Newtown was named by a Mr Moodie who built a hotel here when the area was still considered to be on the outskirts of the city, and said he hoped a 'new town' would grow up around it.
Berhampore was named after a place in Bengal. Local landowner George Hunter married the daughter of Major Paul, an ex-Indian Army officer, and used this name for his holding in honour of his father-in-law. Many of the streets in this suburb were also then given Indian names.
Features
Athletic Park and the Millard Stand
"Opened for sport" on 6 April, 1896. The final match at the ground was on Sunday 10 October 1999. A crowd of 30,000 was at the Wellington Lions v Otago match to farewell The Park. The rugby ground was demolished in 2000. It is now the site of a Retirement village.
Berhampore Municipal Golf Course, Adelaide Road, Newtown
Established in 1915 after a request by a deputation of ratepayers. Wakefield Park is below the golf course and is a venue for soccer and cricket. (Phone: 389 6685) - the golf course has 18 holes, on both sides of Adelaide Road. There are terrific views of the Cook Strait, especially from the Par 3 seventh. The course requires a good level of fitness.
Chinese Sports and Cultural Centre, Mt Albert Road, Newtown
(Phone 021 898746/383 6480, Fax 3836485.)
A large sports stadium in Mt Albert Road which opened in 1977, helped by a lottery grant, on land provided by the Wellington City Council. It has a full sized Basketball court and a large kitchen which can cater for functions and events.
Wellington Hospital
Riddiford St, Newtown. Build on its current site in 1878. It is currently undergoing a phase of expansion and renovation.
National Hockey Stadium, Mt Albert Road, Newtown
This hockey stadium, with an all weather artificial turf, is the home of the Black Sticks hockey team. It has 2 A1 class surfaces.
Newtown Park, Manchester St., Newtown
A natural amphitheatre. Has a sports stadium with an athletic track, home of Wellington's Athletics, & a soccer ground above it. It is located next to the zoo on Wellington's green belt.
Old Government House, Dufferin St., Newtown
A Tudor-style house built between 1908 and 1910 - Lord Islington was the first Governor to live in it. It was designed by the Government Architect of the time, John Campbell, but his assistant, Claude Paton, did most of the work on it. Government House is a large, two-storied house built of wood. It has a ballroom, grand staircase and dozens of rooms which are used for entertaining special visitors. The Governor-General lives in about one-third of the house, site of the former Mount View Asylum. This property has wonderful gardens and grounds.
Truby King Reserve, 21 Manchester Tce., Melrose.
Truby King House and Garden houses the office of Building Biology and Ecology Institute. It consists of an historic house and garden owned by the Wellington City Council. (Phone: [04] 472 0286)
Wellington City Nursery Emerson St., Berhampore
The nursery grows plants used by the Wellington City Council in the gardens, parks, and reserves of the city. The Nursery's open day at the end of May involves gardening tips, talks, & a plant sale.
Wellington Zoo, 200 Daniel Street, Newtown
Founded in April 1906 when a young lion named 'King Dick' (after Prime Minister Richard Seddon)
was presented to Wellington City by the Bostok and Wombwell Circus. It is the oldest zoo in New Zealand, & the 3rd oldest in Australasia. It houses a variety of animals from New Zealand and overseas, including Red Pandas and tuataras.
Notable persons who have lived in the suburb
Emma Paki (Singer)
Born in 1968 in Northland, her 1993 single "System virtue" won her prizes at the NZ Music Awards.
Fergus Collinson (Artist)
One of Wellington's best loved artists. He recently displayed some works in Cuba Life, an exhibition showing during the Wellington Fringe Festival.
Author of the book: Bouncing with Billie
Margaret Elliot
Local artist who recently held an exhibition: "Tented spaces: Antarctica art", featuring work inspired by a trip to Antarctica as a tutor for a graduate course for Antarctic Studies.
Phillip O'Sullivan (Artist)
Born in 1949 in Palmerston North, Phillip John O'Sullivan has exhibited in all the major cities of New Zealand. He has had over 25 solo art exhibitions & has works in most of the big public collections.
Sam Manzanza (Musician)
Originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), Sam Manzanza will front the Jambo Jambo Drummer Group, bringing African rhythms to Wellington. Organiser of many local ethnic musical events.
Sir Paul Reeves, Governor-General of New Zealand, 1985-1990.
Born in Wellington in 1932, the second son of D'Arcy Lionel and Hilda Mary Reeves, Sir Paul was educated at Wellington College, Victoria University of Wellington (MA), St John's Theological College, Auckland (L.Th.) and St Peter's College, Oxford (MA, Hon. Fellow). Sir Paul is the first churchman and first man of Maori descent appointed Governor-General. He belongs to the Puketapu Hapu of the Te Atiawa tribe in Taranaki.
Truby King
Born in New Zealand in 1858, Frederic Truby King won the Eccles Scholarship for medicine at Edinburgh University, and started The Plunket Society in 1907.
Truby King has touched the lives of most New Zealanders - as founder of the
Plunket movement, that led our mothers and grandmothers into military-style baby management, his influence is enormous. Although his extreme and restrictive views about women would be ridiculed today, he gave them a health regime that dramatically reduced child mortality and was the envy of the world.
Buildings
Boys and Girls Institute (68/71 Tasman St)
Established in 1885. It housed a gymnasium and swimming pool.
MacAlister Park
This park has 2 levels which can be accessed from Liadet St and Adelaide Road. The park is named after a former mayor.
Newtown Community CentreCnr. of Rintoul and Colombo Sts., Newtown
The centre is the
venue for classes, groups, dance troups, martial arts clubs, public meetings and parties. It has the only community theatre in Newtown and runs a primary school age school holiday programme and is a hub for the smart Newtown community computing project. The centre is home to Newtown Citizens Advice Bureau, Pacific Budget Family Service, Newtown Playcentre, and Pacific islands Women's project Aotearoa. Office hours are 9.20 am - 2.30 pm.
Pacific Island Network Centre, 9 - 11 Constable Street, Newtown
Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind,121 Adelaide Road, Newtown
P O Box 27177, Wellington (Ph: 04 380 2160 ; Fax: 04 389 5254)
Rugby League Park, Hall St, Newtown
Home of Wellington's Rugby League - now being used by both Rugby codes. The Rugby Union is developing a new grandstand facility, providing a training facility for the Hurricanes and the Wellington Lions at Rugby League Park. Wellington City Council will continue to control and allocate the sportsfields associated with the park, which will protect Rugby League's access to the grounds and facilities.
Salvation Army Hope Centre,
26 Riddiford St, Newtown
Offers a range of services to families in need.
(Phone: 389 0594 ; Fax: 389 1130)
Te Whaea: National Dance and Drama Centre and
Toi Whakaari NZ Drama School, 11 Hutchison Road (old Newtown show buildings), share this purpose built centre. See this site for information about the New Zealand School of Dance. There are 9 studios and a 200 seat theatre. (Ph: +64 4 389 0996
Fax: +64 4 389 4996)
Book titles
Newtown School jubilee souvenir: 1879 to 1934.
Newtown! : community in a Wellington suburb / edited by Martin Doyle. 1998.
Newtown, a community in the city / by David Robinson. 1975.
On the edge of our city / by J.M. & B.M. Kenneally. 1984
The Streets of my City: Wellington, New Zealand. / Irvine-Smith, F.L.; 1948.
In a strange garden: the life and times of Truby King / Lloyd Chapman. 2003.
Athletic Park a lost football ground / Tim Donoghue. 1999.
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