Ward Place

Ward Place in Marfell is a short cul-de-sac running off Nash Street, which was named after Sir Walter Nash, Labour Party leader and prime minister from 1957 to 1960.

Often when a subdivision is formed the street names chosen have a theme or commonality. As Nash Street was named after a politician you might assume that Ward Place was named after another politician and prime minister, Sir Joseph Ward. After all, the precedent had already been set with Seddon Street and Massey Street in Westown.

However, the truth is that it was merely a name chosen from a list of streets from our English namesake, Plymouth. Ward Place in the suburb of Efford looks to be a quiet street, lined with semi-detached houses.

The two Marfell streets sit on what was a 50-acre section (number 26) that marked the western boundary of the Fitzroy Block, purchased by the New Zealand Company in 1844. The deal was brokered by Governor Fitzroy with Te Ātiawa after he had set aside Commissioner Spain’s contentious award of a much larger area.

A little over 30 years later, section number 26 (known by then as ‘Elliot’s Farm’) was partly subdivided into allotments of varying sizes in what was called the Westown Village. The fledgling community was described in glowing terms by the local newspaper, which claimed “there is not a prettier spot to be found in New Zealand”.

As time went on and the population grew, larger blocks were further subdivided as the drift outward to the suburbs progressed. In 1970 a remaining portion of section 26 was surveyed into 25 lots forming Ward Place and Nash Street.

Sir Joseph Ward, leader of the political party (United) that went on to become National, might be amused to know that a street bearing his surname sits next to one named after an icon of the Labour Party. 

This story was originally published in the Taranaki Daily News.