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North Fremantle Streets

Ainslie Road, North Fremantle. No information.

Bick Lane, North Fremantle. John Bick was the owner of the Swan Hotel. The Lane continues Hicks Street from Pensioner Guard Road to Swan Street, which was named for Bick's Swan Hotel on the corner of which it stood.

Binns Court, North Fremantle. The Binns family have lived in the same house for more than one hundred years, opposite where the State Engineering Works were.

Birksgate Road, North Fremantle (Rous Head). The SS Birksgate was one of the first steamships to establish passenger travel between Fremantle, Albany, and other Australian ports. To commemorate vessels trading to Fremantle in the early days of the colony. A regular passenger steamship service operated between Liverpool and Fremantle by the Australind Steam Navigation Company.

Bracks Street, North Fremantle. Robert Bracks was a Councillor 1901-1924, and Mayor of North Fremantle for three periods: 1907-1908, 1919-1924, and 1931- 1932.

Bruce Street North Fremantle was named for John Bruce, the commander of the Enrolled Pensioner Guards, as it was associated with land granted him in 1851 and 1857. The same applies to John Street.

Burford Place, North Fremantle. W.H Burford & Sons Pty Ltd had a soap factory on the site.

Burns Street, North Fremantle. Andrew Burns in the late 1880s owned the six acre block this road passes through. It was subdivided in 1896 and still has some workers cottages dating back to 1906. The 'Weeties' factory is at its northern end. It was renovated for apartments in 1990 by Michael Patroni's spaceagency.

Cattalini Lane, North Fremantle. John Cattalini AO (1937-2005) was a pharmacist and Mayor of Fremantle 1984-94. Ownership of his High Street pharmacy may still be in the family.

Comben Pl, North Fremantle. Charles Thomas Comben (1889-1918) was raised in Fremantle. He was a Private in the 44th Infantry Battalion of the AIF during WW1, and was killed in action 4 July 1918 during the Battle of Hamel.

Congdon Street, North Fremantle. Daniel Keen Congdon (1836/38-1907) was a Fremantle City Councillor in 1875 and 1877-1880. He was also Mayor of Fremantle 1883-1888 and 1891-1892. Congdon ran a chemist and drapery business in Fremantle from 1863.

Corkhill Street, North Fremantle. Originally named Elizabeth Street. M.J. Corkhill was a North Fremantle Councillor 1932-1961 and a Fremantle Town Councillor 1961-1962. There is a Corkhill Landing on Victoria Quay, where pilot boats stop to drop the pilot off, perhaps because there is more car parking there than at the pilot boat wharf under the railway bridge, and it saves the pilot twenty minutes travelling time.

Curtin Avenue, North Fremantle. John Curtin was the Federal MP for Fremantle 1934-1945, and also the 14th Prime Minister of Australia, 1941-1945.

The Cutting, North Fremantle. The name relates to a railway cutting that was once on a similar alignment to this road.

Cypress Lane, North Fremantle. Name taken from the hill adjacent to the subdivision site which is locally referred to as Cypress Hill. There is a marked walk trail up Cypress Hill, with a fine view upriver from the top. Instead of walking up the hill from Harvest Road, however, you can simply drive up to Cypress Lane.

Davies Street, North Fremantle. This street existed 1896-1906.

Direction Way, North Fremantle, leads to Point Direction (where the Water Police station is).

Doepel Street (and Jetty), North Fremantle. Glen Doepel (1895-1992) was a pharmacist in North Fremantle.

Elizabeth Street, North Fremantle, is now Corkhill Street.

Emma Place, North Fremantle, named for a ship. There were two significant ships named Emma; it is uncertain which one the Place is named for. In the 1840s, a 25-ton cutter owned by Captain John Thomas, built locally, was used in trade with Singapore. In the 1850s, there was a schooner owned by Walter Padbury. This vessel could complete the journey from Fremantle to Port Walcott in nineteen days, whereas other vessels took thirty days.

Eucla Court, North Fremantle. The SS Eucla ran a fortnightly service between Fremantle and Esperance, calling at Albany, 1913-1926.

Feeney Street, North Fremantle. J. Feeney was a North Fremantle Councillor and a Fremantle Councillor 1961-1968.

Frederick Street, North Fremantle. Originally named Frederick Street in 1892, changed to Hevron Street in 1923.

George Street North Fremantle became White Street.

