Down your street
Behind every street name is a story. Every month we look at some well-known Taranaki streets and the origin of their names. If you want to know more about a particular street, please email us.
Atkinson Street, Waitara
Named after Sir Harry Atkinson, Premier of New Zealand. Formerly a farmer in Taranaki he was appointed captain of No 2 Company of the Taranaki Rifle Volunteers. He fought at Waireka and Mahoetahi during the first Taranaki war.
Carrington Road/Street, New Plymouth, Okato, Oakura and Inglewood
Frederic Alonzo Carrington came to New Zealand in the barque "Brougham" in 1841 as chief surveyor to the Plymouth Company. Mr Carrington selected the site for, and with his brother, surveyed the town of New Plymouth during the years 1841-42. In the 1950's "Road" was changed to "Street" within the New Plymouth city boundary.
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Hua Street, Bell Block
Named after Hua village which was the Maori name for Bell Block. It was the third oldest place in Taranaki. Hua Street was surveyed by Mr Carrington when the stockade was built on the hill in 1854. All the streets in Hua village were: Adams Street, White Street, Chesney Street, Murray Street, Wynyard Street, Nugent Street, Hua Street.
Did you know...?
Frederic Carrington - The Father of New Plymouth - kept a journal while he was chief surveyor of the Plymouth Company.
Most of the journal contains letters written by Carrington to Colonel Wakefield, the principal of the company in the early 1840s.
But the journal has a secret!
The last 163 pages are carefully held together with a linen strap. A blob of red wax with the Carrington family seal stops prying fingers from entering. Written across the front in pencil are the words 'private correspondence only'.
No one knows what's inside...
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Taranaki Teaser
This Taranaki novelist and short story writer was born in Hawera. He lived his entire life in the house built by his grandfather.
He was constantly in trouble at school and later, with the police. His working career was varied: musician, freezing worker, music teacher as well as novelist.
His first published novel - The Scarecrow (1963) - was well received but his later work was rejected by publishers. Alcohol and depression eventually took their toll and he died at the age of 50.
Since his death, his work has received considerable success - even forming the basis of a movie filmed in Eltham.
His remark, 'I hope I'm not another one of these poor buggers who get discovered when they're dead' became a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Can you name him?
The answer will be revealed in the February edition of Taranaki Trivia!
Last month's answer: General Chute.
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