059 Beatty St Hastings,street view 2017
Reason for the name
Beatty Street and Beatty Place were named for Admiral Beatty, Admiral of the Fleet in WW1. The strong representation of New Zealanders in the Royal Navy meant that many New Zealanders served under Admiral Beatty. One ship is particularly worth noting, as it was named the HMS New Zealand.
Beatty Street and Beatty Place are part of what was once called the Lomas subdivision in the Mayfair suburb of Hastings, near Windsor Park and local attraction Splash Planet. The streets in this area were all named for naval reasons, after Admirals or battleships (Jellicoe, Beatty, Hood, Cunningham, Sussex, Norfolk and Anson).
Hastings Borough Council had a policy in the early 1900s of naming new streets after English generals or admirals. Following on from this, related names were sometimes chosen in the 1940’s and 1950’s after WWII.
About 7000 New Zealand officers and ratings served with the Royal Navy for varying periods during the Second World War. The peak was reached in September 1944 when the total strength of the Royal New Zealand Navy was 10,635, of whom 1242 officers and 3659 ratings, a total of 4901, were serving overseas in ships and establishments of the Royal Navy. New Zealanders saw active service in ships of every type from battleships and aircraft-carriers to submarines, motor-launches, and landing craft and in every sea from Spitzbergen in the Arctic to Cape Horn and from Iceland to the shores of Japan. They took part in every major naval engagement or operation and in countless minor actions, as well as in the ceaseless patrols and sea drudgery that make up so great a part of naval warfare...
It was thus appropriate that several new streets being developed just after WWI, and added to after WWII, were named after important naval leaders and ships.
Authors: Cherie Flintoff, Chris Johnson and Helen Gelletly (Hastings District Council) Madelon van Zijll de Jong and Katrina Barrett (private researchers, formerly at Hastings District Libraries).
Beatty Street and Beatty Place were named for Admiral Beatty, Admiral of the Fleet in WW1. The strong representation of New Zealanders in the Royal Navy meant that many New Zealanders served under Admiral Beatty. One ship is particularly worth noting, as it was named the HMS New Zealand. When the battleship HMS New Zealand toured New Zealand in 1913,
Captain Lionel Halsey was presented with a piupiu (flax garment) and a greenstone tiki (pendant).
Stories variously say that the piupiu was given by Southern Maori MP, Taare Rakatauhake (also known as Charles Rere) Parata, on behalf of the Ngai Tahu chief, Mana Himiona Te Ataotu; that it was given by Mita Taupopoki (c.1845-1935), Tuhourangi (Te Arawa) and Ngati Wahiao leader or that it came from Te Heuheu Tukino, Paramount Chief of the Ngati-Tuwharetoa Tribe. Captain Halsey was instructed to wear the piupiu when the vessel was engaged in fighting.
The ship took part in three major North Sea battles during the First World War, including the battle of Jutland, but without being seriously damaged.
HMS New Zealand's first wartime action was the Battle of Heligoland Bight on 28 August 1914, as part of the battlecruiser force under the command of Admiral David Beatty. …During the battle, New Zealand's captain, Lionel Halsey, wore the Māori piupiu over his uniform, setting a tradition followed for the duration of the war.
Because the ship sustained no damage, the next time the ship engaged in combat (at Dogger Bank, 24 January 1915) crew from all over the ship sent messages to the Captain to wear the piupiu. It came under heavy fire, but was not hit.
Captain Halsey was later promoted and transferred to another ship, and left the piupiu and instructions with his successor Captain Green. In the third battle (Jutland) the ship was hit, but sustained only minor damage with no casualties.
The piupiu was returned to Captain (eventually Admiral) Halsey after the War, and in 2005 the piupiu was returned to the Royal New Zealand Navy by Captain Halsey’s family. Following a ceremony at the RNZN Te Taua Moana Marae, it was placed in the Naval Museum, Auckland, for safekeeping.
In the Battle of Heligoland Bight – Lieutenant AD Boyle – HMS New Zealand. Thursday 27th August 1914. Sailed with HMS Invincible and four destroyers at 1000. …We join Admiral Beatty and the 1st Battle Cruiser Squadron at 0500 off Heligoland. Thirty five destroyers will approach Heligoland at daylight and try and draw the enemy out. We remain clear to mop them up if they come out. … Friday 28th August 1914 1015 Invincible opened fire on a submarine, which then attacked us a torpedo going just clear of our bows. … At about 1800 we left the Lion, Princess Royal and Queen Mary and with the Invincible steamed southeast.
