Bourke Street, Name and History
Name: Bourke
Suburb, Palmerston North Central
In August 1969 it was reported in The Tribune, Central City Review, page 5, that Bourke Street, interchangeably called Burke Street, was named after roading contractor, Mr Bourke, who put the street through in 1875.
The map is a derivative of this Palmerston North Borough map from 1923.
Papers Past show that there was a Mr D Burke operating as a roading contractor in the Manawatū in the 1880s and 1890s.
History
Deposited 24 March 1875, D.P.22 (the Cuba Street end) was subdivided in 1875. The sections were owned by Mr Arthur William Follett Halcombe, an early settler of Feilding, and the surveyor was Mr Thomas McKay Drummond. D.P.1195 was subdivided in 1901 and the sections owned by Mr Charles E Waldegrave.
In 1876, the Clausen brothers, Messrs Christian Nicolai and Johan Frederick, first laid eyes on Palmerston (later Palmerston North) as children of early Scandinavian settlers. They recalled the Bourke and Waldegrave street blocks being great paddocks of oat crops.
October 23, 1880, a special meeting of the Palmerston Borough Council was held to consider reports from the Reserves Committee and sub-committee. The latter presented a “Report of the Division of the Town.” This was a recommendation of general allocation of costs for street clearing and formation, based on the town map.
Councillor Coleman said he would have preferred a breakdown by street in which outlay was expected. His Worship, Mayor James Linton, could not see the necessity, as per the report all the town streets would either be cleared or formed. Councillor Coleman pointed out that there may be streets the sub-committee members were unaware of – Bourke and Campbell Streets for example. The sub-committee affirmed it was unaware of Bourke Street and hadn’t counted Campbell Street, a private street on a piece of land cut up by Mr AWF Halcombe, leading to a large paddock. Councillor Coleman asserted that the latter was on the map and residents on both contributed revenue to the town.
There was discussion around the concern that if the council were to take over and spend money on private streets, they would be springing up all over the place. Councillor Ferguson stated that if Campbell Street was on the map as a public street, then its development was in fact covered by the report. If not, the Council would not be justified in spending money on the street. The report was received and adopted.
In January of 1886 a loan was authorised for the forming and metalling of private streets. Monies were dispersed on a pro rata basis in each ward. Bourke Street, situated in the no.4 ward, was valued at £112 in April. In May of 1904 residents asked for the old portion of Bourke Street to be improved.
By September 1900 a drainage scheme was under consideration for the densely populated western end of town. This was followed in March of 1901 with a council proposal to raise a loan for drainage works. Residents in Bourke Street also had drainage in mind. In December 1902, residents petitioned the council to take over the newly formed portion of Bourke street, and extend water services.
However, by January 1907, Bourke Street did not have the requested services. The Sanitary Inspector’s strongly worded report, calling the street a cesspit bed, urged that drainage sewers be extended to Bourke Street immediately. In April 1907, the borough engineer was instructed to proceed with sewer works in Bourke Street, which was completed in May. By October 1908, all residences had been connected.
March, 1904, councillor Essex drew attention to overhanging trees and overgrown thorn hedges in Bourke Street. He highlighted the danger to pedestrians, especially unprotected eyes. The council decided to compel owners to cut back foliage as per by-laws. These by-laws were enforced again in January 1907.
In October of 1904 the arc lamp at the corner of Bourke and Cuba Streets was moved halfway down Bourke street on the west side. All lamps were changed to incandescent.
In 1907 footpaths were formed on both sides of Bourke Street, and in April 1909, tarring and sanding of the footpath on western side of the street was completed, with residents sharing the cost. In October 1914, the paths were treated with sanding and tarring on both sides. Residents were active in submitting petitions to ensure attention to the upkeep of their street.
In Jun 1926, plans were made to improve the surface of the roadway in Bourke Street. By November the full length of Bourke was treated with crushed pit metal. Eight years later, residents complained of dust from passing vehicles, and requested tar-sealing. Two years on, in 1936, the street was scarified, metalled, rolled and tar-sealed. A second tar-sealing was completed in March of 1939.