Harbour Road, North Fremantle. Changed to Lime Street (associated with the quarrying of limestone for the inner harbour) because of the confusion with the street in South Fremantle.

Harvest Rd, North Fremantle. Probably for E.D. Harvest, who commanded the Enrolled Pensioner Guard after Finnerty.

Helen Street North Fremantle became Turton Street.

Herbert Street, North Fremantle. J.H. Herbert was a Town Councillor 1876-1885. Originally Mary Street, the name was changed 1922/1923.

Hevron Street. Patrick Hevron was Mayor of North Fremantle 1905-06, and councillor 1897-1920. Originally known as Frederick Street, changed 1893.

Hicks Street, North Fremantle. This name was used for a short street which ran off the former Bruce Street as part of a small lot subdivision of an earlier Pensioner Guard allotment. The street ultimately formed part of the Fremantle Steam Laundry land. Hicks Street is now the name of a one-way street in the Northbank locality, running from Burns Streets to Pensioner Guard Road after which it becomes Bick Lane.

Higham Road, North Fremantle. Edward Henry Higham was a Town Councillor 1872–1877.

Humble Way, North Fremantle (private road between Pamment Street and Christina Parade). George Bland Humble (1839-1930) was the Head of Fremantle Boys School and for many years Fremantle Town Clerk. He was Second Lieutenant in the Volunteer Rifle Corps in 1864; in 1870 he sponsored the name change to the Fremantle Rifle Volunteers. He was promoted to First Lieutenant and became Captain in command. Humble was a deacon at the Congregational Chapel and later instrumental in building the Johnston Memorial Church. A prominent Freemason, Justice of the Peace, and an active sportsman, Humble was a founding member of the Fremantle Cemetery Board.

Irene Street, North Fremantle. Origin unknown.

Isidore Street, North Fremantle. No longer exists - disappeared in the 1960s.

Jackson Street, North Fremantle. Pre-dates 1895. No other information.

Jewell Parade, North Fremantle. Frederick Mason, a Fremantle jeweller, owned many of the lots in Jewell Parade. It was previously known as Jewell Street.

Johannah Street, North Fremantle. The maiden name of the wife of Colonel John Bruce was Johannah Jacoba Henklotz.

John Street, North Fremantle, was so named because it was associated with the land granted to John Bruce, commander of the Enrolled Pensioner Force. It ran along the SE edge of his 20-acre Lot 130 which was all the land between John Street, Harvest Road, the Perth Road (Stirling Hwy) and the river. It was called John Road at one time. It is somewhat confusing that the present Tydeman Road (from 1968) was also called John Street, although it was originally named Pensioner Road (until c. 1913), and then John Street after that. The area from the Perth Road/Victoria Avenue (now Stirling Highway) east to the river was called Bruce Town.

Keel Place, North Fremantle. The keel (designed by Ben Lexcen) of the yacht Australia II, which won the 1983 America's Cup in Newport, Rhode Island, was manufactured at the former State Engineering Works.

Kwong Alley, North Fremantle. The name Kwong Alley (also spelt Quong in some documents, probably incorrectly) is frequently recalled by long-term residents of North Fremantle. The Pensioner Guards cultivated the fertile land into market gardens. This was continued by Chinese market gardeners. The markets continued through until the 1940s. The track or road named Kwong Alley was most probably a colloquial term and was further derived as Pong Alley because of the smells associated with rich alluvial soils, animal manure and later the industrial activities such as the wool scourers, tanneries and shoe manufacturers.

Leighton Beach. The (John) Leighton family were pioneers of North Fremantle.

Leslie Road, North Fremantle. Origin unknown.

Letitia Road, North Fremantle. Origin unknown.

Lilburn Road, North Fremantle. From a property named by Lionel Lukin who owned land there in the 1840s. He named it after Captain Lilburn, the master of the Egyptian, which brought him out from England in 1830. The road has disappeared, having been where the North Wharf now is.

Lime Street, North Fremantle. Named for the association with the quarrying of limestone for the inner harbour. Changed from Harbour Rd because of the confusion with the street in South Fremantle.

Lukin Mews, North Fremantle. Lionel Lukin owned the first goods barge Fanny of Perth, which ran between Fremantle and Perth in the early 1830s. He owned Lots 1, 5 & 6 on the north bank of the Swan River. Not in Google Maps, it is a cul de sac which runs (or ran) off Hicks Street in the Northbank locality near the river.

McCabe Street and McCabe Place, North Fremantle. John McCabe was Secretary to the East Fremantle Football Club and Mayor of North Fremantle from 1924 to 1931.

