When Mrs. Maria Sophia Pope opened her shop on Colombo Street in 1862, the street that ran along the front of her door was nothing more than a muddy runty track that would fill with water every time it rained. But I’m sure on those fine Christchurch days; Maria would take a breather on her …
I don’t know about you guys but growing up in Christchurch, the odd substation was an accepted part of every suburb. The ones in Harewood and Bishopdale had M.E.D on them above the doors and I never really understood what these little square buildings really did. During a history hunt, Chris and I were poking …
Gebbies Valley and Pass were known during the 1830’s as ‘Maori Valley” by the Rhodes brothers of Purau as it was a busy trail that the Maori used when heading south. The Maori called it Kawa Taua. Captain Fredrick Tuckett used the trail on the 4th June 1844. He was inspecting the Peninsula and the …
“The road round the foot of the hills, and from Christchurch, was little better than a track with large holes here and large boulder stones there, in the middle of the road. The Ferry Road was not much more than wide enough for one carriage at a time, with deep ditches on both sides. From …