Charleston surrounds the intersection of Charles Street and Grafton Crescent in Waltham.
Charleston is a rather new name compared to the streets and the suburb it calls home. Born in the 1970’s, a few of the concerned residents watched as the industrial area of the city of Christchurch began to creep into their residential area.
Charleston – a neighbourhood group set up to fight any unreasonable industrial expansion – was acting hand in hand with a government programme called Comprehensive Housing Improvements – better roads, more parks, history protected in the upgrading of the old cottages in the area.
Why should we remember Charleston? William ‘Cabbage’ Wilson was the first to break ground there, opening one of his many nurseries. He went on to become Christchurch’s first Mayor. The March family kept Ostriches on their Ferry Road property and Cobb & Co had their stables at the railway end of Barbour Street. Barbour is the middle name of Cabbage Wilson! Wilsons Road
is also named in his memory.
Another area of the city to take up arms (so to speak) was the Avon Loop, an area by the Avon River made up of Oxford Terrace, Rees and Bangor Streets in Linwood. With all the old workman’s cottages, expansion of the city was of grave concern.
This government scheme was unfortunately dropped in 1983.
For more info on William ‘Cabbage’ Wilson:
https://www.facebook.com/
For more info on Cobb & Co:
https://www.facebook.com/
“Photo taken by Annette Bulovic*
