Early Days (1900s) in Christchurch

Christchurch at the commencement of he century was quite a small place enclosed by four belts which are now known as avenues. Beyond these in all directions there were a number of satellite villages of which St Albans was one. In 1905 the No 1 tramline was laid down between the Railway Station and Papanui. At that time my father had opened a picture framing shop in Victoria Street. One of the attractions that this place had for me was the opportunity to watch the line being laid. Since this stand did not prove to be a good one for the business, Dad was not slow in moving to more suitable premises in Colombo Street next to the corner of Kilmore Street. Not long after this move the No 2 line was laid down along Colombo Street from the foot of the Cashmere Hills to Bealey Avenue, which it followed to Barbados Street and thence along this street to St Albans PArk. We used to enjoy being taken by Mother to Cathedral Square to watch the steam engines shunting the trailers.

Early in 1905 my grandmother took me to New Brighton in a horse drawn tram that left from Cathedral Square. It was considered a great step forward when steam locomotion replaced the horses. However, it was not until after World War One that horse drawn hansom cabs disappeared from the rink in front of the Cathedral and "livery and gait stables' became a thing of the past. The principle one was in Armagh Street facing Victoria Square. The gentry from the northern suburbs and towns would come to town on Wednesdays, which were sale days at Addington, and leave their buggies at this stable while the ladies did their shopping. My first part time employment was an an errand boy at Fisher's the fruiterer and florists at the corner of Colombo and Gloucester Streets. One of my duties was to deposit purchases in the respective buggies at the stables. With the advent of motorised transport these stables were converted into the 'Rink Taxis' the site of which is now occupied by Haywrights.

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