Early residents included
Mr Ulisse “Louis” Carlo Francesco Giorgi (b.1870) and his brother, Mr Arturo “Arthur” Giorgi (b.1873) were born in Livorno, Italy. Their parents emigrated to Aotearoa New Zealand in 1874, and the family settled in Whanganui.
The brothers came to Palmerston North as young men. In 1896 Mr UCF Giorgi married Miss Alice Hill, a lifelong resident of a settler family. They had three children; Ida Anna b.1897, Dario Lanchoto b.1899 and Myrtle Alice b.1903.
Both Mr UC Giorgi and Mr A Giorgi purchased properties in Bourke Street in 1897.
Mr U Giorgi ran a hairdresser & tobacconist store in Te Marae o Hine the Square. Later he branched out into fishing tackle supply. He was prominent in the Palmerston North hockey scene, and was involved in whippet racing.
From 1900 to 1902, Mr A Giorgi served in the Remington’s Guides during the South African War. Those in the guides had to have a knowledge of Dutch and African languages, and supply their own mount.
On his return Mr A Giorgi went into partnership with Mr Maurice Millar, to establish the menswear firm of Millar & Giorgi in Te Marae o Hine the Square. They opened a Hastings branch of the same in December of 1905.
In October of 1904 Mr A Giorgi married Miss Beatrice Cecilia Humphreys. Miss BC Humphreys was born in 1878 in Waipawa, Hawkes Bay. The couple had three children; Norma b.1905, Ronald Victor b.1907 and Zenda Beatrice b.1909.
Mr A Giorgi, a keen sportsman, was also in the Volunteer Corps and a member of the Linton Rifle Club during the couple’s time in Palmerston North.
Mr and Mrs A Giorgi lived at 7b Bourke Street (owning the properties at no. 7) until 1918, when they moved to the Hawkes Bay to manage the Hastings branch.
Mr Arthur Giorgi died in Hastings in December 1940, aged 67 years. Mrs Beatrice Cecilia Giorgi died in Hastings in August of 1950, aged 71 years.
Mrs Alice Giorgi died, aged 36 years, in December 1913. Mr U Giorgi remarried in 1920 to Mrs Evangelina May Tremewan, nee O’Connell. The couple resided at 4 Kairanga Road.
Mr Ulisse “Lou” Carlo Francesco Giorgi died in May 1959, aged 89 years, and is interred at Terrace End Cemetery. Evangeline May Giorgi died in Whanganui in May of 1961, at the age of 81 years. She is interred at Aramoho Cemetery.
Early business, organisations and clubs included
Many short-term businesses, such as chimney sweeping, clairvoyant healing, eye specialist, landau cabs, and dressmaking, were operated from residents' homes. There was also a healthy trade in poultry.
Ward Bros., Painters and Paperhangers, operated from 22 Bourke Street from 1911 to 1919. At that stage the business had outgrown the site and they moved to a new premises in Cuba Street.
The Carow Ladies’ College, also known as Carow Girls Collegiate School, moved a number of times from its inception in 1891. From 1912 to 1914 the Carow School of music and painting ran at 47 Bourke Street. This was the residence of principal, Mrs Elizabeth Von Blaramberg, and her husband Mr Cecil Augustus Victor Hortezzi de Cortando von Blaramberg.
From 1924 to 1928, Miss Ulu Hancock, provided tuition in elocution and dramatic art, from her parents’ house at 7b Bourke street. Her father, Mr Allen Hancock, was a motorcycle dealer. The property was sold in 1936. Miss Ulu Hancock then recommenced tuition in 1938 from 72 Bourke Street.
In 1929, the Boniface brothers, John and Amos, modernised their bakery and confectionery business (established 1916) with a purpose-built bakehouse near the corner of Cuba and Bourke Street. It had a frontage of 66 feet. Circa. 1936, the Boniface Brothers Bakery extended their business into Bourke Street, 70 feet, with the establishment of a small goods manufacturing department.
Renumbering
The addresses on Bourke Street were renumbered in 1937. See p.34 and p.35 of the Rates Register of Street Numbers - Old and New.
