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Lost (and not so lost) laneways of Greymouth - a quick history
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DescriptionEldon Lane - off Alexander Street. Possibly after Mr Eldon Coates, a solicitor here from the earliest days of the goldrush. Became mayor in 1908.
School Lane, Elmer and Hinchy Lane - from the railway line up to where Electronet is now. Literally the old school lane.
Elmer Lane first appears in the newspapers in 1893 at a stopping place for the railways during the Great Exhibition, then at flag station. A Mr Elmer was an actor and bailiff. A Mr Elmer also had the Melbourne Hotel.
Hinchy Lane was named was by former mayor Edmund Wickes for his wife, Eliza, whose maiden name was Hinchy. Eliza died, aged 58, in 1902. The name only appears in the old newspapers once.
Gilmer Lane runs off Lord Street between Dispatch and the council store. In 1945 the borough council debated if it was even a legal lane. There were still houses here into the 1940s. Presumably named after one of the Gilmer brothers, whose interests included hotels, or one of the sons.
Grogan Lane is currently a one way street down the side of KFC. Patrick Grogan had a cordial factory on Tainui Street beside Grogan Lane. He later amalgamated with J.J. Blackmore to form Grogan & Blackmore’s cordial factory that operated from Blackmore Street for many years
Convent Lane still exists and runs up the north side of the polytechnic, built on the old convent site. The lane existed before the convent most people today remember.
Volunteer Lane - this was swallowed up by Baillie and Neville, and once led from Mackay Street towards Mawhera Quay. Believed to date to 1868, when a large drill hall was about where Robert Harris coffee shop is.
Card Lane runs off Mackay Street to the back of Kings Hotel (Copthorne). The Card brothers, John, Robert and William were among the first to settle in Marsden, hence Card Creek in that area. John Card was a butcher, hotelier and storekeeper at Marsden and an hotelier and dairyman at Pine Tree Hill. John later had the Cosmopolitan Hotel, and Robert the Canadian, in Greymouth. The Card brothers were born in Wiltshire, England and arrived on the Coast in 1864. John died in 1882, and Robert in 1892. It first appears in print in the 1920s
Card Lane runs into Sheedy Lane, at a 90 degree angle. Mr Sheedy had the Brian Boru, where the Copthorne is now.
Hallenstein Lane, also off Mackay Street, is named after Bendix Hallenstein, a German Jew known for his generous nature and public spirit began Hallenstein’s chain of men’s clothing stores in Dunedin in 1873. The original Hallenstein's in Greymouth was on the corner of Albert Street and Mawhera Quay, hence the name of this lane.
Waters Lane runs beside the library. Frederick Barrington Waters was an early hotelkeeper and stationer who served a term as Mayor in 1894. He died that same year aged 61. This lane still exists but never appears in old newspapers.
Kane Lane is off Albert Street. It was formalised in 1946. Possibly after former councillor and baker W Kane, who sold to Mr Blanchfield. Also on the board of Dispatch.
Girdwood Lane is off Waite Street, next to the Greymouth Star, and is currently rental car parks. Possibly named after importer David Girdwood.
Ashton Lane - the site of the old Ashton's Hotel on Richmond Quay. Early settler Edwin Ashton is said to have had the first European child born in Greymouth.
Badger Lane runs up the side of what is now Westpac bank, of Mackay Street. It became a dead end when the railway went in. F Badger was an early settler and a paint and oil store on Mackay Street.
Jones Lane, off Custom Street. Ceased to exist about the time the Royal Hotel, on the site, was rebuilt in the 1930s.Probably named after James Jones, who had the Wharf Hotel, which became ... the Royal.
Briscoe Lane - William Briscoe, a blacksmith who had his shop in Waite Street. The Grey River Argus recorded that the large
attendance at his funeral “bore testimony to the respect and esteem in which he was held by all classes of the community.” OFf Mackay Street.
Perotti Lane (formerly Accommodation Rd), off Boundary Street, back of the Bonzai, now car park. Geraldo Guiseppe Perotti, a native of Barge in Piedmont, Italy, was a prominent early businessman. He had interests in many business ventures, some with Joseph Kilgour. These included iron foundry, goldmining, sawmilling, hotels and the Greymouth to Kumara Tramway.
