Ponsonby, New Zealand
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Location of Ponsonby |
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| Country: | New Zealand |
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| Island: | North Island |
| Regional Council: | Auckland Regional Council |
| City Council: | Auckland City Council |
| Ward: | Western Bays |
| Surrounded by: | Herne Bay, St Marys Bay (North); Freemans Bay, Auckland Downtown (East); Grey Lynn, Newton (South); Westmere, Pt Chevalier (West) |
Ponsonby is an inner-city suburb of Auckland, in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located two kilometres to the west of the city centre. Ponsonby is surrounded by the suburbs of St. Mary's Bay, Freemans Bay, Herne Bay, and Grey Lynn.
Ponsonby is a highly cultural suburb, known for its many restaurants, cafes, art stores and nightclubs, most of which are situated along Ponsonby Road, which forms the spine of the suburb.
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[edit] History
The suburb was originally called Dedwood in 1845, after a farm in Shelly beach road named after a Captain in the NZ army. The name was changed to Ponsonby in 1873. There are various people who might have inspired the name:
- Major-General Sir Henry Ponsonby (private secretary to Queen Victoria, 1870-1895)
- The Hon. Ponsonby Peacock, who was a member of the New Zealand Legislative Council and lived in what was then Ponsonby Road (later renamed Jervois road when Vandeleur Road was renamed Ponsonby Rd in the 1880s).
- Colonel Frederick Cavendish Ponsonby or Major-General Sir William Ponsonby. Both men fought at Waterloo. The fact that part of what is now Ponsonby Road was called Vandeleur Road provides some basis for this derivation. Major-General Sir John Vandeleur was a Divisional Commander at Waterloo and Colonel Frederick Ponsonby was a regimental commander under him. Neither Frederick Ponsonby or Vandeleur came to New Zealand but they are considered the most likely people the streets were named after.[citation needed]
Ponsonby was amalgamated with Auckland City in 1882.
In the 1950s and 60s a combination of people moving to new outer suburbs, a council policy of "slum" clearances and the construction of the motorway through Freemans Bay, lead to plumeting rents and a drastic downturn in the economic fortunes of the area directly west of the CBD. In the 1970s, artists, bohemians, gays and lesbians moved into the area, attracted by the low rents. The presence of so many 'creative types' created a distinct culture in the area, for which the area is still known in common perception, and began a process of gentrification that was complete by the 1990s.
[edit] Demographics
According to the 2001 census, Ponsonby has a population of 5697. Statistical information gathered by Auckland City [1] shows that generally speaking the Ponsonby area is one of:
- low population growth (9% from 1991-2001)
- average median age
- more than average number of households
- with access to the internet
- with unrelated people living together
- more than average number of people
- with a bachelor or higher degree
- with no religious affiliation
- who are employed full-time
- who speak English / are New Zealand Europeans
- have a high median income
Ponsonby also has a large gay population in comparison to other Auckland suburbs.[citation needed]
[edit] References
- ^ Demographics (from the Auckland City Council website)
- The Lively Capital, Auckland 1840-1865 Una Platts, Avon Fine Prints Limited New Zealand 1971.
- The Heart of Colonial Auckland, 1865-1910. Terence Hodgson. Random Century NZ Ltd 1992.
- Colonial Architecture In New Zealand. John Stacpoole. A.H & A.W Reed 1976
- Decently And In Order, The Centennial History of the Auckland City Council. G.W.A Bush. Collins 1971.
- Auckland Through A Victorian Lens. William Main. Millwood Press 1977.
- Ponsonby Heritage Walks. Tania Mace. Ponsonby Road Productions 2005.
[edit] External links
- Ponsonby Road Online (website of the local business association)
