Local Man Inspires World War One Street Name Recognition

A campaign that’s lasted nearly a year for a Palmerston North man reached its conclusion on November 11.

Steve Parsons, a well-known businessman, approached the City Council in December 2014 asking it to recognise streets that have a significant connection to World War One.

Steve and his family live in Russell Street which was named after General Russell, one of New Zealand’s military leaders at Gallipoli. Steve was alerted to the New Zealand Poppy Places Trust, established in 2014 to identify places in New Zealand which have a link to our military involvement and to recognise them with a poppy.

The Trust’s aim is to provide a place where the stories behind a street or place name can be captured and forever stored. “Each place will be marked with the placement of the official RSA poppy,” the Trust says.

Steve was keen for the street names to be recognised on Anzac Day this year, the centenary of the Gallipoli campaign, and kept in regular contact with the Mayor and Council staff over the months. He was pleased when Archivist, Evan Greensides, agreed to carry out the research and complete the project by Armistice Day, November 11.

The recognition takes the form of an exhibition – Poppy Places for Palmerston North – launched on November 11 in the public library with the poppy insignia attached to Russell Street the same day.

Eight streets or places have been identified by Archives. They are Anzac Park, Carroll Street, Chaytor Street, Marne Street, Martin Street, Rongopai Street, Russell Street and Union Street.

“I’m delighted the City Council has seen the merit of my proposal and pleased it will be completed while we can still commemorate the centenary of Gallipoli,” Steve Parsons says. “This initiative provides an opportunity for Russell Street residents anywhere in New Zealand to have their street recognised in this way.”

General Russell was closely involved in the assault on Chunuk Bair on August 6-7, 1915, and he and his men seized the foothills immediately below. Later that year he succeeded General Godley as Commander of the New Zealand and Australian Division at Gallipoli.

Ironically Russell Street in Palmerston North was originally called Fritz Street, named after a former mayor, Fritz Jensen of Norwegian descent but, because its origins could be misinterpreted, it was changed to Russell Street on November 16, 1917.

“The naming of the streets keeps our memory of World War One and the sacrifices made by thousands of New Zealanders alive,” Steve Parsons says.

A member of his own family fought at Gallipoli while his father served in the Middle East during World War Two and captained the NZEF rugby team which played internationals against South Africa and England.

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