Pacey Avenue in Hāwera runs between Waihi Road and Reid Avenue. It was surveyed and subdivided in 1956 at the same time as nearby Bone Crescent and Sutton Place.
The street is named after builder Ernest Arthur Pacey (1872-1951) who served as Mayor of Hāwera from 1925 to 1933. Ernest was born in Lincolnshire and left England at the age of 10 when his parents Thomas and Elizabeth made the decision to immigrate to New Zealand with their five children.
The Paceys settled first in Auckland, where Ernest finished his education. In 1894 they moved to Hāwera when his father decided to go into business in the small town. Ernest followed him into the building trade and in 1898 assumed control of the family firm.
In the following years Pacey was responsible for many of the public and private buildings in the rapidly growing settlement, some of which are still standing today. These include St Mary’s Church, the former Bank of New Zealand building and the nearby Caplen building on Princes Street.
As well as running his business, Pacey also took an interest in local body politics and was elected to the Hāwera Borough Council in 1905. Six years later he had to step away from the council over a perceived conflict of interest. The Hāwera Gas Company, of which he was a director, was contracted to provide street lighting for the town and the provisions of the Municipal Corporations Act required him to stand down.
Although absent from local body politics for the next fourteen years, on the morning of 22 April 1925 a deputation of prominent residents called on Pacey urging him to stand for the mayoralty. With nominations closing at noon, he had little time to weigh up the decision.
His nomination form was handed to the town clerk at three minutes to twelve. This late entry ignited interest in the upcoming election and the result was a resounding victory for Pacey over his opponent, John Gray Osborne. The popular mayor stepped down in 1933.
Ernest Pacey died on 3 January 1951, survived by his wife Bessie (nee Goodson) and sons Eric, Lyall and Cedric.
This story was originally published in the Taranaki Daily News.
Related items:
Taranaki DP3972 Sheet 1 (1918), ICS Pre 300,000 Cadastral Plan Index (Imaged by LINZ)
Taranaki DP7816 Sheet 1 (1955), ICS Pre 300,000 Cadastral Plan Index (Imaged by LINZ)
Taranaki DP8069 Sheet 1 (1956), ICS Pre 300,000 Cadastral Plan Index (Imaged by LINZ)
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