Menu
Holy City, between Alexander and Blackmore Streets, Greymouth.
Expand/collapse
About this image
DescriptionGeoffrey Bell.."Holy City was an enclosed area, available only to foot traffic, between Alexander and Blackmore streets was given the name ‘Holy City’ because the original 12 houses dubbed “the twelve apostles” were occupied by Catholic families who visited church on a very regular basis. This is probably close to being accurate, but there was never 12 houses but only 9. The other 3 may have been close by and occupied by Catholic families.
You can distinctly see the 9 houses of 'Holy City' to the back left of Eason's Hill. I understood that the houses were originally built for the workers of a sawmill (Stratford, from Stratford and Blair) which was next to 'Holy City'."Map[1] Contributor Geoffrey Bell
You can distinctly see the 9 houses of 'Holy City' to the back left of Eason's Hill. I understood that the houses were originally built for the workers of a sawmill (Stratford, from Stratford and Blair) which was next to 'Holy City'."Map[1] Contributor Geoffrey Bell
Shown in this image
Location (city or town)GreymouthLandmark (Place)Holy City
Category Information
Category TagOld Housesaerial
From Facebook
Date Created26th September 2019CommentsMaureen Tones I understood that it was called Holy City cause there was a family with surname Angels
Geoffrey Bell I haven't heard of that reason.
Ian Haussmann What year was pic taken must be before 1906 as my old house not built yet
Heather Newby Ian Haussmann not sure what year
Dot Stewart My Grandparents Dave & Doris(Dorothy) Hunt along with my mother Kathleen and Uncles Frank and John. Sadly they have all passed so I can't find out any info.
I lived with my parents and sister in Alexander St and can remember a lane next to our house with a Cordial Factory at the end. I think we used to go down there to go to Holy City
Marshall Moka One of our first homes when we moved to greymouth in 78..I would have been 3yrs old..adopted some stray kittens and use to look up at the hill thinking Cowboys n Indians were up there lol..
Oliver Mitchell is that it up on that hill
1
Manage
Like
· Reply · 13h
John Low
John Low As a young boy our family lived there for a couple of years before our move to Runanga. I had this drawing done in 1977 by a now celebrated artist who was only 15 at the time.
Maxine Hales Saunders The cordial factory was called Grogan and Blackmore.
Clare Pierson Also priests and nuns lived thee in their childhood days. One was Cardinal McKeefry and his sister was Sr Mary Michael rsm a music teacher.
Bruce Knight My great grand-father, Edmond Stratford (co-owner of Stratford and Blair) built these houses in what used to be Stratford Street. One of his goals was to give people work during the global Great Depression in the early 30’s. He passed away when I was…See More
Maxine Hales Saunders My grandmother and grandfather (Richard and Nora Cox) lived there ,and I remember passing the newspaper through the window to the neighbor through their window, so yes very close together.
Anne Conaghan We heard on a radio programmes that 3 families in the Holy City were named Pope ,Bishop and Priest.
Murray Webber I served my apprenticeship in Peter Wilkins Sheet Metal factory which backed into this place, that was in the mid sixties, we used to go thru there to the local shop for smoko
Les Beaumont Murray Webber I worked for P.R.Wilkins mid 70's
Murray Webber Les Beaumont , really? That would have been in the new building, what department was you in?
Les Beaumont Murray Webber I worked for P.R.Wilkins mid 70's
Murray Webber Les Beaumont , really? That would have been in the new building, what department was you in?
Les Beaumont Roofing then Aluminum joinery
M
Chris Verstappen It was so spooky going through there as a child ..bamboo rustling and all the trees and very old houses side by side .. thinking people were spying on you ...
Anne Conaghan We heard on a radio programmes that 3 families in the Holy City were named Pope ,Bishop and Priest.
Christine Farrell My grandparents lived there in the beginning of their marriage but moved to Threadneedle st later
Glenys Elizabeth Martin Lived in three different houses there in the 60s as my father in law owned them lots of families came and went a starter house with cheap rent. But there were a few that stayed for years one house burnt down about 1965 and there was panic because they thought there was an elderly lady in the house but she was sitting at the railway station said she was waiting on the train to hoki she went into care after that poor lady.
Joan Adams
We lived in Rockford street so I often went through Holy City. I remember a bamboo field and for the only time in my life I saw an owl.
Brian McIntyre
Looks like Alexander St didnt connect over Eassons Hill
Malcolm Howell
Great photo. What date is on the photo ?? Blackmore Street has virtually no houses. Is that Grogans & Blackmore soft drink factory and store sheds - mid way on the far left ?? Their long driveway did come off Blackmore Street.
Mason Cooksley
Malcolm Howell A house i owned that was built in 1934 is not in this photo. The section is covered in trees.
Heather Newby
Author
Admin
Malcolm Howell 1940's ?
Malcolm Howell
Naomi Riley - I agree. I think it is 20 to 30's.
Naomi Riley
Heather Newby I reckon it would be a lot earlier than the 1940s
Thérèse Gibbens
Great photo Geoff. It was eventually opened to vehicles. When we lived in Alexander Street, just near the entrance to Holy City you could access it via Blackmore Street for cars. I reckon I saw atleast three of those houses burn down in the years we lived there.
Sandra May Rooney
Now Council units for retirees
Marilyn Clare Pierson
The area was called, as fsr as I know, because of the disproportonate number of young Catholic people from there who became a priest or entered Religious Orders. These included Cardinal McKeefry and his sister. Sr Michael McKeefry, Sister of Mercy.
