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Nedlands Streets
From: Williams, A.E. 1984, Nedlands: From Campsite to City, City of Nedlands: 317-326.
317
Nedlands Street Names
INTRODUCTION
Certain patterns of origin clearly emerge from any study of street names within the City of Nedlands.
On an area once owned by the Church of England adjoining the Town of Claremont today — the Glebe Estate — are a number of streets bearing the names of persons formerly associated with St George’s Cathedral in Perth. Bishop Road, Riley Road, Goldsmith Road and Hackett Road are cases in point.
In an early settled part of the City east of Loch Street are streets named after our first governors. Robinson, Weld, Ord and Napier are among these.
In today’s suburb of Dalkeith many streets are named after yachts which once raced on the Swan River. Circe, Curlew, Rene and Viking are good examples.
A large number of Nedlands thoroughfares relate to our country’s military history. These cluster in appropriate places. For instance there are a number around the War Memorial, e.g. Birdwood Parade, Hobbs Avenue and Wavell Road. Another group is located near the Hollywood Repatriation Hospital; Verdun Street and Monash Avenue are here. A third group can be found near the Swanbourne and Irwin defence establishments — Lemnos Street is a good example.
In various areas the names of many former Road Board members figure prominently. Thus names like Cooper and Clark, Kinninmont and Martin appear. A former administrator of Nedlands — Jenkins — is also recorded.
A later group in time relate to our flora. Boronia and Lantana Avenues and Zamia Street, for example, are familiar to most Nedlands people.
Though many names have been changed over the years, local identities are still remembered, as in Leon Road, Stephanie Street and Kathryn Crescent. In addition to all these various groups there is another which tells of location — streets like The Avenue, Hillway, Riverview Court and Marine Parade.
Special attention should also be given by the student to those streets in the City of Nedlands which relate to our larger history — Stirling Highway, Victoria Avenue, Bruce Street, Gallop Road and Dalkeith Road.
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ABERDARE Rd: of Welsh origin. Aberdare is a coalmining town in South Wales. A New South Wales colliery also. An estate once owned by Sydney-based firm International Investment Land and Building Co Ltd.
ACACIA Ave: A name given to many varieties of wattle.
ADAMS Rd: Probably an early Claremont identity Alfred Adams, associated with S.P. Emanuel in his business activities.
ADDERLEY St: Dr B.R. Adderley, formerly of the University of Western Australia.
ADELMA Rd: Formerly Snook Rd. Renamed after yacht 'Elma' the first W.A. 14-footer to win an Australian championship in Sydney in 1907.
ALDERBURY St: Name given by the Perth City Council.
ALEXANDER Rd: Alexander Forrest, head of Perth business syndicate which bought 145.5 acres of Swan Location 85 from James Gallop II in 1896.
ALEXANDER Place: The portion of Alexander Rd north of Philip Rd. Approved 14 August 1973.
ALFRED Rd: A very old name from early Claremont days. Alfred Smith, an old resident has best claim.
ALLENBY Rd: Field-Marshal Edmund Allenby, distinguished commander in World War I.
ARCHDEACON St: T.H. Archdeacon, a member of the Claremont Road Board from 1915-19.
ASQUITH St: Prime Minister of Great Britain 1908-16.
BARCOO Ave: An avenue on the Prinsep Estate. The name given to a ship owned by the Adelaide Steamship Line; name taken from a river in Central Australia.
BAIRD Ave: H.M. Baird, a member of the Claremont Road Board from 1913-19.
BAY Rd: A road leading from old Fresh Water Bay.
BEATRICE Rd: An 18-footer racing yacht owned by W. Brown.
BEECHAM Rd: The Rev. E.L. Beecham, a prominent Claremont Baptist minister.
BEDFORD St: Sir Frederick Bedford, Governor in Western Australia from 1903-09.
BEDBROOK PI: Sir George Bedbrook, associated with Quadraplegic Centre, Shenton Park. The name dates from 27 June 1977.
BELLEVUE Ave: Named by Surveyor P.G.S. Hope.
BESSELL Ave: Probably after Gen. Bessell-Browne, of World War I.
BETTY St: Formerly Elizabeth Street. Changed to avoid confusion with Elizabeth Street, Nedlands. Govt. Gazette 14 April 1967.
