Beckenham is an inner suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand, located three kilometres south of the city centre. The Ōpāwaho / Heathcote River winds through this predominantly residential suburb, a section of which is often referred to locally as the "Beckenham Loop". Beckenham is bounded by Sydenham to the north, Somerfield to the west, Cashmere and Huntsbury to the south and St Martins to the east. History European settlement of Beckenham dates back to the first arrival of British settlers in Christchurch, and was part of the initial allocation of land to the new settlers. The Beckenham area, which was known as Middle Heathcote at the time, was divided into two plots of farmland - the first of which was purchased by brothers Stephen and James Fisher, with the other going to James' father-in-law. Stephen Fisher named the area Beckenham after the English town of the same name, although the name Fisherton was also used in honour of the brothers. The brothers and their family farmed the area until their deaths, at which point demand for residential land in Christchurch was growing. The farms were subdivided in 1906, forming the new suburbs of Beckenham and Fisherton in the process. The suburb grew in size as the Christchurch tramway system expanded into the area, down Colombo Street to Devon Street (1880), then Tennyson Street and finally to the Port Hills (1898), providing easy access from the suburb to the central city. During this process, the name Fisherton gradually fell into disuse, with the name Beckenham being applied to the whole area. Electricity was provided to Beckenham in 1912 and a waste water scheme was provided in the 1920s. Amenities The Beckenham shopping area on Colombo St, had a number of buildings demolished as a result of the 2010-11 earthquakes, but overall the area continues to thrive, with a butcher, café, pharmacy and post shop, among other businesses. Several restaurants and Hettie's Rock Shop are popular with local residents. The Christchurch South Police Station is located on Colombo Street. Beckenham is home to the Beckenham Methodist Church, Beckenham Baptist Church and St Peters Beckenham Catholic Church. Beckenham Park has duck ponds, is the home to the Southern Districts Cricket Club and the Beckenham Tennis Club. The Opawa-Saint Martins Toy Library is located in the former Beckenham Library on Sandwich Road. Houses There are many original houses built in the 1900s-1950s consisting of single-