Geoffrey Bell
Malcolm Howell. You can see the original Grey Main School in Tainui Street. It was gone by the mid 1920s. The five houses shown on the town side of Murray Street were built in 1880s. Going by the striped painting of the house verandas my guess is the early 1900s.
No photo description available.
Leanda Moka
My late husband and our 4 babies lived in number 7 good old house solid as James and Carol Ashby lived to the left of us and a Mrs green with umpting cats to the right some guys lived opposite us i recall one had the nickname horse that burnt down while these guys were living in it
Geoffrey Bell I haven't heard of that reason.
Ian Haussmann What year was pic taken must be before 1906 as my old house not built yet
Heather Newby Ian Haussmann not sure what year
Dot Stewart My Grandparents Dave & Doris(Dorothy) Hunt along with my mother Kathleen and Uncles Frank and John. Sadly they have all passed so I can't find out any info.
I lived with my parents and sister in Alexander St and can remember a lane next to our house with a Cordial Factory at the end. I think we used to go down there to go to Holy City
Marshall Moka One of our first homes when we moved to greymouth in 78..I would have been 3yrs old..adopted some stray kittens and use to look up at the hill thinking Cowboys n Indians were up there lol..
Oliver Mitchell is that it up on that hill
1
Manage
Like
· Reply · 13h
John Low
John Low As a young boy our family lived there for a couple of years before our move to Runanga. I had this drawing done in 1977 by a now celebrated artist who was only 15 at the time.
Maxine Hales Saunders The cordial factory was called Grogan and Blackmore.
Clare Pierson Also priests and nuns lived thee in their childhood days. One was Cardinal McKeefry and his sister was Sr Mary Michael rsm a music teacher.
Bruce Knight My great grand-father, Edmond Stratford (co-owner of Stratford and Blair) built these houses in what used to be Stratford Street. One of his goals was to give people work during the global Great Depression in the early 30’s. He passed away when I was…See More
Maxine Hales Saunders My grandmother and grandfather (Richard and Nora Cox) lived there ,and I remember passing the newspaper through the window to the neighbor through their window, so yes very close together.
Anne Conaghan We heard on a radio programmes that 3 families in the Holy City were named Pope ,Bishop and Priest.
Murray Webber I served my apprenticeship in Peter Wilkins Sheet Metal factory which backed into this place, that was in the mid sixties, we used to go thru there to the local shop for smoko
Les Beaumont Murray Webber I worked for P.R.Wilkins mid 70's
Murray Webber Les Beaumont , really? That would have been in the new building, what department was you in?
Les Beaumont Murray Webber I worked for P.R.Wilkins mid 70's
Murray Webber Les Beaumont , really? That would have been in the new building, what department was you in?
Les Beaumont Roofing then Aluminum joinery
M
Chris Verstappen It was so spooky going through there as a child ..bamboo rustling and all the trees and very old houses side by side .. thinking people were spying on you ...
Anne Conaghan We heard on a radio programmes that 3 families in the Holy City were named Pope ,Bishop and Priest.
Christine Farrell My grandparents lived there in the beginning of their marriage but moved to Threadneedle st later
Glenys Elizabeth Martin Lived in three different houses there in the 60s as my father in law owned them lots of families came and went a starter house with cheap rent. But there were a few that stayed for years one house burnt down about 1965 and there was panic because they thought there was an elderly lady in the house but she was sitting at the railway station said she was waiting on the train to hoki she went into care after that poor lady.
Joan Adams
We lived in Rockford street so I often went through Holy City. I remember a bamboo field and for the only time in my life I saw an owl.
Brian McIntyre
Looks like Alexander St didnt connect over Eassons Hill
Malcolm Howell
Great photo. What date is on the photo ?? Blackmore Street has virtually no houses. Is that Grogans & Blackmore soft drink factory and store sheds - mid way on the far left ?? Their long driveway did come off Blackmore Street.
Mason Cooksley
Malcolm Howell A house i owned that was built in 1934 is not in this photo. The section is covered in trees.
Heather Newby
Author
Admin
Malcolm Howell 1940's ?
Malcolm Howell
Naomi Riley - I agree. I think it is 20 to 30's.
Naomi Riley
Heather Newby I reckon it would be a lot earlier than the 1940s
Thérèse Gibbens
Great photo Geoff. It was eventually opened to vehicles. When we lived in Alexander Street, just near the entrance to Holy City you could access it via Blackmore Street for cars. I reckon I saw atleast three of those houses burn down in the years we lived there.
Sandra May Rooney
Now Council units for retirees
Marilyn Clare Pierson
The area was called, as fsr as I know, because of the disproportonate number of young Catholic people from there who became a priest or entered Religious Orders. These included Cardinal McKeefry and his sister. Sr Michael McKeefry, Sister of Mercy.
Geoffrey Bell
Malcolm Howell. You can see the original Grey Main School in Tainui Street. It was gone by the mid 1920s. The five houses shown on the town side of Murray Street were built in 1880s. Going by the striped painting of the house verandas my guess is the early 1900s.
No photo description available.
Leanda Moka
My late husband and our 4 babies lived in number 7 good old house solid as James and Carol Ashby lived to the left of us and a Mrs green with umpting cats to the right some guys lived opposite us i recall one had the nickname horse that burnt down while these guys were living in it
Editing is temporarily disabled
Cancel EditClick on the image to add
a tag or press ESC to cancel
a tag or press ESC to cancel
West Coast New Zealand History (17th Dec 2025). Holy City, between Alexander and Blackmore Streets, Greymouth.. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 27th Apr 2026 21:10, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/26181