Richmond History

Wedding Group, 79 North Avon Road, 1922

26/2/2018

This photograph is a modern copy print of an original photograph, showing a group attending the wedding of Hilda Marjory Cusack and Gordon Robert Wilson in 1922. The photo was taken at 79 North Avon Road. There is some information recorded on the reverse of the print, which is summarized below:
79 North Avon Road. Richmond. Christchurch. 1922.
The wedding photo of Hilda Marjory Cusack and Gordon Robert Wilson.

The baby to the left of the group is Jeffrey Raymond Pentecost, held by his father, Samuel Pentecost J.P. and secretary to Dan Sullivan, Labour M.P. for Avon, 1919–47. The Pentecost family lived at 85 North Avon Road, and the photograph and information were donated by Mrs. Joan Pentecost, wife of Jeffrey.

Families occupying the four houses on the block between Stapletons Road & Petrie Street:
75 North Avon Road — Straws: two daughters.
79 North Avon Road — Cusack: four daughters.
85 North Avon Road — Pentecost: four daughters & one son.
89 North Avon Road — Ramsay: three daughters.

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James Arthur Flesher, 1865–1930

26/2/2018

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The photograph shows James Flesher in mayoral regalia, although it is not clear whether the photo was taken when he was mayor of New Brighton (1915–17) or Christchurch (1923–25). James Flesher lived in Richmond; the Flesher family owned Avebury House and land between the house and the river.

Biographical data based on information on the Christchurch City Libraries website:
James Arthur Flesher was born in Christchurch on 13 August, 1865, the son of William and Dorothy Flesher, who owned Avebury House. James was educated at Christ’s College and became a lawyer; he was admitted as a solicitor in 1898, and when he started his own legal firm the following year, he was admitted as a barrister.

In 1893 he was elected to the Christchurch City Council, representing the Richmond Ward. In 1900 he married Margaret Lucy England. They had two children. From 1915 to 1917 he was Mayor of New Brighton Borough. He was appointed borough solicitor in 1918, a position he held until his death.
In 1918 he was again elected to the Christchurch City Council and he became Chairman of the By-laws & Finance Committee. He remained a councillor till 1920, and in 1923 he was elected Mayor of Christchurch, a position he held for two years. In 1928 he was again elected to council and remained a councillor until his death in 1930. He was also elected to the Christchurch Tramway Board in 1906, was Chairman from 1913–1916, and was still a member of the board at the time of his death.

James was also a member of many other local boards and organisations. His obituary stated: “It was not the length of his public service, long as that was, or the number of positions he occupied, many as they were, that gave him his conspicuous place among the public men of the city, but the force and capacity that he constantly exhibited. He had the command of fact and the clear view of his object which keeps discussion to the direct and useful line.”
James died in 1930 aged 65 years and was buried in the Avonside Anglican Cemetery. He was survived by his wife, Margaret, son, Herbert, and daughter, Mrs F. M. L. Sheppard. Flesher Avenue, which runs through the property once owned by the Flesher family, is named after him.

Here is a previous post about the Flesher family photo album covering the years 1909-11.

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1987 CCC Report: "Richmond Neighbourhood Improvement Area"

10/2/2018

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This report was prepared by the Christchurch City Council and published in 1987. The document consists of nine sections and includes descriptions of the Richmond area as it was in the late 1980s, as well as suggestions for improving the appearance, function and traffic flows in and around the area. So, it is an interesting snapshot of Richmond as it was thirty years ago as well as an insight into the thinking at the time, of people seeking to improve the area.

The report was based on discussions with local residents and involved input from several groups within CCC: Town Planning, Parks & Recreation and Traffic Engineering. Thirty years later, it is interesting to see which elements of the report’s recommendations have been implemented, and what changes have been made in the intervening years.

The document comprises 24 A4 pages, typewritten (using an electric typewriter?), including several photo reproductions (poor quality photocopies) and seven pages of maps and graphics. It is interesting to view a report produced using short-run analogue printing technology at a time when computer-based methods were just beginning to change drastically the look and feel of such publications.

ccc-richmond_neighbourhood_document-1987.pdf
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Hadfield Family History

7/2/2018

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This document was prepared by Roger Hadfield for a family reunion which was held in Richmond in 2016. It traces the story of the Hadfield family, who were early residents in Richmond. Joseph Hadfield, his wife Ann and two children came to Christchurch from England in 1862. In 1865 Joseph purchased eight acres of land on Stanmore Rd when the area was outside the city and was still swamp-land; in the 1863 Black Map the area is described as ‘swamp, raupo and tussock’. Later he built a large two-storey house here with a considerable garden at 300 Stanmore Rd. The weeping elm on Stanmore Rd by the supermarket is the only surviving remnant.

Although the house is gone, the Hadfield family retain a strong connection to Richmond. Our thanks to the family who have given their permission for us to include this valuable document here.

hadfield_family_reunion-2016-_document.pdf
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