Manoora Close, North Fremantle (Rous Head). The Manoora was built in Scotland in 1935. It provided the Cairns-Fremantle passenger run for the Adelaide Steamship Company. During WWII it moved troops and undertook patrols off Malaysia, New Guinea and India. After the war it resumed its run as a costal passenger ship. At the end of its service, the Manoora was sold to an Indonesian company which sent the ship to Kaohsiung to be broken up for scrap but on its final journey to Kaohsiung it took on water and sank, and remains on the sea bed.

Mary Street, North Fremantle. Now Herbert Street.

Mason Street, North Fremantle, named for jeweller Frederick Mason, in relation to whom Jewell Parade got its name. Now Pearse Street.

Mathieson Avenue, North Fremantle. The name Mathieson has been supplied by the Town of Mosman Park in honour of local fallen servicemen from World War 1.

Meiers Street, North Fremantle, was named in honour of George Meiers, who well known for his involvement as player, captain and coach with both North Fremantle and East Fremantle teams. The street has been swallowed up by the North Wharf port.

Napier Road, North Fremantle. No information.

Noble Close, North Fremantle. Captain Beresford Lewis Noble (1914-1998) was the Harbour Master at Darwin Port and then General Manager Fremantle Port Authority 1972-1984. He oversaw the Port of Fremantle's redesign to accommodate the new method of container movement with the onset of containerisation in the 1960s. He was a member of the Institute of Navigation, and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Transport, and an Associate of the Institute of Management.

Pamment Street, North Fremantle. Frederick T. Pamment was an early landowner and hotelkeeper in the area.

Passmore Avenue, North Fremantle, is named for public servant Henry Passmore (1840-1920). He called it Raleigh Place/Avenue, but it was renamed after his death. Fremantle Library: Passmore arrived in Western Australia in 1865 as a warder in charge of convicts. He was in charge of convict public works, roads, river dredging, etc. Member of North Fremantle Council, Justice of the Peace. Lived in Raleigh Avenue. Buried with full military honours. Originally known as Raleigh Place.

Pearse Street, North Fremantle. George Pearse was a Town Councillor, 1875–1881. Originally known as Mason Street, after convict and jeweller Frederick Mason.

Pensioner Guard Road (also Pensioner Road) North Fremantle. The Pensioner Guards were introduced to Western Australia in 1851 to accompany each convict ship. Accommodation was made for them at North Fremantle by way of allotments along the Swan River foreshore. By 1862 twenty-one cottages had been built on the thirty-five lot subdivision with many about one acre in size. Further subdivisions continued north from the river as convict labour increased. Convict transportation ceased in 1868; the road to Perth had been rebuilt and the first Fremantle Bridge completed. The Pensioner Guard force remained until 1880 and their allotments eventually became tanneries and, later, a dairy. The name 'Pensioner Guard Road' further establishes an association with the Pensioner Guard Village.

Perth Road. Beginning at the Swan River in North Fremantle, where Queen Victoria Street is now, the road led to the capital. Later called Victoria Avenue, the first section is QV Street today, while the portion north of that street is now Stirling Highway.

Phillip Street, North Fremantle. Disappeared in 1927.

Phyllis Street, North Fremantle. No information.

Port Beach Road, North Fremantle. Opened for use in 1960. A portion of this road is within Fremantle Ports land.

Quarry Street, North Fremantle. Changed to Stone Street in 1984 to avoid confusion with Quarry Street in Fremantle. The new name is associated with quarrying of limestone for the inner harbour.

Queen Victoria Street - that part of it on the southern side of the Swan River - was originally called Cantonment Road, until 1903/4, and then Victoria Road - which was confused with the street of that name in East Fremantle - so eventually it was given its present name in 1914/15. Queen Victoria Street continues over the Traffic Bridge and terminates in North Fremantle at what is now Stirling Highway. The North Fremantle section used to be known as the Perth Road and later Victoria Avenue.

Raleigh Avenue, North Fremantle. Raleigh, Barnstaple, Devon was the birthplace of Henry Passmore. Originally known as Raleigh Place (qv), this street became Passmore Avenue in 1914.

Rudderham Drive, North Fremantle. H.L. Rudderham was the General Manager of the Fremantle Port Authority.

