PEDDER STREET
(Contd.)
for building upon.
On the site shown to the left of the roadway now stands the General Post office, and on the right we now have Union Building.
About the time the big central Praya scheme was completed, in 1900 the new pier, which was to take the place of the former Pedder's Wharf, was commenced. This was constructed, much as we know it to-day, as a Public Works Department job during 1900, and shortly after completion was re-named Blake Pier, in honour of the Governor of that period, Sir Henry Blake.
It appears that nobody at the time cared to criticise the change, owing no doubt to the impolitic nature of any such comment during Sir Henry's regime: but after the Governor had gone, in 1903, the dropping of Pedder's name was openly deplored. The newspaper press of that year pointed out that these utterances were considerably belated. The change had been made by Government, and it was long past the time to criticise, or effect a reversion. So the name Blake Pier remains to-day. Fortunately, Pedder's Street still commemorates our first Harbour Master.
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