STREET NAMES

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 316, 23 December 1936, Page 4

STREET NAMES

STRATFORD’S TRADITION Mainly Taken From Works Of Shakespeare. With houses going up in every quarter of the town, and the consequent sub-division df land, it may be expected that before long a new' street will be opened up. Then will arise the question of choosing an appropriate name. In 1877 when the Taranaki Land Board decided to survey an area of 300 acres on the Patea River as a site tor a township, names suggested for the new- settlement were Kelly, Carrington and Standish, but Stratford was eventually chosen. It was natural, therefore, that when the time arrived to name the streets of the town, the founders should turn to the works of Shakespeare. Thus Hamlet Street, Portia Street, Romeo Street, and the rest were named, but subsequently the local authorities departed from the tradition by rechristening the main street, Broadway. Prior to the change the principal thoroughfare was known as Mountain Road. There is also another departure from the plan. Craig Street is named, after an estate in Scotland. When Mr Geo. Hail had the land sub-divided he left tho choice of a Shakespearean name to the borough council, but as an alternative he suggested. Craig Street.

The late Mr Florence Anthony Tyrer,'* headmaster of the Stratford primary school and the Stratford District High School for 30 years, was responsible for opening up Antonio Street and the name, besides being in accord with the adopted plan, serves in some respect to perpetuate his memory. When the father of Rosina Buck-

man, the famous singer, opened up for building an area of land in Hamlet Street north, he desired that the new street should be called Masters Street as a compliment to the late Mr Jonas Masters, Mayor of Strata ford at, that time. However, the latter considered that this- would not ba in keeping with the order of things. Olive was a daughter’s name and the choice of Olivia was a particularly appropriate one.

Percy - Avenue did not derive its name from the fact that it was opened up by Mr Percy Thomson. There are a number of Percys in Shakespeare. Mr Thomson’s father was an ardent lover of his works, so much so that a son was named Percy and a daughter Rosalind.