BIRDWOOD Pde: Field-Marshal Sir William Birdwood, distinguished commander of World War I. Commanded the Anzacs on Gallipoli.
BIRKDALE St: Of Perth City Council origin; a town also in the United Kingdom.
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BISHOP Rd: After Bishop C.O.L. Riley of Perth (1894-1914). Subsequently he was Archbishop until his death in 1929. The road is on the Glebe Estate, once owned by the Church of England.
BORONIA Ave: A number of varieties, brown boronia being best known.
BOSTOCK Rd: Named after a priest of St George’s Cathedral, Perth, the Rev. H.W. Bostock. Another road on the Glebe Estate.
BROADWAY: A broad way constructed by the Claremont Road Board to take the trams and traffic from the old Perth-Fremantle Road to the Nedlands Baths, Nedlands Park Hotel and Nedlands jetty (1907).
BROCKMAN Ave: After the Brockman family; Sir John Winthrop Hackett married a Miss Deborah Brockman. (Later Dr Buller Murphy.)
BROCKWAY Rd: Former Town Clerk, Municipality of Claremont, Mr W. St Clair Brockway.
BROOKDALE St: Euphonious name used on the Hackett Estate.
BROOME St: Sir Frederick Napier Broome, Governor of Western Australia from 1883-90.
BROWNE Ave: Probably after Gen. Bessell-Browne, of World War I.
BRUCE St: After Colonel John Bruce and family. Most of this street linking Stirling Highway with The Avenue and Birdwood Parade, was originally Dixon Street after the Secretary of the Claremont Road Board in 1910, 1913-17, and again from 1919-21.
BULIMBA Rd: On Prinsep Estate. The name was taken from a ship owned by the Adelaide Steamship Line. Very early road extending from Claremont.
BURWOOD St: Of Sydney origin. Land owned originally by the International Investment Land and Building Co of that city.
CAMELIA St: Named after the familiar garden favourite with waxy blooms and glossy leaves. Sometimes ‘camellia’ in catalogues.
CAMPSIE St: Of Sydney origin. On land owned originally by International Investment Land and Building Co of that city.
CARRINGTON St: Probably after important Carrington family in England. A Lord Carrington was a friend and associate of Edward VII
CARROLL St: Lt William Carroll, V.C. of World War I. The eastern outlet of Circe Circle.
CIRCE CIRCLE: Yacht ‘Circe’, a 30-footer, owned by F.W. Pead and Co.
CLARK St: J. Clark, a member of the Claremont Road Board, 1908-10. A street in both Nedlands and Subiaco.
CLELAND St: W. Cleland, of Claremont; certainly after the family.
CLEMENT St: An old right-of-way on the Guppy Estate.
CLIFTON St: After the Clifton pioneer family, well known in Western Australia. Named by International Investment Land and Building Co.
COLIN St: There are a number of Colin Streets in the metropolitan area. The original one, in West Perth, is named after Sir Colin Campbell of the Indian Mutiny.
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COOPER St: T.H. Cooper, member of the Claremont Road Board from 1903-11, and its Chairman 1906-10.
CROSS St: The parish of St Cross was at Knutsford near Manchester. This street was on estate of W.F. Guppy, a strong supporter of Church of England.
CROYDON St: Of Sydney origin. On land owned originally by International Investment Land and Building Co of that city.
CURLEW St: A racing yacht, 22-footer, owned by H. Carter and A. Christie. Gained third place in Bedford Cup 1903-04.
CYGNET Cres: A racing yacht, 16-footer owned by H. Sutton and J. Olsen.
DALKEITH Rd: Originally a track leading to Dalkeith Farm from the Perth-Fremantle Road. Part believed to have been a farm boundary. Part now north of Stirling Highway, formerly Prowse Road after Mr J.H. Prowse, M.H.R.
DAVIES Rd: named after a prominent Claremont family.
DOONAN Rd: Doonan family, district identities.
DRAPER St: Mr Justice J.P. Draper, member of the Senate of the University of Western Australia.
EDNA Rd: The racing yacht ‘Edna’, a 16-footer owned by V. Smith.
EDWARD St: After Edward Bruce who gives his name to the City of Nedlands, the son of Colonel John Bruce.
