History in the making of Addington

The evolution of Addington from a working class community to the post-earthquake de facto “downtown” of Christchurch has been captured in a new book.

Author John Wilson says the suburb grew from the building of the Great Southern Railway and subdivision of the area around Church Square in the 1860s to become the home of multiple major institutions and facilities.

Factories and warehouses quickly followed the arrival of the railway, stretching along the line. For many years, the railway workshops were a cornerstone of the city’s industry.

A new book tells the history of one of the city's oldest areas.

The city’s new railway station, which opened in 1993, is built on the workshops site.

Post-quake, Addington became the “stand-in” central city – home to relocated offices, rugby and theatre and a new coffee and dining culture.

The Christchurch City Council and both the Linwood-Central-Heathcote and Spreydon-Cashmere Community Boards have provided funding for the new book, Local Lives: A History of Addington, underlining the importance of the area’s social history.

“The idea for the book came – about two decades ago – from the Addington Neighbourhood Association,” Dr Wilson, MNZM, a well know historian, says.

“It is the first comprehensive history of the whole suburb.

“The association wanted the history to help sustain, or recreate, a sense of community in Addington, including providing a way of making newcomers to the suburb – as well as more long-standing residents – interested in, and proud of, the place where they lived.

“I already had a vague sense that Addington was one of the most interesting parts of the city – a sense that the research certainly proved correct.

“It is one of the oldest of the city's suburbs.

“It has a very rich and interesting history as a working class community and because it was the location of the saleyards, the showgrounds, the racecourse, the prison, the immigration barracks and the Salvation Army home, the army base and – perhaps, above all – the railway workshops.”

Author John Wilson

Among the multitude of interesting characters were the longest-serving vicar of St Mary's Church, Walter Bean. His wife, Jennie, was the oldest daughter of Richard John Seddon.

Several political figures also had strong Addington links, including Tommy Taylor, Harry Ell, Jack McCullough, Jim McCullough and Edward Parlane.

“The book emphasises the importance of Addington as one of New Zealand's 'classic' working class suburbs,” Dr Wilson says.

“It was one of the earliest suburbs outside the city’s original ‘belts’.”

Dr Wilson says the involvement of the Neighbourhood Association in taking on the publication of the book has been very important.

“It has made the book seem more meaningful and community-based than it would have been if a commercial publisher had been responsible,” he says.

“I believe it is the first major suburban history published since the earthquakes, bringing the history of Addington right up to the present.”

The book, which has been printed and bound by Christchurch firms Caxton and McHargs, can be ordered from the Addington Neighbourhood Association.