Alfred Coles and his wife, Elizabeth (nee Collins), owned a hotel in Wellington in the late 1800s. In 1900 they sold the hotel. They considered investing their money in Oriental Bay, but, disliking the way the area was festooned with washing hung out to dry, they looked instead at the Hutt Valley. Believing the railway line from the Wairarapa would run along The Esplanade from Korokoro to Hutt Park, they purchased twenty-five acres of land in eastern Petone. Though their assumption was wrong, they profited instead from the development of residential housing sections. Alfred named Collins Street for his wife, and William Street and Patrick Street for their son, William Patrick Coles.
So, as I near home each evening the streets go William, Patrick, Collins. And for a long time that trio of names - William, Patrick, Collins - has sounded to me like a vey fine name for a very fine sort of individual. William Patrick Collins is a solid name. William Patrick Collins is a distinguished name. A William Patrick Collins would be a special kind of guy. And sure enough ...
... he is!
A great story and a real handsome cat
ReplyDeleteThanks, Curmudgeon. There's something very special about black cats, as you know! :)
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