Craig Street (Stratford)

As most readers will know, almost all the streets in Stratford are named after characters from the plays of William Shakespeare. Craig Street, which runs from State Highway 3 to Titania Street, is one of the rare exceptions.

The road was surveyed in 1910 and the applicant is listed as Geo. (George) Hall. On 14 November 1911 the Stratford Evening Post reported that “On the motion of Cr. Boon, seconded by Cr. Sangster, it was decided to give the name of Craig Street to Mrs. Hall’s new street”.

It turns out that Mrs Hall was George’s mother, who had been widowed when George was only a baby. On 12 August 1884 the Hawera & Normanby Star had published a lengthy report of an inquest into the death of Edward Hall, a farmer on Pembroke Road. In early 1883 Edward had ventured into the bush looking for cattle and not returned. Despite extensive searches, his body lay for 18 months until human remains were discovered by a chainman from the Survey Department.

The only clue as to the origin of the name comes from a brief article in the Stratford Evening Post in December 1936 commenting on Stratford street names. In it they explain that George Hall “left the choice of a Shakespearean name to the borough council, but as an alternative he suggested Craig Street.” The newspaper simply said that this was the name of an estate in Scotland.

In late 2019 Craig Castle in the Grampians Foothills was on the market for what appears to have been the bargain price of £400,000. The historic stronghold of Clan Gordon, the property included 63 acres of land although the castle was said to be “in need of some work”.

Whether this was the estate in Scotland that George wanted the street named after we don’t know, but whichever one it was, Craig Street remains one of the few Stratford streets departing from the Shakespearean theme.