what is in a street name
Sayer Street
William Frederic Sayer
Sayer Street is the eastern boundary of New Junction.
The street takes its name from William Frederic Sayer who was born in London, and attended the University College School before going on to study law. He came to Western Australia in 1890 to work as a legal adviser to the Midland Railway Company between 1890 and 1897.
He later worked for the colonial government, serving as a secretary in the Law Department and then as Commissioner of Titles from 1898 to 1901 (a position in the Department of Lands and Surveys). In March 1901, despite not being a member of parliament, Sayer was appointed Attorney-General.
At the 1901 state election Sayer won the newly created seat of Claremont He was also the State Member of the Legislative Assembly for Claremont.
In December 1902, Sayer was appointed crown solicitor (equivalent to Solicitor-General), a position which he held until his retirement in 1930.
He died in February 1943, aged 85.
Sayer St between The Crescent and Railway Pde was originally known as De Burgh Avenue.
Source: Midland Remembers
Wikipedia
Keane Street
Keane Street is the western boundary to New Junction, and is named after Edward Vivian Harvey Keane.
Edward Vivian Harvey Keane
He was born in 1844 at Birkenhead, Cheshire in England and was educated at Christ's Hospital and went on to complete an apprenticeship with railway contractors, William Dargan, Peto & Betts and Lucas Brothers as a civil engineer.
In 1876, Keane moved to Australia and his first destination was Melbourne for a short time before he headed to South Australia where he worked as an engineer and railway contractor. He was involved in the construction of many projects in South Australia including an engine shed at Naracoorte, reservoirs at Terowie and Orroroo, rail line to Holdfast Bay and part of the rail line from Terowie to Pichi Richi. In May 1879, he married Lilla Rebecca Wharton White in Adelaide.
In 1882, Edward and Lilla made the move to Western Australia. Edward established himself in business and made some influential friends including the Forrest brothers, John and Alexander.
Upon his arrival to Western Australia, Keane immediately commenced work on the construction of railway lines including the Guildford to Chidlow’s Well, Chidlow’s Well to Spencer’s Brook, Bayswater to Belmont, Spencer’s Brook to York, Spencer’s Brook to Northam, York to Beverley, Geraldton to Walkaway and Bunbury to Boyanup.
February 1886 saw Keane win the contract for the first 40 miles (64 km) of the Midland Railway Company of Western Australia rail line commencing at Helena Vale (Midland) with rolling stock and other appliances in four years at an estimated cost of £1 million dollars.
The Midland Railway Company of Western Australia failed to raise the finance needed in London and Keane agreed to work at his own expense and accept part payment in land and company shares. Keane later finished the National Bank building in Fremantle and its manager gave Keane an overdraft of £20,000 which soon rose to £85,000.
In 1888, Keane went to London where the Midland Railway Company of Western Australia had called for debentures, despite their small success Keane borrowed £150,000 on their security. The bank recovered the overdraft which had enabled Keane to complete his contract but he was now burdened by his borrowing which he could not repay.
In between the issues surrounding the Midland Railway Company of Western Australia line, Keane completed the Upper Darling Range Railway from Midland Junction to Canning Mills in 1891.
With some further government support but with much strife and difficulty the Midland Railway Company of Western Australia line was completed in 1894. Edward Keane was rewarded for his courage and with 80,000 acres (32,375 hectares) and appointed the first general manager of the Midland Railway Company of Western Australia in 1895.
Keane went onto politics representing Geraldton in the Legislative Council from December 1886 to January 1889 and then Perth until December 1890. He was then elected for Perth to the new Legislative Assembly until December 1891 and was returned for Eastern Province to in May-June 1904. He was known to be blunt and forthright, opposing the concentration of railways in the central districts and supporting free trade and Federation.
Keane was elected unopposed as the Mayor of Perth in 1891 but that lasted only a year after railway problems led to his resignation despite many glowing testimonials.
He had many other interests including as a director of the South British Insurance Company and was a Justice of the Peace. He constructed the Fremantle Town Hall and in 1888 equipped the first party to go to the Yilgarn goldfields and later had a grazing property in the Eastern Districts where he imported well-bred stock.
Edward Keane passed away on July 9, 1904 aged 60 from pneumonia and was survived by his wife, Lilla and children.
Keane’s large family home, Cappoquon House located on the Swan River in Peppermint Grove was later used as a rehabilitation centre for returned servicemen in World War I and with the passing of Lilla, the property was bequested to the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club and remains the club’s headquarters today.
Without his determination and courage, we may not have seen the Midland Railway Company of Western Australia continue the construction of the railway line which saw the development of the Helena Vale, Midland Junction and Midland townsite we have today.
Source: Matthew Pavlinovich, Midland Remembers
Image from Wikipedia
Morrison Road
James Morrison (seated) with four sons and two pet dogs
New Junction is boundered by Morrison Road to the North. So where does the name come from?
Meet James Morrison, responsible for the original subdivision of land on the southern side of Woodbridge Terrace and Boundary Road (now Morrison Road) back in the 1890’s from Helena Vale (now Midland) right up to Blackboy Hill Estate (Greenmount & Swan View).
James Morrison was born on 25 June 1846 in Islington, London in England to Joseph and Christina Morrison.
He left England and headed for New Zealand in 1863 before moving to Melbourne, Victoria to manage a family business and then made his way to Western Australia where James arrived in December 1868.
Morrison married Clara De Burgh on 23 March 1870 at St Matthew’s Church in Guildford. He became a well-known sales agent and auctioneer and acquired a significant amount of land including Guildford where he made his family home at ‘Waterhall’.
Other significant land holdings included a parcel of land at Butler’s Swamp which he subdivided to create Claremont Estate named after his wife, Clara in 1883. The estate name replaced Butler’s Swamp as the name of the suburb in 1898.
In 1886, he acquired Swan Location 16 in Helena Vale which encompassed the land south of Woodbridge Terrace and Boundary Road (Morrison Road). As a sales agent and auctioneer, he was responsible for the subdivision of Helena Vale, Blackboy Hill and the release of the first lots.
Morrison was one of the first directors of the AMP Society in Western Australia in 1884 and was chairman until 1925. He was on the board of the West Australian Trustee and Agency Company from 1882 to 1925 and its chairman for 15 years and a director of the Sun Insurance Company and Dalgety and Company Ltd. He also served on the Legislative Council of Western Australia from 1887 to 1894.
His ailing health forced him to resign from the board positions he held in 1925 and on 24 December 1927, James passed away aged 81 at his North Perth residence.
Morrison will be remembered as someone who possessed high ideals and was very well respected in the community.
Midvale, Swan View and Woodbridge also have a Morrison Road which are also named from James Morrison.
Image from Swan Guildford Historical Society
Information from Remember Midland