ELIZABETH St: After Louisa Elizabeth Caporn, whose husband owned land in the area. He lived in a house in Victoria Avenue near the Claremont Baths.
ERICA Ave: A favourite garden shrub with attractive tubular flowers.
THE ESPLANADE: Along the Nedlands-Dalkeith riverfront.
FINCH Way: After the small bird of that name; a number of species.
FLORENCE Rd: Formerly Johannah Street after the mother of Edward Bruce and wife of John Bruce. Name changed during World War I when German names were unfashionable. Florence Kinninmont was a member of a prominent Nedlands family.
GALLOP Rd: The Gallop family of Gallop House. Adjacent road.
GARLAND Rd: After W. Garland, keen yachtsman of Claremont. The Garland family are well known in the district. Also acknowledges Canon D.G. Garland, former Diocesan Secretary of the Church of England.
GENESTA Cres: After ‘Genesta’, a 36-footer owned by Mr Justice R.B. Burnside. Built to order from designs by Fife of Fairlie, Scotland, 1903-04. Scratch boat in 1903-04 Bedford Cup.
GOLDSMITH Rd: Dean Frederick Goldsmith of St George’s Cathedral, later first Bishop of Bunbury. On the Glebe Estate.
GORDON St: Carrington Street from Smyth Road to Hampden Road, changed to Gordon on 15 January 1934. (Board application 19 September 1933.) No reason given.
GRANBY Cres: A developer’s name.
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GRASBY St: After Mr W. Grasby, academic of the University of Western Australia.
GREENVILLE St: Another euphonious name in the area at the time.
GROVEDALE Rd: Another street named in the Hackett Estate. Of Perth City Council origin.
GUNN St: Mr Hugh Gunn, early University of Western Australia organiser. Retired 30 June 1913. Mr Gunn had done similar work in South Africa.
HACKETT Rd: Sir Winthrop Hackett, former churchwarden of St George’s Cathedral. Endowed University of Western Australia. Chancellor 1912. Hackett Estate is named after him.
HAIG Rd: Field Marshal Earl Douglas Haig, commander of British forces in France during World War I.
HALDANE St: After Lord Haldane in England.
HAMPDEN Rd: English connotations — road extended from Subiaco. John Hampden was an English patriot (1594-1653).
HARDY Rd: Probably after Henry Thomas Hardy of Messrs Crossland and Hardy, Surveyors. Member of Claremont Municipality 1904-11. Designed oval on Claremont Showgrounds.
HILLWAY: A way on a rise.
HOBBS Ave: Sir John Talbot Hobbs, Western Australian soldier and Chief-of-Staff to Sir John Monash in World War 1. Head of architectural firm which designed St George’s College.
HOOLEY St: A name which has a family connection with the Peet family. Mr J.T. Peet subdivided the area here — Locations 1076-77 — between 1905-10.
HOTCHIN St: After Sir Claude Hotchin, art patron. See also Sutcliffe Street.
HYNES Rd: F.J. Hynes was a member of the Claremont Road Board 1929-31. Mr J.C. Smith succeeded him on the Board.
IOLANTHE St: Mr J.T. Peet was a Gilbert and Sullivan fan and ‘Iolanthe’ was his favourite opera. Once Peet and Co land.
IRIS Ave: A flower; a bulb. ‘Iris’ is the name of several yachts which raced on the Swan River.
JACARANDA Ave: A tree of Queensland origin with attractive purple flowers.
JAMES St: After J.H. James, representing North Ward of Cottesloe Municipal Council, Manager Cottesloe Electric Light Works, Council 1907. Keen bowler and Methodist.
JENKINS Ave: Allan Jenkins, forty-two years’ service with the Road Board, Municipality and City. Retired as Town Clerk. Formerly Wodonga Road but the name was changed because of confusion with Waroonga Road.
JOYCE St: Eileen Joyce, pianist, has a strong claim.
JUTLAND Pde: Formerly Hardman Street after a Government geologist. Named after the great naval battle in the North Sea, between British and German navies on 31 May 1916.
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KARELLA St: Formerly Vivian and Regent Street. A developer’s name. A white long-billed cockatoo is called ‘corella’.
KATHRYN Cres: Kathryn, daughter of Mr J.C. Smith, former Mayor of the City of Nedlands.