Peake Lane - William Peake, a native of Coventry, England, lived here in the early days. He
died in 1906, aged 77. Near Leonard Street.
Shields Lane runs off Taraphui Street. James Shields was in business in the first years of Greymouth. He resided in
Herbert Street where he died, from cancer, in 1889 aged 60. Mr Shields was a native of Stewart’s Town, County Tyrone, Ireland.
Wilson Lane - runs between Albert and Tarapuhi Street, now car park. Robert (Specky) Wilson, a boat builder, and his family lived in Albert Street in 1869. The Wilson family still lived there in more recent times. T
Stalker Lane - goes in a loop behind what was Wild West Adventures and the Chinese restaurant, near the McDonald's roundabout. James Stalker, a native of Glasgow, Scotland, was an early resident who arrived on the Coast in 1864 and spent time as a gold miner at Greenstone until appointed by the Nelson Provincial Government to look after the flagstaff at the harbour signal station. When he
died in 1889, aged 68, he was the oldest resident of Greymouth, having lived here for 25 years
Some research courtesy https://studylib.net/doc/7614369/greymouth-street-namesContributorLaura Mills
School Lane, Elmer and Hinchy Lane - from the railway line up to where Electronet is now. Literally the old school lane.
Elmer Lane first appears in the newspapers in 1893 at a stopping place for the railways during the Great Exhibition, then at flag station. A Mr Elmer was an actor and bailiff. A Mr Elmer also had the Melbourne Hotel.
Hinchy Lane was named was by former mayor Edmund Wickes for his wife, Eliza, whose maiden name was Hinchy. Eliza died, aged 58, in 1902. The name only appears in the old newspapers once.
Gilmer Lane runs off Lord Street between Dispatch and the council store. In 1945 the borough council debated if it was even a legal lane. There were still houses here into the 1940s. Presumably named after one of the Gilmer brothers, whose interests included hotels, or one of the sons.
Grogan Lane is currently a one way street down the side of KFC. Patrick Grogan had a cordial factory on Tainui Street beside Grogan Lane. He later amalgamated with J.J. Blackmore to form Grogan & Blackmore’s cordial factory that operated from Blackmore Street for many years
Convent Lane still exists and runs up the north side of the polytechnic, built on the old convent site. The lane existed before the convent most people today remember.
Volunteer Lane - this was swallowed up by Baillie and Neville, and once led from Mackay Street towards Mawhera Quay. Believed to date to 1868, when a large drill hall was about where Robert Harris coffee shop is.
Card Lane runs off Mackay Street to the back of Kings Hotel (Copthorne). The Card brothers, John, Robert and William were among the first to settle in Marsden, hence Card Creek in that area. John Card was a butcher, hotelier and storekeeper at Marsden and an hotelier and dairyman at Pine Tree Hill. John later had the Cosmopolitan Hotel, and Robert the Canadian, in Greymouth. The Card brothers were born in Wiltshire, England and arrived on the Coast in 1864. John died in 1882, and Robert in 1892. It first appears in print in the 1920s
Card Lane runs into Sheedy Lane, at a 90 degree angle. Mr Sheedy had the Brian Boru, where the Copthorne is now.
Hallenstein Lane, also off Mackay Street, is named after Bendix Hallenstein, a German Jew known for his generous nature and public spirit began Hallenstein’s chain of men’s clothing stores in Dunedin in 1873. The original Hallenstein's in Greymouth was on the corner of Albert Street and Mawhera Quay, hence the name of this lane.
Waters Lane runs beside the library. Frederick Barrington Waters was an early hotelkeeper and stationer who served a term as Mayor in 1894. He died that same year aged 61. This lane still exists but never appears in old newspapers.
Kane Lane is off Albert Street. It was formalised in 1946. Possibly after former councillor and baker W Kane, who sold to Mr Blanchfield. Also on the board of Dispatch.
