The previous column was about the development of Takapuna from 1958 to 1989, and Land Information Memorandum (LIM) reports from that time. There are similar maps for Devonport, from the mid-1880s. The first meeting of the Devonport Borough Council (formerly Highway Board and then Road Board) was on 14 June 1886. At that time, the borough had around 2650 residents living in around 450 dwellings.
The index map refers to 22 maps, but either only 18 were produced, or perhaps the other four have been lost over the years? As with the Takapuna maps, the footprints of the buildings are shown and sometimes construction details. Dwellings, stables, workshops, and outhouses are all included, with annotations naming ratepayers, and the Road Board/Borough Council valuation figure.
Map 1 starts at Kafrandowar (later Glendower and now Glen) Road along with part or all of Calliope Road, Russell Street, Waterview Road, and Summer Street. There were just 12 houses in this part of Devonport, part of the Sunnyside estate where allotments were made available for sale from 1882.
Map 2 shows scattered housing in part or all of Edward Street (now Calliope Road), Summer Street, Waterview Road, Bond (now William Bond) Street, and Rutland Road. Map 3 shows the reclaimed foreshore part of that area, while Map 4 shows more reclaimed land, along with parts of all of Edward Street (now Calliope Road), former Wharf Road (named in 1877), former Alexandra Street, and the Calliope Boarding House off Spring Street. Dating from 1885, that boarding house was the scene of a shooting on 16 June 1886.
Map 5 shows part or all of Edward Street, Rutland Road, Wynyard (now Kiwi) Road, Cautley Street, Roslyn Road, Shoal Bay Road (now Titchener Parade), Dock (now Huia) Street, Spring Street, and the old Wharf Road (named in 1877). However, this large area had only 10 houses. Much of it was part of the Roslyn estate, with the Calliope Dock opening 16 February 1888.
Map 6 shows part or all of Spring Street, Edward Street, Clarence Street, Anne Street, Dock (now Huia) Street, Garden Terrace, and Beach Road (now part of Queens Parade). This includes several houses in the Calliope Dock Estate (marketed from February 1884 by the Alison brothers), based around Huia Street. Halfway up Garden Terrace to Clarence Street were brickworks, next to Caldwell’s dwelling. Allotments in Alexander Street were available for sale from 1865.
Map 7 shows part or all of Shoal Bay Road, Edward Street, St Leonards Street, Hastings Parade (with a timber yard at the northwest corner with Victoria Road), High Street, Alison (now Ewen Alison) Avenue, and sporadic housing along Victoria Road. Some were part of the Hastings estate which was developed from the mid-1880s. A house in High Street is annotated with the date 4 July 1886.
Map 8 shows more sporadic housing in part or all of Victoria (now Lake) Road, Abbotsford Street, Bulwer Street, Cowper Street, Lytton Street, Mozley (now Mozeley) Street, Cameron Street (now Patuone Avenue), and Alison Avenue. This was part of the 169 allotment and 43-acre Melrose estate, developed by Ewen (1852-1945) and Alexander (1846-1923) Alison, and Robert Adam Mozley Stark (1846-1916) from October 1882.
Map 9 shows many houses along part or all of Clarence Street, Victoria Road, Anne Street, Wynyard Street, The Strand (now part of Queens Parade), and Victoria Wharf, including the Holmes brothers’ Northfleet estate of the 1860s. The shops (at that time constructed in wood before the extensive September 1888 fire) extended up the western side of Victoria Road to Clarence Street, with the Flagstaff Hotel (dating from around 1863, and from 1903 renamed the Esplanade Hotel) on the south-west corner. Devonport Hall was on the south side of Clarence, halfway between Victoria Road and Wynyard Street, and dated from at least 1868.
david.verran@xtra.co.nz