KINGSTON St: Of Sydney origin. Land was owned originally by the International Investment Land and Building Co of that city.
KINGS WAY: Confusion re old name of Highway with Stirling Highway led August 1961 to change. Road No. 5488. Altered 18 April 1962, approved 1 July 1962.
KINNINMONT Ave: J.R. Kinninmont, Member of Claremont Road Board 1915-19, Chairman 1916. Donated the site of present-day City offices to Nedlands.
KIRKWOOD St: The Kirkwood family lived in this area.
KIRWAN St: Sir John Kirwan (1869-1949). President of Legislative Council. Foundation member of University Senate.
KITCHENER St: Lord Kitchener of Khartoum (1850-1916). Distinguished British soldier. Formerly Murchison Street.
KNUTSFORD St: Area was owned by W.F. Guppy, a strong adherent of Church of England. Bishop C.O.L. Riley married a Miss Elizabeth Merriman of Heath House, Knutsford, a town in Cheshire.
KOREL Gardens: Name approved by developer. A cul-de-sac off Odern Crescent.
LANDON Way: A developer’s name.
LANGHAM St: In the former Kings Park Estate. A fashionable London name e.g. hotel and area.
LANTANA Ave: A half-hardy perennial carrying thick crowns of verbena-shaped flowers. Of Queensland origin.
LEMNOS St: Island of Lemnos in Aegean Sea. Jump-off point for landing on Gallipoli of Anzacs 25 April 1915.
LEON Rd: Leon Walkemeyer was the first child born in the neighbourhood. His father Bernie was a master baker. He lived in Dalkeith; his business was in Victoria Park.
LEOPOLD Rd: King Leopold of the Belgians, uncle of Queen Victoria, -or Prince Leopold, Victoria’s son.
LEURA St: A girl’s name (Alleura). Probably from International Investment Land and Building Co, Sydney.
LILAC Ave: Attractive flowering shrubs familiar to gardeners.
LISLE St: After Lord de Lisle, a former Governor-General of Australia.
LISSADELL St: Name originated with Perth City Council.
LOBELIA St: A valuable plant used for window boxes or borders. It bears white and blue flowers.
LOCH St: Early boundary between Claremont and Road Board. Name of a Scottish lake or river. As Alexander Forrest owned land here it’s possible a Scottish name was placed on street.
LOFTUS St: Lord Augustus Loftus, diplomat and Governor of New South Wales 1870-85.
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LOTON Rd: W.T. Loton, a former Warden of St George’s Cathedral, Perth. On the Glebe Estate.
LOUISE St: After Louisa Elizabeth Caporn, whose husband owned land in the area. Louise was used instead of Louisa.
LYONS St: John James Lyon of Bunbury. He bought Lot 22 from R.G. Webb in the area.
LYNTON St: The name originates from a place in Devon with a high view. Barrow Lynton was a well-known Dalkeith resident.
MARINE Pde: Marine relates to the sea. A street beside the sea.
MARITA Rd: Formerly Maritta Road. From a steamship owned by Adelaide Steamship Line.
MARLIN Court: A name chosen by developers and estate agents, Richard Noble and Co for Mr Garrick Agnew. A marlin is a big-game fish. Gazetted 29 December 1956. Approved 3 February 1967.
MARTIN Ave: F.W. Martin, member of the Claremont Road Board from 1911-13, from 1923-25 and from 1928-33. Chairman in 1914-15.
MAYFAIR St: English connotation, e.g. Mayfair Theatre and area in London.
MELVISTA Ave: Formerly MacKay Road as far as Dalkeith Road; Alice Road thereafter. Lapsley Junior won a name competition for name Melvista — Mel — (Melville Water) — vista — (view).
MENGLER Ave: Gus Mengler, former Mayor of Claremont.
MERRIWA St: A name which may be of Aboriginal origin. (Previously spelt with one ‘r’.)
MIMOSA Ave: Wattle. Name selected by Cr J. Allen.
MINORA Rd: Formerly Ernest Street. Changed by request of Nedlands Road Board on 29 August 1934. Name of a yacht owned by H. Miller.
MONASH Ave: Sir John Monash, outstanding Australian commander in World War I. Later general manager of the Victorian Electricity Commission. Monash University in Melbourne is named after him.
