The 1861 Stanmore Road Bridge Petition

In 1861, people living north of the Avon River in Avonside had a problem. Stanmore Road only ran south of the river, and there were no bridges east of Colombo Street. To get to Christchurch, they had to cross the river, either by boat or by going all the way to the Market Square, which is now Victoria Square. There were two vehicle bridges there: one on Whately Road, now Victoria Street, and another on Colombo Street, built in 1858.

The roads back then were pretty rough, more like tracks through flax and swamplands. They were dusty when dry and often impassably muddy when wet. So, while the rivers were obstacles for land travel, they were also used for transporting goods, especially since the roads were so bad. The Heathcote River had several wharves, with the highest one being Christchurch Quay, near where the Cumnor Bridge is today. The Avon River’s main wharf was at the Bricks, just above the current Barbadoes Street bridge.

The Canterbury Association had even set aside land on both sides of the rivers for towpaths, so horses could pull boats upstream if the wind or currents weren't favorable. By 1861, the Heathcote River was the preferred route for freight.

On October 16, 1861, thirty-two people presented a petition to the Provincial Government asking for a bridge over the Avon. They felt that after ten years of settlement, there were enough people living north of the river to justify building one east of town. At that time, the only two vehicle bridges over the Avon were at the Market Square. The Provincial Government agreed and paid £400 towards the cost. Another £237 came from public subscription, likely from the petitioners themselves. The bridge was built in 1862. By then, another bridge had been built at Madras Street. Until 1876, the bridge here at Stanmore Road was the only one over the Avon east of the town boundaries. This road eventually became the commercial center for the suburb that grew in the area, later known as Richmond.