Girdwood Lane is off Waite Street, next to the Greymouth Star, and is currently rental car parks. Possibly named after importer David Girdwood.
Ashton Lane - the site of the old Ashton's Hotel on Richmond Quay. Early settler Edwin Ashton is said to have had the first European child born in Greymouth.
Badger Lane runs up the side of what is now Westpac bank, of Mackay Street. It became a dead end when the railway went in. F Badger was an early settler and a paint and oil store on Mackay Street.
Jones Lane, off Custom Street. Ceased to exist about the time the Royal Hotel, on the site, was rebuilt in the 1930s.Probably named after James Jones, who had the Wharf Hotel, which became ... the Royal.
Briscoe Lane - William Briscoe, a blacksmith who had his shop in Waite Street. The Grey River Argus recorded that the large
attendance at his funeral “bore testimony to the respect and esteem in which he was held by all classes of the community.” OFf Mackay Street.
Perotti Lane (formerly Accommodation Rd), off Boundary Street, back of the Bonzai, now car park. Geraldo Guiseppe Perotti, a native of Barge in Piedmont, Italy, was a prominent early businessman. He had interests in many business ventures, some with Joseph Kilgour. These included iron foundry, goldmining, sawmilling, hotels and the Greymouth to Kumara Tramway.
Peake Lane - William Peake, a native of Coventry, England, lived here in the early days. He
died in 1906, aged 77. Near Leonard Street.
Shields Lane runs off Taraphui Street. James Shields was in business in the first years of Greymouth. He resided in
Herbert Street where he died, from cancer, in 1889 aged 60. Mr Shields was a native of Stewart’s Town, County Tyrone, Ireland.
Wilson Lane - runs between Albert and Tarapuhi Street, now car park. Robert (Specky) Wilson, a boat builder, and his family lived in Albert Street in 1869. The Wilson family still lived there in more recent times. T
Stalker Lane - goes in a loop behind what was Wild West Adventures and the Chinese restaurant, near the McDonald's roundabout. James Stalker, a native of Glasgow, Scotland, was an early resident who arrived on the Coast in 1864 and spent time as a gold miner at Greenstone until appointed by the Nelson Provincial Government to look after the flagstaff at the harbour signal station. When he
died in 1889, aged 68, he was the oldest resident of Greymouth, having lived here for 25 years
Some research courtesy https://studylib.net/doc/7614369/greymouth-street-namesContributorLaura Mills
From Facebook
CommentsHeather Newby
Admin
Are the lanes still there?
The comment Laura Mills Detlaff is replying to has been deleted.
Laura Mills Detlaff
Heather Newby yes apart from Volunteer Lane … though there is still a bit of an alley.
Florence Gunn
Waters Lane was not sign posted till early 1960's
Elaine Barrow
Florence Gunn hi, we were a waters but no relation
Florence Gunn
Elaine Barrow no did lots of research on him. Not a relative
Florence Gunn
Frederick Waters has a large memorial at old section of Grey cemetery.
Gilly Bradley Townsend
Fantastic post!
Are any of these laneways sign posted?
Laura Mills Detlaff
Author
Admin
Gilly Bradley Townsend you can see most of them on Google Maps, apart from Volunteer Lane.
Admin
Are the lanes still there?
The comment Laura Mills Detlaff is replying to has been deleted.
Laura Mills Detlaff
Heather Newby yes apart from Volunteer Lane … though there is still a bit of an alley.
Florence Gunn
Waters Lane was not sign posted till early 1960's
Elaine Barrow
Florence Gunn hi, we were a waters but no relation
Florence Gunn
Elaine Barrow no did lots of research on him. Not a relative
Florence Gunn
Frederick Waters has a large memorial at old section of Grey cemetery.
Gilly Bradley Townsend
Fantastic post!
Are any of these laneways sign posted?
Laura Mills Detlaff
Author
Admin
Gilly Bradley Townsend you can see most of them on Google Maps, apart from Volunteer Lane.
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West Coast New Zealand History (13th May 2025). Lost (and not so lost) laneways of Greymouth - a quick history. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 22nd Mar 2026 04:10, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/34753