Mid
1800's |
When Hobson, the Lieutenant Governor of New Zealand, visited the Waitemata, what is now Queen Street valley was
nothing more than a fern covered swamp. But it was a swamp that Hobson saw potential in - describing the harbour
as being the "best harbour on the whole of the western coast of New Zealand," and he chose Auckland as
the site for the country's capital.
See Photos from mid 1800's to 1911
|
| 1841 |
The first wooden buildings were erected along the western side of Queen Street and up Shortland Crescent (or as
it is called today Shortland Street). |
| 1842 |
The New Zealand government moved from the Bay of Islands to Horotiu Bay (now known as Commercial Bay) and
Auckland was pronounced the capital of New Zealand.
Felton Mathew, the acting surveyor general at the time, was given the difficult task of devising a town plan
with little time and using very little survey equipment. While Felton Mathew's plan didn't come to fruition, his
vision for Queen Street essentially did and the street was developed to run alongside the Horotiu Stream to meet
the sea. As with many other street names on his plan, Queen Street's name associates with royalty, while others
were given Napoleonic war associations such as Nelson and Wyndham.
As the town grew and became more populated, it began to prosper. But Queen Street was still largely a swamp as
well as the town's main sewer outlet. |
| 1843 |
Queen Street was metalled. The Horotiu stream continued to flood and at high tide people could row as far as
Wyndham Street. To overcome this the stream was channelled into a straighter course and renamed Ligar's Canal
after Charles Whybrow Ligar, the surveyor general who replaced Felton Mathew. |
| 1851 |
Auckland officially became a borough. |
| 1858 |
A fire swept through High Street and Shortland Crescent destroying about 50 buildings. This contributed to the
shift of Auckland's commercial centre to Queen Street. |
| 1860 |
The face of the street changed with the development of more brick and plaster buildings, such as the Bank of New
Zealand building. It cost £18,000 to build. The bank was originally set up by a group of Auckland businessmen in
a vacant drapery shop on Queen Street in 1861, by the end of the following year they had 15 branches nationwide.
In 1882 a further £13,000 was spent on enlarging their Queen Street premises. All except the façade of the
building was demolished in 1986.
See Photos from mid 1800's to 1911
|
| 1864 |
The Union Bank built their premises on the corner of Queen and Victoria Street West in 1864 - where the ANZ
currently stands. During this time, Queen Street established itself as the main street with the development of
many bank and insurance buildings as well as commercial enterprises. |
| 1865 |
New Zealand's first permanent jail was built. It was located on the corner of Victoria Street West and Queen
Street, where the National Bank tower now stands. The jail closed in 1865 and the remains of four executed men
were exhumed in 1866 and reburied at Symonds Street cemetery. In 1987 and 1988, archaeologists excavated the site
finding tools and cooking utensils from its days as a jail. |
| 1869 |
The New Zealand Insurance Company, which was established in 1859, bought land in Queen Street in 1869. They
built a stunning new building complete with a clock tower holding a clock six-feet in diameter with chains 100-feet
long, imported from England.
Queen Street has also been the stage for many parades and marches. One of the first being in 1869 with the
arrival of Queen Victoria's second son, the Duke of Edinburgh. |
| 1870 |
The first legally constituted Auckland City Council was established. The council's first meeting was held above
a bookshop in Queen Street. |
| 1873 |
Fires were a major problem for Auckland during the late 1800's. In 1873 a fire destroyed fifty-four buildings, a
whole block on Queen Street, from Wellesley Street West to Grey Street (now Greys Avenue). This fire and another
soon after it resulted in the establishment of the Auckland Volunteer Fire Service. |
| 1880s |
The first horse drawn buses started services from Ponsonby Road and Remuera to Queen Street. |
| 1882 |
An exclusive restaurant called St Mungo's was opened in Craigs Building at 100 Queen Street for confectioner
Charles Canning. |
| 1884 |
Another successful business started with the help of a draper, John Smith, who had premises on Queen Street. In
1884 he sold his stock and leased his site to new drapers in the street, Smith and Caughey. Later Smith and Caughey
took over a grand warehouse next door. They became the largest drapers in the country. |
| 1890 |
Arthur Wilson designed the Strand Arcade for Arthur Myers. It was opened in 1900. The basement, which is now an
Asian foodcourt, housed the country's largest restaurant, seating 700 people. In 1909 the building was gutted by
a fire, but was rebuilt using virtually the same design. |
| 1900 |
The first motorcar drove up Queen St. |
| 1902 |
Queen St was the first street in New Zealand to be asphalted and Sir John Logan Campbell christened the street
with the first electric tram. The last tram departed from the Post Office at the bottom of Queen Street in 1956.
See Photos from mid 1800's to 1911
|
| 1908 |
A US battle fleet toured the country with 16 ships - people thronged to Queen Street to welcome them.
|
| 1910 |
The Chief Post Office was built on lower Queen Street, next to the Queen Street Railway Station.
See Photos from mid 1800's to 1911
|
| 1911 |
The Town Hall opened on 14 December 1911 by Governor General Lord Islington on the corner of Queen Street and
Grey Street. The decaying Town Hall was given a revamp in 1999 to return it to its former beauty.
See Photos from mid 1800's to 1911
|
| 1913 |
There was an industrial strike. Farmers were recruited by the Government to act as policemen to control the
nearly 14,000 protesters. |
| 1921 |
1921 saw the arrival of more royality, the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall. A parade was held on Queen Street in
honour of their visit. |
| 1929 |
The Civic Theatre was erected on 20 December 1929 on the corner of Queen and Wellesley Streets. Seating 3,000
people, it was the largest theatre in Australasia. Prior to the Civic, the site housed a tea-room and men's
clothing store. |
| 1932 |
There were major riots on Queen Street by workers who were frustrated by wage cuts. Several hundred people
marched to the Town Hall in protest, it turned to chaos and looting and trouble ensued. There were 35 arrests and
many people were injured. |
| 1943 |
Thousands welcomed Americans soldiers, who paraded up Queen Street in tanks. |
| 1945 |
A celebration was held to mark the victory in Europe and Japan. |
| 1951 |
There was waterfront dispute, which lasted 151 days. |
| 1953 |
The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh visited New Zealand and a parade up Queen Street was held in their honour. |
| 1984 |
The Queen Street riots during the disruption of DD Smash's performance at a free ‘Thank God It's Over' concert
held in Aotea Square caused in excess of $1m damage. |
| 1988 |
There was a twelve-day protest in 1988 over the destruction of His Majesty's Theatre, which was built in 1902.
However, the protests had little effect and the building was destroyed overnight. The site remained vacant for
many years. It now holds the City Life Apartments. |
| 1994 |
Queen Street hosted the first Hero Parade. |
| 1995 |
Parades for Team New Zealand were held in 1995 and 1999. |
| 1998 |
In 1998, the whole city was shocked by the power crisis, which caused havoc in the city, making living
and working difficult for many people. Various people had to travel to other centres, such as Wellington, to
conduct business. |
| 2003 |
Honourable Mayor John Banks proceeded down Queen Street in a horse-drawn carriage to mark the opening of the
Britomart Transport Centre. |
