Dixon Avenue (Hāwera)

This street in Hāwera is associated with World War One along with Grant VC and Laurent VC Streets.

Edwin Dixon (1867-1955) was mayor of Hāwera from 1915 to 1923 and was well-known for his patriotic activities during and after the war. As mayor, Dixon committed himself to fare-welling each and every one of the drafts of young Hāwera men who left for the Front and he tried to be there when they returned - often, sadly, much reduced in numbers.

In 1919, he, along with VC winners, Harry Laurent and Jack Grant, planted an oak tree in the grounds of the water tower to commemorate the peace. During the early 1920s Dixon was also called upon to unveil several local war memorials, like those at Alton, Ararātā and Matapū. As chairman of the Peace Memorial Committee, he was also responsible for the erection of Hāwera's war memorial arch in 1923-1924.

Dixon was born and educated in Wellington but came to Hāwera as a young man and set up a music shop in High Streer which he ran for many years.

He was deeply involved in local educational and musical groups, being - at various times - a member of the Hāwera School Committee, Whanganui Education Board, a governor of Whanganui Girls' College and later a member of the Taranaki Education Board.

He was also chairman of the Hāwera Boy Scouts, president of the Chamber of Commerce, chairman and patron of the Municipal Brass Band and chairman of the Male Voice Choir.

A by-election in 1921 saw him elected as an MP for Pātea, but he lost his seat the following year.

Dixon was a member of the New Zealand Methodist Conference for 25 years and a preacher at his local church for over 50 years.

In 1892 he married Elizabeth Ann Nicholson (1870-1944) and they had four daughters. Elizabeth, too, was involved with wartime patriotic affairs, the church and was an 'outstanding musician'.

Edwin Dixon died, aged 88, in 1955 and is buried in Hāwera cemetery.

This story was originally published in the Taranaki Daily News.