Glenside, New Zealand

Story

Glenside is a suburb of Wellington, New Zealand. It is bounded by Tawa to the North, Churton Park to the West/South and Grenada across the motorway to the East.Glenside was first settled in 1840. Ngāti Toa are the mana whenua. The area was known as "The Halfway" from 1840 until 1928.RenamingA competition was held to rename the suburb in 1928, to coincide with the opening of the Post Office. Local landowner Mrs P.C. Watts' suggestion of Glenside was selected. She felt the area was reminiscent of a Scottish glen.The Halfway HouseA halfway house is a place for travellers to rest, usually halfway between two settlements. A Halfway house was built in 1841 by Anthony and Susannah Wall. The Halfway was the halfway resting-place for travelers journeying between Wellington and Porirua along a Maori trail. The route this trail traversed from Kaiwharawhara to Porirua was to be modified and enlarged and become known as the Porirua Road.Maori trail and Porirua RoadThe development of the Porirua Road north of The Halfway halted at The Halfway due to tension between the Government Administrators and Ngāti Toa. The issues for Ngāti Toa were over questionable land deals after the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. This resulted in outbreaks of war at Wairau and Nelson (1843), at the Boulcott Farm in the Hutt Valley (1846) and the skirmish at Battle Hill (1846).