On 2 January 1904, The Star carried a full-column advertisement on the front page for the sale by Arthur Meikle, on 20 January, of freehold plots in 'Park Town North'.  Apart from the excellent soil and water and the beautiful views, much was made of the fact that 20 000 young trees for transplanting would be given to purchasers, pro rata, and that the electric tramway shortly to be laid to Hermann Eckstein Park (now commonly called Zoo Lake) would make communication easy, as Parktown North was only 5 minutes' walk away!  Parktown North is noted as a township in Proclomation No. 31 of 1903, issued by the Lieutenant-General of the Transvaal on 31 July 1903.

 

Shortly after the Proclamation and sale of freehold plots, a group of Methodists started worshipping at the home of the Ritchie Family in 5th Avenue, Parktown North.

 

As far back as 1917, the greater area in which Parktown North fell, was serviced by a residents' association - The Northern District Ratepayers' and Vigilance Association (NDRVA).  On 28 September 1919, the NDRVA wrote to the Town Clerk about the inconvenience caused by having numbered instead of named avenues in both Parktown North and Rosebank.  Mention was also made of the fact that certain avenues ran from south to north, and others from east to west.

 

When this matter was discussed at the Works meeting, it was resolved that the streets in Rosebank be re-named.  On 6 November 1919, the NDRVA again wrote to say that by changing the names of Rosebank streets, the position in Parktown North had not yet been improved.

 

On 28 November 1919, the Works Committee voted in favour of adopting the principle in future when naming and re-naming streets, of giving preference to the names of Councillors, and that the streets in Parktown North be given names in place of numbers.  On 3 January 1920, the Works Committee considered the schedule of names of Councillors submitted by the Town Engineer selected from Councillors who had served from the time of the nominated council after the war of 1899 - 1902, but excluding such names as were then in use as street names.

 

The 14 names chosen as names of the avenues in Parktown North were Anstey, Boustred, Chudleigh, Graumann, Thompson, Steer, Barlow, Ballantine, Bernberg, Grogan, Hunt, O'Hara, Reid, and Whiteside.  After this, no more is heard of renaming our numbered streets.

 

Source: Jawitz Properties &

              Parktown North Methodist Church 1910 - 2010, Celebrating 100 Years of Ministry and Service