Fendalton

I'm in Fendalton, a suburb of Christchurch here in the South Island of New Zealand. It's actually got a pretty interesting history. It was originally called Fendall Town, named after Walpole Chesshyre Fendall, who emigrated from Yorkshire in 1850 and settled on land north of the Waimairi Stream. The name "Fendall Town" used to cover a much larger area, stretching all the way to where Christchurch International Airport is now, and included parts of other suburbs like Burnside and Harewood. While it was sometimes spelled "Fendall's Town" or "Fendaltown" early on, Fendalton became the standard by the 1880s.

This area was really important for the early settlement of Christchurch. There was even an early flour mill along what's now Fendalton Road, built by Daniel Inwood who came over on the Sir George Seymour in 1850 and brought his machinery with him from England. You can also find some significant historical buildings here, especially homesteads showing off different architectural styles. St Barnabas Church, Daresbury, and Los Angeles are a few examples, with Los Angeles being one of the first California bungalows built in New Zealand. If you're interested in learning more, there's a book called "Fendall's Legacy: A history of Fendalton and north-west Christchurch" by Frieda Looser that covers the suburb's history.

It's known as one of the more refined and well-to-do suburbs in the country, and it’s one of the older residential areas of the city. We're close to the University of Canterbury and the main shopping area of Riccarton, and it’s also on the way to the airport from the city center. There’s a high school right here, Christchurch Boys' High School, which opened in 1881 and moved to its current site in 1926. The local primary school, Fendalton Open Air School, originally called Clyde Road Primary School, opened in 1875. So, a lot of history packed into this spot!