Street Name History
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Cleghorn Street, Redwoodtown
Dr George Cleghorn was a talented surgeon, a philanthropist interested in matters of welfare and mental health, and an important member of Blenheim’s early settler community.
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Corry Crescent
John Joseph Corry became mayor of Blenheim in 1912. During his time in office he dealt with war, influenza and spearheaded the beginnings of the modern Wither Hills Farm Park.
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English Streets
Oudenarde St, Clive St, Havelock St, Clyde St, Alma St, Picton St, Anglesey (Anglesea) St and Uxbridge St - Renwick.
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Francis Street
We know it today as Francis Street, but is that really how it is spelled? Whether this street was originally Francis or Frances was hotly disputed.
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Kendrick Road
This street was named in 2015 after Roger Kendrick, a trucking stalwart who pioneered the transportation of mussels and wine.
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Litchfield Street, Redwoodtown
Fredrick John Litchfield founded Messrs F. J. Litchfield and Sons in Blenheim and became the town’s first mayor in June 1869.
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Macey Crescent
William Henry Macey was a Blenheim photographer, a founder of the Blenheim Bowling Club and Blenheim mayor from 1903 to 1904.
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McArtney Street, Blenheim
Robert McArtney did a 16-month term as mayor, from 1900 to 1901, the Boer War years
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Muller Road, Blenheim
Dr Stephen Lunn Muller was Blenheim’s magistrate and postmaster, and his wife was early women’s rights advocate Mary Ann Muller - New Zealand’s first pioneer suffragist.
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Newbourne Crescent
The land on which Newbourne Crescent sits was subdivided in the 1960s and 1970s by the McMurtry family, who had connections to Newbourne, England.
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Nicholson Street, Renwick
Rev Thomas Dickson Nicholson was the first Presbyterian minister of Nelson and Marlborough and led the first church of any denomination in the Wairau.
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Purkiss Street, Springlands
Charles Purkiss was a hotel proprietor, shop owner, lending commission agent, land agent, flaxmiller, borough councillor, and collected rates for the Omaka Road Board.
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Purser Crescent, Witherlea
Edward Purser, after which Purser Cres is named, took it upon himself to appoint names to many of Blenheim’s streets.
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Scottish Streets
The far northeast of Scotland and the eastern end of Blenheim share the names Lybster, Keiss, Elzy, Dunbeath and Freswick.
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Sinclair Street, Blenheim
James Sinclair has been credited with being the most important of the founding fathers of Blenheim, which in his day was known as The Beaver, Beaverton or Beaver Town.
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Vorbach Place, Renwick
John Vorbach, a blacksmith of Renwick, invented the “boneshaker,” a push bike featuring an iron frame and wheels, and wooden pedals and seat between 1880 and 1900.
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Wynen Street
James Wynen was one of Marlborough’s first shopkeeper and one of its earliest businessmen, but Wynen’s story turned tragic after the murder of his wife and son.
