Granger Road
Have you ever wondered about the origins of Granger Road?
The story behind it is quite remarkable and tells us something interesting about early Auckland's development.
After arriving in New Zealand in 1865 and trying his luck in the Thames gold rush, John Granger and his family would settle in East Auckland. To provide for his family, John returned to his trade which he held in England, brick making.
By 1869, his expertise had already earned him a position as manager of Spencer's brickworks at Buckland's Beach. However, when Spencer's operations closed in the late 1870s, Granger established his own company: Granger's Brickworks in Turanga Creek.
What followed was a significant contribution to Auckland's built environment. Granger's bricks can be found throughout the city, from the Jubilee Building in Parnell to numerous homes across Howick.
So why is Granger Road located at the bottom of Howick?
There are two connected reasons:
1. Granger's Brickworks had a brickyard at Howick Beach where product arriving from Turanga Creek were unloaded from boats and stored.
2. Thomas Granger, John Granger's son, lived in a brick house at the bottom of Granger's Road.
It's remarkable to think that Granger Road exists because of one family's contribution to building Auckland.