MOUNTJOY Rd: Mountjoy is a distinguished English name e.g. Lord Mountjoy.
MURRAY St: Probably after General Murray, succeeded by General Allenby in the Middle East during World War I.
NANDINA Ave: ‘Nandina domestica’ — a type of Japanese bamboo. (Authority of J. Allen.)
NAPIER St: Sir Frederick Napier Broome. Governor of Western Australia 1883-89.
NARDINA Cres: Named after yacht owned by Sir Norbert Keenan, K.C., first M.L.A. for electorate of Nedlands.
NARLA Rd: ‘Narla’ means redgum. A short aboriginal name favoured by Nomenclature Committee. Formerly was Government Road, No. 1662.
NEVILLE Rd: Formerly Lukus Street. Probably after A.O. Neville, a Protector of Aborigines.
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NORTH St: North end of Cottesloe or named after North family.
ODERN Cres: A developer’s name. Formerly Johnchas Crescent, but new name preferred. 29 April 1960.
ORD St: Major-General Sir Harry St George Ord, Governor of Western Australia 1877-80.
PARK St: Formerly a private road near Winthrop Avenue. Also near Kings Park.
PHILIP Rd: Possibly a royal name dating from Queen Victoria’s time. Names on Location 504 were given these names though at the time only bush tracks, e.g. George, Henry, Ernest, Louis.
PORTLAND St: Possibly remembers Portland Bay in Victoria, or Lord Portland of the United Kingdom.
PRINCESS Rd: Named after Mary Bruce. Later after Princess Mary.
RAILWAY Rd: A road along the Perth-Fremantle railway line.
REEVE St: A ‘reeve’ was an old manager of an estate; also a surname, but no claimants.
RENE St: A racing yacht, 14-footer owned by C.W. Garland.
RILEY Rd: See Bishop Road.
RIVER VIEW Court: A self-evident name in a private subdivision.
ROBERT St: Very early name originating from Claremont. Probably from Queen Victoria’s family: royal names in vicinity were Ernest, Louis, George, Henry.
ROBINSON St: Sir William Cleaver Francis Robinson, Governor of Western Australia for three terms — 1875-77, 1880-83 and 1890-95.
ROCHDALE Rd: Named after Rochdale in England. Merged into West Coast Highway on 1 September 1967.
ROCKTON Rd: Very early name originating from Claremont. May go back to convict days, and stone-breaking.
ROSEDALE St: Another pleasant name for the Hackett Estate. Of Perth City Council origin.
SADLIER St: Lt Cliff Sadlier, V.C. holder of World War I.
SAYER St: After William Frederic Sayer, Attorney General in. Throssell ministry in 1901, M.L.A. Claremont, retired 1902, Crown Solicitor and Solicitor General.
SCHOOL Rd: Western outlet of Circe Circle to Alexander Road. Near Dalkeith School.
SECOND Ave: Second Street from Alfred Road.
SELBY St: Mr J. Selby was a Councillor for the Leederville Ward of the City of Perth, 1915.
SERVETUS St: Means ‘to serve’. Created in survey of Swan Location 1063-77 for military pensioners. On 12 July 1903 first reference in Claremont Road Board with letter from W.S. Strettle, Secretary, in Bay View Terrace office.
SHANN St: Professor E.O.G. Shann, Professor of Economics at the University of Western Australia.
SHERWOOD Rd: After Major Tom Sherwood, Warden of St George’s Cathedral. On Glebe Estate.
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SMYTH Rd: W.J. Smyth, Secretary of Road Board. First recorded in subdivision by P.G.S. Hope on August 1913 in Field Book 5721. Excised from Swan Location 689, 22 December 1913.
ST ANLEY St: Stanley Bruce was a son of Colonel Edward Bruce. May also refer to Stanley Kinninmont, of a prominent Nedlands family.
STEPHANIE St: Stephanie Mason, daughter of Mr Fred Mason. Adjacent to Mason’s Gardens.
STIRLING Highway: Formerly Perth-Fremantle Road. Named after Governor James Stirling by Main Roads Board.
STONE St: J.F. Stone, Churchwarden at St George’s Cathedral. On Glebe Estate.
STRICKLAND St: Lord Strickland, Governor-General of Australia, 1909-13.
