Cranmer Square and Setting

1P Cranmer Square · Central City

Written about this place

The exhibition the square didn't get

What is known

In the winter of 1869 the City Council fenced Cranmer Square — the works committee had fencing plans prepared in July, and the fortnightly works return at the end of August records men "erecting posts for fencing Cranmer Square".

CHRISTCHURCH CITY COUNCIL. (Star, 27 July 1869) · 27 Jul 1869 · National Library of New Zealand

In January 1882 the promoters Joubert and Twopeny asked the City Council for the use of Cranmer Square to erect buildings for an international exhibition they planned to open that April.

THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION. (Star, 14 January 1882) · 14 Jan 1882 · National Library of New Zealand

At an informal council meeting on 13 January 1882, Twopeny said the promoters would sign a bond to give the square back "in exactly the same condition as it was before" and would not injure any of its trees; he asked for Cranmer rather than Latimer Square because money had just been spent laying Latimer out.

THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION. (Star, 14 January 1882) · 14 Jan 1882 · National Library of New Zealand

The exhibition never came to Cranmer Square. When it opened in April 1882 its buildings stood in Hagley Park, on the angle formed by the junction of the Riccarton and Lincoln roads.

THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION AT CHRISTCHURCH. (Timaru Herald, 12 April 1882) · 12 Apr 1882 · National Library of New Zealand

By the early 1900s the houses around Cranmer Square ran heavily as lodging and boarding houses — the Star's columns carry years of boarders wanted, rooms to let and servants sought addressed to numbers 2, 3, 10, 20, 22 and 30.

Page 6 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 14 January 1905) · 14 Jan 1905 · National Library of New Zealand

Leads, unread first 10 of 41

What a search of DigitalNZ returned for this place. Nobody has read these yet, so nothing here is being asserted about the ground.

Looking SSE over Cranmer Square, central city C... (SA1-42/14) — 30 Nov 1949
THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION. (Star, 14 January 1882) …ose of considering the application of mesars joubert and twopeny to be allowed the uae of cranmer bquare for their exhibition present his worship the mayor councillors bishop lambert thomson uulhert b… — 14 Jan 1882
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 14 December 1885) …entlemen where no other lodgers taken two sitting-rooms and two bedrooms neighbourhood ot cranmer square preferre apply to f de c malet esq cathedral square4b k l aty wants to adopt a baby about three… — 14 Dec 1885
Aerial view looking west over Cranmer Square — 1 Jan 1980
Page 8 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 07 October 1905) …me 112 iiiiiiimiiiniiiiiiiiiiiii in hi mmiiaiuwkyw mm p j marshall office no 49 oathedoml square opposite gp0 land transfer act pocumeata prepared loams cm mortgage airanged properties for sale nb som… — 7 Oct 1905
Page 8 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 07 January 1905) …e l bowker and son land agents family dwelling christchurch west iqaa city west close to cranmer 2ouu square and girla high school section 52ft frontage modern residence 10 rooms bathroom hot and col… — 7 Jan 1905
Central Christchurch - Cranmer Square - (vertical) (12578/12612) — 16 Feb 1970
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 06 June 1906) …orevemngs 6285 anteid a good general servant re ferences required apply mrs f a bishop 10 cranmer square 6267 wanted immediately strong capable hoiy-emaid apply mts gibson corner webb street and papan… — 6 Jun 1906
Page 6 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 14 January 1905) …placed on ho table collection at the door all welcome 1106 lost pound o lost near latimer square photo pen dant baby photo reward occi dental hotel 1218 lost chestnut mare between new brigh 1 ton and… — 14 Jan 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 30 September 1908) …pecialist 50 cashel street 3961 to let good choice of furnished and un furnished rooms 22 cranmer square 4358 t qlotndnu7chiirstreetrcisy new dwell ing of 7 rooms fitted with every possible convenienc… — 30 Sept 1908

Nearby on the register

Former St Margaret's School Building and Setting — 25A Cranmer Square
Dwelling and Setting — 38 Cranmer Square
Former Shop/Dwelling and Setting — 40 Cranmer Square
Dwelling and Setting, Red House — 25 Armagh Street
Dwelling and Setting — 56 Armagh Street
Former Dwelling and Setting, Inveresk — 17 Armagh Street
Dwellings and Setting, Mildenhall — 7/53 Gloucester Street
Dwelling and Setting, Orari — 40 Gloucester Street

The reports nearby

2,166 council reports pinned within 250 m of the place — most often Graffiti & vandalism and Roads & footpaths, 1,814 with a photograph. A pin is where a reporter stood, not a claim about the place itself.