Formerly Bingsland. Named after Morice Bing (1830?-1878). Re-named Richmond. Named after Richmond-onThames in Surrey, England.
Bing was born in Hungary. He emigrated to Australia and then to New Zealand where he worked as a stockdealer. He was naturalised in 1871. He leased Rural Section 325, 200 acres on the “East Christchurch Road, near (Avonside) cemetery”, from the Church Property Trustees. He purchased land north of the Avon near Stanmore Road. He then sold building sections and the area became Bingsland.
First mentioned in the Star in 1869 and appears on an 1879 map.
The change of name for the district was first suggested at a meeting in 1881 held to elect a school committee for the East Christchurch school in the new educational district of Richmond.
Richmond was regarded as a more “highsounding and classic” name than Bingsland.
Joseph John Anderson (1833?-1921), a waiter and later a civil servant, was instrumental in getting the name changed. He was born near London and arrived in Canterbury in 1864.
He settled in Bingsland in the 1870s and became a member of the school committee. William Flesher, the committee chairman, advised that residents should petition the Postmaster-General on the subject.
Bingsland was officially re-named Richmond on 28 June 1882.
Incorporated into Christchurch City Council in 1890 – the first local authority outside of the Town Belts to be absorbed by the council.
https://christchurchcitylibraries.com/Heritage/PlaceNames/ChristchurchPlaceNames-N-Z.pdf, Pg 47-49
The Richmond History Group is based at Avebury House. The group maintains a collection of books, photographs and other memorabilia illustrating and recording the history of Avebury House and the development of the surrounding suburb of Richmond.
https://www.aveburyhouse.co.nz/richmond-history-group