of a true champion, he won the New Zealand Free-For-All as the grandstand collapsed in ruins in the background. Amazedly, …
It took a lot of convincing for James Jellie to let the Christchurch City Council name the park after him but finally Jellie Park was opened on 24 September 1960. He moved to Christchurch in 1917 and purchased 26 acres in Burnside/Bryndwr. He used the land as a commercial grower but lived at 321 Russley …
On 26 November 1959, Burnside Road was renamed to Memorial Avenue in the memory of all the air service personnel that died in World War II. Burnside Road had been a troublesome project for the C.C.C during the early 1950′s. Nothing much more than a dirt trail that, at times, actually passed through farm land, …
When Ken and Bev Loader looked out from their new undeveloped Clifton Hill property, they could see Mid Canterbury in all its glory – from the glittering waters of Pegasus Bay across our great Plains to the Southern Alps. What a view to begin a dream with! The pair were still learning their new trade …
On 8 November 1956, the city’s trolley buses ran its last service. They were being replaced by diesel buses. These trolley buses had come into service on 1 April 1931. New Brighton had been the first suburb to get these. *image courtesy of the Canterbury Library http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/
On 1 April 1955, Halswell joined the Greater Christchurch and came under the care of the C.C.C. The term “Halswell” for the area was first used in 1868 – before that, it was known as a part of Tai Tapu. For many decades, Halswell was regarded as a satellite town, meaning it was a thriving …
“Please help us!!! Mummy is hurt, covered in blood!” Kenneth and Agnes Ritchie didn’t know what to think as two blood-covered teenage girls ran up to them at Victoria Park’s Tea Kiosk from the nearby walkway. Agnes recognised them as just having eaten in the tearooms just minutes earlier. As she led the distressed girls …
On 19 January 1954, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip arrived in Canterbury via train during their 1953/54 New Zealand Royal Tour. Pictured here are Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip enjoying a small pit stop in Darfield. What met them were hundreds of school children, a Mr J.C. Borwick (the Station Manager) and James Deans (previously …
On 10 October 1953, the last great air race took place between Heathrow Airport, London and Christchurch International Airport. Christchurch was chosen in 1950 as Christchurch Airport had become international. There were two sections to the race; one was for speed whereas the other was commercial. The speed race was won by the Royal Air …
