Rosehill - Origin of Street Names

Name

Origin & Meaning

Source

Alfred Street

First used circa 1883. Acknowledging Sir Alfred Stephen, Chief Justice and former Lieutenant Governor of NSW, in family members and legal friends street naming theme. Sir Alfred was the father of subdivider, Solicitor S. A. Stephen.

Parramatta Council. (199-). Suburban names review.

Alice Street

First used circa 1876. Acknowledging Alice Connor, first wife of inheriting nephew John Harris who attempted an early subdivision of part of the Harris estate. Alice died three years later in 1879.

Parramatta Council. (199-). Suburban names review.

Allen Street

First used circa 1878. Acknowledging the surname of Sir George Wigram Allen, in family names street naming theme, used by the subdivider Solicitor G.W. Allen.

Parramatta Council. (199-). Suburban names review.

Arthur Street

Commemorating Captain Arthur Phillip, who was the first Governor of the Colony of New South Wales.

Parramatta History and Heritage. (2021). Governor Arthur Phillip

Bowden Street

Initially named George Street by the inheritors of George Palmer's estate at the time of subdivision. The name was later changed to avoid confusion circa 1856 and again circa 1878.

The street name is part of a family names street naming theme used by subdividing solicitor G.W. Allen in acknowledgement of Thomas Kendall Bowden, Mayor of Parramatta in 1869. Bowden was a solicitor, as well as being a cousin and co-partner of G. W. Allen.

Parramatta Council. (199-). Suburban names review.

Colquhoun Street                           

Named in honour of Municipality of Granville mayor and alderman John Colquhoun.

Monument Australia. (2021). John Colquhoun

Crown Street

Named to attract potential property buyers by associating the street with the royal family.

Devon Street

Based on the theme of English counties. Named after a county in south-west England.

Wikipedia. (2021). Devon

Durham Street        

Part of the Rosehill Township subdivision of 1882 which was auctioned in November by Mobbs and Co. and later Mills and Pile. The streets were laid out in a grid structure and names based on the theme of English counties. Durham is a ceremonial county in North East England.

State Library NSW. (2021). Rosehill Township: Elizabeth Farm, Z/SP/P6/48

Eleanor Street

First used circa 1883. Acknowledging (Lady) Eleanor Stephen, wife of Sir Alfred Stephen, in family members and legal friends street naming theme. Eleanor was the mother of the subdivider, solicitor S. A. Stephen.

Parramatta Council. (199-). Suburban names review.

Good Street 

First used circa 1883. Initially named Elizabeth Street, acknowledging the inheriting Macarthur grand-daughter, Elizabeth Onslow. Being a prolongation of Good Street Granville (which had been created twenty years earlier) postal confusion developed to the extent that Granville Council changed the name in 1907. The name 'good' appears to have been selected for real estate marketing purposes.

Parramatta Council. (199-). Suburban names review.

Grand Avenue

First used circa 1883. This street was designed to overlook (on either side) an available tram service, a considerable real estate advantage at the time. Compelled (by Act) to allow 66 feet (20 metres) of roadway on either side however, the street was of boulevarde proportions and befitted a grand name. The names North Grand Avenue and South Grand Avenue were selected by the subdivider, S.A. Stephen. After the cessation of the tram service the names were combined to Grand Avenue. 

Parramatta Council. (199-). Suburban names review.

Hope Street

First used 1883. Acknowledging Charles Hope, former British Lord Justice General, Member of Privy Council, in family members and legal friends street naming theme used by subdivider, Solicitor S.A. Stephen.

Parramatta Council. (199-). Suburban names review.

James Ruse Drive   

The genesis of today's Freeway in this location was a narrow lane heading from Kissing Point Road to the Orphan School, a lane which was known as Orphan School Lane or Road. After the function of the Orphan School was changed to become Rydalmere Psychiatric Centre the lane was widened and took the name of Rydalmere Avenue. The erection of the bridge linking the road to Aston Street, Rosehill, in 1963 was the commencement of the Freeway system which is now in place, a system which when completed in the 1980s was named after the famed colonial experimental private farmer, James Ruse.

Parramatta Council. (199-). Suburban names review.

Jordan Street

First used 1886.

Parramatta Council. (199-). Suburban names review.

Oak Street   

First used 1883 and 1904. Not clear. As the land and creek bed in which this street was positioned was cleared land (that is, without trees) it is considered that the street name was probably intended to be Oakes Street in acknowledgment of Honorary George Oakes, first Member for Parramatta, who had been accidentally killed in 1881.

Parramatta Council. (199-). Suburban names review.

Penelope Lucas Lane        

Penelope Lucas was a governess employed by John Macarthur.

Matthew, K. (2011). Governesses

Prospect Street

First used circa 1883. A real estate selling name, similar to Crown Street, indicating the presence of the natural ridge from which favourable outlook (or prospect) was available.

Parramatta Council. (199-). Suburban names review.

Rosehill (suburb)                             

Named by Captain Arthur Phillip in honour of his friend and mentor, Sir George Rose, a senior civil servant with the British Treasury.

Charles, M. (1988). Old Parramatta: Pictorial Memories.

Ritchie Street

First used 1907. Appears to acknowledge William Ritchie, one of the inaugural aldermen of Granville Council. The Ritchie family contributed significantly to the development of Granville, particularly as industrialists. John, the son of R.A. Ritchie, passed away in Harris Park in the year this street was created.

Parramatta Council. (199-). Suburban names review.

Shirley Street

The name is assumedly, in keeping with the tradition of developer-named streets, either after someone or someplace close to the developer.

Short Street

First used circa 1885. Named in a re-shaping of the earlier subdivision and is a reference to the length of the street itself.

Parramatta Council. (199-). Suburban names review.

Unwin Street

Name in acknowledgment of Granville Municipal Council Alderman Unwin.

Whitaker, A. (2012). Shaping a city: 150 years of Parramatta City Council.

Virginia Street         

First used circa 1883. Acknowledging Virginia Consett, first wife of the subdivider's father Sir Alfred Stephen, in family members and legal friends street naming theme used by subdividing solicitor, S.A. Stephen.

Parramatta Council. (199-). Suburban names review.

Watson Street

Named after Sir Henry Watson Parker, who married Emmeline Emily, the youngest daughter of John Macarthur, and lived in Elizabeth Farm for a few years. He was a politician and was elected as member for Parramatta in the first Legislative Assembly and Premier of New South Wales from 1856-1857.

Nairn, B. (2021). Parker, Sir Henry Watson (1808–1881)

Western Motorway

Constructed during the 1960s, this motorway (also known as the M4) stretches across 51.5 kilometres from Homebush to Penrith.

Wikipedia. (2021). M4 motorway (Sydney)

Weston Street         

First used circa 1876 and extended circa 1883. Acknowledging Frederick Weston who assisted the Harris grand-nephew John, to subdivide the estate.

Parramatta Council. (199-). Suburban names review.

Yorkshire Street

Based on the theme of English counties. Named after Yorkshire, England which is the largest county in north-west England.

Wikipedia. (2021). Yorkshire