STUBBS Tee: Named after Mr B.J. Stubbs, former Mayor of Claremont and M.L.A.
SUTCLIFFE St: Charles Sutcliffe Harper bought land in the area with Sir Claude Hotchkin. Each was allowed to name a street. See Hotchkin Street.
SWANSEA St: A suggested name given to all the coastal area. Templetonia was another; but the name eventually was given to this street only.
TAYLOR Rd: After the Taylor family who had land in the vicinity.
THE AVENUE: A fine thoroughfare near the foreshore in both the Cities of Nedlands and Subiaco.
THE ESPLANADE: A name derived from its location along the foreshore.
THOMAS St: Thomas Bruce, a son of Colonel Edward Bruce; killed in World War I.
THROSSELL Ave: Lt Hugo Throssell, V.C. won in Gallipoli during World War I.
TYRELL St: Son of Colonel Edward Bruce.
UNDERWOOD Ave: Professor Eric Underwood, Professor of Agriculture at the University of Western Australia.
VERDUN St: A town in France, the scene of bitter fighting in 1916 between German and French armies, World War I.
VICTORIA Ave: Because pensioner guards once lived here, this , Avenue was originally called Pensioners Terrace, Pensioner Row or I Pensioners Way. Renamed Victoria Avenue in honour of Queen Victoria on 7 May 1914, and George Street, from Beatrice Road, included.
VIEWWAY: A street (way) with a view.
VIKING Rd: A yacht, 16-footer owned by H. Sutton and J. Olsen. Formerly named Hugh Street. Request for change 29 August 1934.
VINCENT St: After Saint Vincent, a caring Spanish saint noted for hia charitable works (1580-1660). The Salvation Army owned land in this area.
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VIX St: A street made to accommodate the Nedlands Golf Club course.
WALBA Way: A name by a developer preferred to Eveline Way.
WALPOLE St: After Sir Robert Walpole, of England.
WARATAH Ave: The floral emblem of New South Wales. Also the name of a yacht. Name suggested by Cr Alan Bennett, Chairman of Nedlands Road Board. Engineer of Fremantle Harbour Authority. He came from New South Wales.
WARATAH PI: The section of Waratah west of Victoria Avenue. Changed to avoid any confusion with Bulimba Road.
WAROONGA Rd: A steamship of Adelaide Steamship Co.
WATKINS Rd: Archdeacon D.G. Watkins of St George’s Cathedral. The road is on the Glebe Estate.
WATT St: Probably an old right-of-way given a familiar name.
WATTLE Ave: A familiar tree.
WAVELL Rd: Field Marshal Archibald Wavell, a distinguished commander of World War II.
WEBSTER St: Christine Bruce (nee Webster); wife of Colonel Edward Bruce and daughter of General Webster, an English general.
WELD St: Frederick Aloysius Weld, Governor of Western Australia 1869-75.
WHITFELD St: Professor H.E. Whitfeld, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Western Australia. The name has been changed from Whitfield.
WILLIAMS Rd: Mr A.H. Williams, Attorney for the Bruce Estates Trust. He was a trustee in September 1906. The name was changed from Shenton Road because there was already a Shenton Road in Claremont.
WOOD St: Formerly Hensman Street. Changed on 21 October 1960 to conform with street in Claremont Municipality.
ZAMIA St: Zamia palms grew in the vicinity. The name was preferred to Rosemary.
These streets, now entirely in the City of Subiaco, were named after Claremont Road Board members.
CAPORN St: Member of the Claremont Road Board 1905-10.
COOK St: After S.F. Cook, Member of the Claremont Road Board 1908-10.
EVERETT St: After R.W. Everett (Captain A.I.F.). Member of the Claremont Road Board 1906-13. Chairman 1913.
MYERS St: After T.J. Myers, member of the Claremont Road Board 1903-05, 1908-16, 1921-24, 1926-27. Chairman 1917-20.
References, Links, Notes
See also: City of Nedlands Library list.
This page incorporates material from Garry Gillard's Freotopia website, that he started in 2014 and the contents of which he donated to Wikimedia Australia in 2024. The content was originally created on 7 April, 2020 and hosted at freotopia.org/streets/nedlandsstreets1.html (it was last updated on 18 November, 2023). The donated data is also preserved in the Internet Archive's collection.