Blatchford Added to Approved Road Names
Port Pirie Regional Council is pleased to add the name of a significant local family to the Approved List of Road Names for a future new road in Port Pirie.
Council recognised the significant contribution of the Blatchford family to Port Pirie by accepting a request to add the family name Blatchford to Council’s list of approved street names. The Blatchford name will be used to name a future new road in Port Pirie.
The Blatchford family’s history in Port Pirie started with Bridget Blatchford, who emigrated from Ireland to Port Pirie circa 1885. Bridget was an early member of the Pirie Pioneers Association and an original member of the Solomontown Beach development committee. Their family home in Manders Street became a convalescent home for returned service personnel after World War One.
Bridget’s husband, William George Blatchford Senior, was a renowned bricklayer and building contractor who was among the crew to build the first brick chimney smelter stack as well as other public buildings and residential homes.
Their son Private William George Blatchford served in Gallipoli during World War One and returned to Port Pirie to work in bricklaying alongside his father.
The next generation of Blatchford men, Malcom (Peter) and Horace (Patrick) continued as bricklayers in Port Pirie and other areas. Peter Blatchford worked on several heritage listed buildings for the National Trust including the Barrier Chambers and Sampsons Cottage.
Port Pirie Regional Council maintains a list of approved road names and periodically undertakes a public call for names to be added to the approved list. Road names may include fallen servicemen and women, long term resident families in the community and any person who has achieved state, national and international recognition.