Skinner Road (Stratford)

Skinner Road, inland of Stratford, was named after the Taranaki surveyor and historian William Henry Skinner.

The northern end of the road was settled in the 1880s. In those early years the main employment in the area involved bush felling and sawmilling. Slowly the land was converted to pasture and farming predominated.

In 1897 a bridge was built across the Pātea River, providing access to East Road and Stratford. Five years later the Skinner Road train station, a flag-stop, was opened on the Stratford to Ōhura line. The present bridge over the Pātea River was built in 1979.

Skinner Road, south of Bird Road, was first settled in 1898.

A creamery for local farms was opened in 1899. Later a dairy factory was built. The advent of the milk tanker saw it close in May, 1956.

After many years of fundraising by local people, the Skinner Road Hall was built with much volunteer labour and opened in August, 1958. The hall was moved to the Stratford A&P showgrounds in 1999.

W. H. Skinner was involved in surveying many areas of Taranaki, including parts of the road named after him. However much his greatest claim to fame was as a Taranaki historian. He wrote several books on Taranaki history and is regarded as the founder of New Plymouth’s museum.

Skinner Street in New Plymouth is named after the Skinner family. W.H. Skinner died in 1946, aged 89.

This story was originally published in the Taranaki Daily News.

Related plans:

SO372 Ngaere SD ICS Pre 300,000 Cadastral Plan Index (Imaged by LINZ)

DP4176 Skinner Road ICS Pre 300,000 Cadastral Plan Index (Imaged by LINZ)