Rule Street, North Fremantle. C.P. Rule was a North Fremantle Councillor 1948-60, and a Fremantle Town Councillor, 1961-62 and 1968-73. He served on the Fremantle Cemetery Advisory Committee and was President of Friendly Societies Pharmacies for twenty-one years. Rule was also Secretary of the North Fremantle Bowling Club for twenty years. Changed from Bay Road in 1969.

Staples Street, North Fremantle. Ronald John Staples (1910-) served North Fremantle and Fremantle as a Councillor 1940-1961 and 1961-1973. He was born in North Fremantle in 1910, and educated at North Fremantle Primary School and Fremantle Boys School and worked in clerical occupations until his retirement. He was actively involved in community activities. The street was first known as Davis Street in 1898, changed to Davies in 1917, and changed to Staples in 1962.

Staton Rd, North Fremantle. For Cr C.A.B. (Amos) Staton. Formerly Victoria Road.

Stirling Highway. After Admiral James Stirling (1791-1865). Stirling Highway was originally constructed in 1850 by convict chain gangs. At the time, the Perth to Fremantle road, which became Stirling Highway, was made up of felled jarrah trees cut and laid flat with limestone and gravel on top. In the 1880s, mail would be taken from Perth to a point half-way to Fremantle, where the rider would meet his Fremantle counterpart and exchange mailbags. The half-way point today is opposite Langsford Street, Claremont, where there is a red mailbox there to mark the spot outside the Congregational Hall. Previously named Perth-Fremantle Road, Claremont Avenue, Mason Street, and Waldeck Street. The change was in 1931 and applied to the road from Winthrop Avenue (formerly Ferdinand Avenue) to Boundary Road, Mosman Park. Portion from Boundary Road to North Fremantle Bridge, previously Victoria Avenue, as Stirling Highway in 1936. Fremantle Library.

Stone Street, North Fremantle. Previously known as Quarry Street.

Sultan Way, North Fremantle. The Sultan, owned by the Western Australian Steam Navigation Company, was the first British Steamship to enter the Inner Harbour with Lady Forrest was at the helm, 4 May 1897.

Swan Street, North Fremantle. This road is now in two unconnected sections - one portion is undedicated road within Fremantle Ports land; the other portion is between Queen Victoria Street and Burns Street, with another little bit west of Queen Victoria Street which is now really just parking for the Swan Hotel, which is possibly the origin of the name of the street.

Thompson Road, North Fremantle, was named for George Thompson (1838-1874), Fremantle's first town clerk (1871-73).

Turton Street. At the corner with Harvest Road is Turton House, which was built for Arthur Turton, North Fremantle Mayor 1932-45. Originally known as Helen Street.

Tydeman Rd, North Fremantle. Frank William Edward Tydeman (1901-1995) was the General Manager and Chief Engineer at Fremantle Port Authority. Originally known as Pensioner Road. Changed to John Street (or Road on some maps) by 1913 and from John Street to Tydeman Road in 1968.

Tyrone Street, North Fremantle. Irish County.

Victoria Road was the second name of Cantonment Road (qv supra), the first being the Perth Road. It is now called Queen Victoria Street, which runs all the way from central Fremantle, across the traffic bridge, and through the centre of North Fremantle. The name was changed because there was a street in East Fremantle called Victoria Road. That street is now called Staton Rd (see above). There is now no longer a Victoria Rd nor a Victoria Street in Perth, tho there is still a Victoria Avenue in Dalkeith, and the Victoria Square around Street Mary's Cathedral.

Walter Place, North Fremantle. William Henry Walter was Mayor of North Fremantle and Deputy Mayor of Fremantle, a WW1 veteran, a foreman/plumber with the Fremantle Harbour Trust (Fremantle Ports). In 1962, after twenty-two years of service, William and his wife were presented with the Keys to the City. Originally known as Agnes Street.

Westmeath Street, North Fremantle. County Westmeath, Ireland.

White Street, North Fremantle. Originally known as George Street; changed to White Street in 1923.

References and Links

Hitchcock, JK 1929, The History of Fremantle, The Front Gate of Australia 1829-1929, Fremantle City Council.

Wikipedia page for North Fremantle

Freotopia

This page incorporates material from Garry Gillard's Freotopia website, that he started in 2014 and the contents of which he donated to Wikimedia Australia in 2024. The content was originally created on 21 July, 2019 and hosted at freotopia.org/north/northstreets.html (it was last updated on 13 January, 2024), and has been edited since it was imported here (see page history). The donated data is also preserved in the Internet Archive's collection.