Street Stories: Early Settlers
Hessey Street, Herbert Street and Kirton Street

After Charles Dixon died in 1876, and his widow Mary in 1878, their children split up the Worksop Farm, naming the streets in the area. Hessey Street was named after relatives, Mary Dixon’s sister having married into the Hessey family, and Charles and Mary’s son David marrying one of his cousins, Fanny Hessey. Another of their Hessey cousins, John, was a successful farmer and politician in Masterton.

Kirton Street commemorated Mary Dixon’s maiden name.

Charles Dixon, son of Charles, married Alice Herbert, whose name is remembered in Herbert Street, constructed on part of Charles junior’s farm.

The Dixon family was to exert political and street-naming influence on the town for some time. Charles and Mary’s daughter Elizabeth married Masterton’s first mayor, R.G. Williams. Their granddaughter Fanny Perry married another Mayor, Phillip Hollings, and another grand­daughter Mary Harrison married mayor Orlando Pragnell.

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