Guildford Street Names

From a SGHS file available online. With additions from Murray & Goodchild.

Guildford street names give an insight into the town’s history. Street names also describe activities, or are topographical. Examples are: Market Street – named in 1829 because it led to the public market; Meadow Street, leading to the town meadow; East Street, the eastern town boundary; Station Street; Bridge Street; Hill Street; and Bank Street, where the Bank of New South Wales building stood.

Allpike Street. Gazetted in 1890 and named after John Allpike. He was an employee for many years at Padbury, Loton and Company store in Guildford. He started as an assistant, later becoming an accountant, and finally graduated to manager. When Padbury and Loton retired from their Guildford venture, John Allpike acquired the business, trading successfully for many year. Like many busy men, Allpike took an active interest in local government affairs, serving for many years on the town council.

Attfield Street. Honours George Cook Attfield, leading community member.

Bank Street. Originally a track to the town water supply (presumably at the extant Spring Reserve), named after the bank which was one side of the track.

Bertie Street, Supposedly for Bertie Gull, who owned land in the vicinity.

Ellen Street was named after Ellen Stirling, wife of the first Governor of the Swan River Colony, Captain James Stirling. Ellen Street was later renamed Johnson Street.

Ethel Street. Created 1874; possibly named for a member of the Morrison family, which owned land there.

Fauntleroy Street. William Robert Fauntleroy was Acting Comptroller General of the Penal Establishment in Western Australia 1876-1877.

Helena Street. Named for the river bounding the town. (Not known for whom the river was named.)

Hill Street runs down a steep embankment to the Kings Meadow or Common.

James Street is most likely named after the first Governor, Sir James Stirling.

Johnson Avenue probably after WG Johnson, a farmer and Mayor of Guildford.

Hubert Street. On 9th February 1894, Mr. Hubert Hooley received a letter from Guildford Council, suggesting Hooley give the deeds over for a new street division on a property recently sold by him. Council argued it was unreasonable for them to take over unmade streets, resulting in extra charges on municipal funds, for the benefit of speculating vendors. Hooley agreed to their proposal, signing over the title deeds on the property. For his generosity, the street was named Hubert Street in his honour.

Johnson Street. Following his father’s death in 1879, George William Johnson inherited the family home in Ellen Street (later renamed Johnson Street). George Johnson took an active role in public affairs. He was elected a member of the Municipal Council in 1880, and became chairman in 1881. He served as Mayor of Guildford numerous times, in 1892, 1894, 1895, 1897-1898, and again in 1906-1908. He was a Justice of the Peace, Licensing Magistrate, member of the Swan Roads Board, and President of the Guildford Mechanic’s Institute. To honour his contribution to the town, Ellen Street Guildford was renamed Johnson Street.

Mangles Street, the main street in Guildford was named after Captain James Stirling’s brother in law, George Mangles. The street was later renamed James Street in honour of James Stirling.

Market Street is located on the western edge of town, at an area which had been set aside for markets in 1829. The market area was abandoned due to flooding.

Olive Street. The Jones family settled in Guildford in 1830. In 1847, Charles Jones received a shipment of 1,500 olive seedlings, imported by Captain Mangles, RN. Charles advertised olive seedlings for sale in Guildford, at prices of sixpence for seedlings, and ninepence for a small plant. In 1849 he was granted Lot 47 (Olive Street). Here with wife Frances Barndon, previously of Clayton Farm, the couple raised four children. Charles died at just 28 years old. Were the olive trees nearby planted in his honour? Unfortunately, the answer to that is lost. Jones family descendants still live in the town.

Piercy Street is located on the north side of the railway line, at the end of Peel Street. The street is named after Mayor Frederick Piercy, Mayor of Guildford in 1903-1906 and again in 1909-1912.
Frederick Piercy, his wife Maria and their seven children left South Australia in 1894 and settled in Guildford. Frederick bought “Argent Cottage” (71 Mangles Street now James Street). He was a potter, and worked for F. A. Harris, proprietor of the Woodbridge Brick and Pottery Company. In 1904 Frederick formed a partnership with James Turton and purchased the business. At that time the two biggest selling items were ink bottles and ginger beer bottles. The partnership lasted until 1907, when Frederick sold his share to James Turton.
Frederick was devoted to public matters, being a foundation member of the Swan Bowling Club, and the Swan Tennis Club. During his time as Mayor, electricity was installed in Guildford. Social evenings were arranged for rate payers. The Swan Express records. “…The Mayoress (Mrs Emma Piercy) received guests in black silk trimmed with black lace medallions showing white transparencies…” His grand daughter Glenis Piercy says “I am sure Frederick would be proud to know his name lives on”.

Scott Street. Named after local Doctor Edward Scott who was born in Devon, England in 1852. He qualified as a doctor in 1874, and arrived in Western Australia the next year. In 1879 he married Annie Ellen Gull at St Matthew's Anglican Church Guildford, but she died soon afterwards. He was married for a second time in 1882 to Penelope Fanny Scholl at St. Georges Cathedral in Perth.
Scott practiced medicine in Greenough, Guildford and Perth. He was a noted athlete, boxer and swimmer. During his lifetime he was a Justice of the Peace, member of the WA Turf Club, member of the West Australian Medical Board, Mayor of Perth from 1888 to 1891, and a MLA for Central Perth from 1886 to 1890.
In 1891 he resigned his positions and returned to England. He practiced medicine at Clifton, Bristol until at least 1908. He died in May 1920.

Stirling Street is another named after Captain James Stirling, first governor of the Swan River Colony.

Swan Street is of course named for the river bounding the town.

Sweeting Street was named for the Rev. Canon Sweeting, who was responsible for the relocation of the town cemetery on East Street to South Guildford in 1899. This street passes through the old cemetery.

Terrace Road flanks the terrace above the northern river flats of the town.

Turton Street. Turton after a leading businessman who owned the Woodbridge Brick and Pottery Works in the north-east part of the town. See also Piercy above.

Sutherland Close honours H.C. Sutherland, who drew up the plans of the town of Guildford in 1829. He had arrived in June 1829 on board the Parmelia.

Victoria Street. For the ubiquitous queen.

Waylen Street. For Doctor Alfred Waylen 1805-1926, who was buried at Guildford, where he owned a house called 'Garden Hill'. Or possibly his son, another Alfred Waylen, also a doctor, and MO of the Guildford Convict Depot 1859-72.

Wellman Street. After the Wellman family, who were early settlers in the district.

References, Links, Notes

SGHS file available online. (as above).

Bourke, Michael J. 1987, On the Swan: a History of Swan District, Western Australia, UWAP for the Swan Shire Council, ISBN 0-85564-258-0.

Carter, Jennie 1986, Bassendean: A Social History 1829-1979, Bassendean Town Council.

Murray, Ian & Brian Goodchild 2003, Araluen to Zanthus: A Gazetteer of Perth Suburbs and Western Australian Towns, Fremantle Arts Centre Press, in association with the Department of Land Information: 20.

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 7 April, 2020 and hosted at freotopia.org/streets/guildfordstreets.html (it was last updated on 20 December, 2023), and has been edited since it was imported here (see page history). The donated data is also preserved in the Internet Archive's collection.