Merivale Street Names by Belinda Leckie

In October 2000 Belinda Leckie researched and compiled a book titled 'Merivale, Tauranga: Proud of it' with the assistance of Helen Unsworth and the people of Merivale. It is a fantastic publication, filled with wonderful information about the Merivale area. It was published by Merivale Community Inc. Reproduced here is a small portion about the street names in the Merivale area.

Alverstoke Road A place in Hampshire County where Lucy Mansel was brought up. This road was the boundary between Pemberton's and Willie Mansel's farms.

Baycroft Avenue The name of Silvester farm. The name was already in use when the Silvesters bought the farm from F C Hills in 1919. Baycroft Avenue was marked and named in DP 34236 of 1946.

Courtney Road The maiden name of George Bell's mother. George Bell was a real estate agent in Tauranga active around the Gate Pa area. The Silvesters formed the road on their farm. SO 17840 details th eland taken for it.

Esk Street HMS Esk anchored in the Harbour for attack against Pukehinahina. This road was part of the Macmillan subdivision (DPS 3127). Rae Macmillan named all of the streets in the subdivision after the European boats assocated with the Battle of Gate Pa.

Fraser Street Captain W Fraser of 1st Waikato Regiment fought at Pukehinahina.

Hampton Terrace A Middlesex county in England. The road was in the Patton subdivision. Many of the streets in the area were given English geographical names at the request of the Tauranga County Council.

Harrier Street HMS Harrier anchored in the Harbour for attack against Pukehinahina - part of Macmillan subdivision (DPS 3127).

Henderson Crescent Named after Alf Henderson in recognition of his work and community spirit in the area - eg he helped to supply water on the Pemberton subdivision. Alf owned the Henderson Timber Mill in the Kaimais.

Hilltop Road Describes the position of the land. It was initially called Hillcroft by the Pemberton family. It also had the name Hillcrest for a short time but was changed to avoid confusion with the Otumoetai Hillcrest.

Kesteven Avenue A riding in Lincholnshire named by Ken Richmond. The avanue was part of Willie Mansel's farm subdivided by Don McLean.

Landview Road Describes the position of the land. It was in Bert Duncan's Merivale Estates.

Lloyd Street Lloyd Silvester owned the farm when it was subdivided.

Mansels Road Named after the Mansel family who farmed in the area from 1884. Mansels Road is the only street in the area that was included in Theophilus Heale's original survey.

Merivale Road Part of the Merrivale Estate - Bert Duncan named Merrivale Estate after some people he bought the area from, the Merriman family. At some stage, the second R was dropped and it became Merivale.

Miranda Street HMS Miranda anchored in the Harbour for attack against Pukehinahina - part of the Macmillan subdivision.

Oxford Street An English city - part of the Patton farm.

Roys Road Named after Roy Pemberton - part of the Pemberton farm.

Somerset Grove An English county - part of the Patton farm.

Surrey Grove An English county - part of the Patton farm.

Taratoa Street A Ngati Raukawa chief prominent at Pukehinahina - Margaret Ivy Mowat, who subdivided that part of Silvester farm, named it.

Wembury Grove An English town on the Devonshire coast. Mrs Woolf named it. The street was part of Willie Mansel's farm that the Woolfs subdivided. It was marked but unnamed in DPS 4040 of 1956.

Yatton Street Part of JA Chadwick's Yatton estate. There are a few places called Yatton in England. The word derives from Old English and means a farmstead by a river or gate.