"Haypark Avenue, Gardens and Haywood Avenue are so called from the site of these streets being the 'Haypark', a part of the home farm of the Marquis of Donegall when residing at Ormeau (1807-1844)" (John J. Marshall, Belfast Telegraph, 22/01/1941). This refers to the 2nd Marquess, George Augustus Chichester (14 August 1769 – 5 October 1844). Being heavily in debt and pursued by creditors, he and his family moved from England to Belfast to evade pursuit and spent the rest of his life here. Initially he moved into accommodation on Donegall Place while Ormeau was being built.
In the early 19th century the farm produced fresh fruit and vegetables for the Marquess' household at Ormeau. Livestock was also kept there, at least including sheep and cattle. In the biography Living like a Lord, W. A. Maguire mentions Leicester sheep which the Marquess introduced at Hay Park. In 1805 he offered a substantial reward of 50 guineas for the return of some sheep that had been stolen from Hay Park, which were probably some of these valuable Leicesters (Maguire 1984: 26). The name itself implies that hay for livestock was cut here.
The 1st edition of the Ordnance Survey map (c. 1832) shows stables at Ormeau and a race course at Hay Park. Whilst not immediately obvious, the words "Race Course" appear inside the circuit, with letters widely spaced. The Marquess had substantial veterinary bills and expenses for forage at this time, which are unlikely to have been just for working horses (Maguire 1984: 75; Belfast: The Making of the City, 34). All of these details suggest that he was keeping racehorses at Ormeau/Hay Park at this time. It also fits with Marshall's statement that Ravenhill was a house built for his horse-trainer (John J. Marshall, Belfast Telegraph, 10/02/1941). This is confirmed by Thomas Gaffikin:
"A racing stud was kept at Ormeau, producing an occasional winner at the annual meeting on the Maze course. The Maze races in July were looked forward to with considerable interest. For weeks previous to the meeting, preparations were made for the occasion. Streets of tents were erected for refreshments, and many spent the Sunday before and the Sunday after the racing week amongst the brackens that covered the rising ground behind the tents. Lord Downshire, the Marquis of Donegal, Messrs. Joyce, Martin, Maxwell, Filgate, Fivy, Ferguson, and Commodore Watson, were among the local supporters of the turf. One of the favourite jockeys was Conlan; but the principal races were ridden by gentlemen riders, when four mile heats prolonged the excitement" (Thomas Gaffikin, Belfast Fifty Years Ago, 30-31).
After the death of the second Marquess in 1844, Ormeau and Hay Park were sold off by his son to pay off the father’s debts. A number of brickfields appeared in the area, including Marquis Brick Works, Prospect Brick Works, Annadale Brick Works and another unnamed works near Ormeau Bridge. The appearance of these brickfields marked a significant turning point in the area’s history, transforming the former farmland into an industrial landscape.
Closer to Ormeau Road (then called Ballynafeigh or Ballynafoy Road New), comfortable residential housing was built, including Haypark Avenue (approved in 1879). Gradually the whole area between Ormeau Road and the Lagan was filled in with housing. This wider transformation of south and east Belfast was captured by historian Jonathan Bardon in his book Belfast, An Illustrated History, where he describes how developers began creating comfortable suburbs in areas including Ormeau and Ballynafeigh: “In east Belfast the phalanx of working-class dwellings was by-passed as developers built comfortable suburbs on the ‘Henryville’ and ‘Shamrock’ estates in Mountpottinger; at Ormeau and Ballynafeigh; and from the mid-1880s McConnells developed a 17-acre estate at Rosetta to build sumptuous residences for the well-to-do” (Bardon 1982: 139).
In the case of Haypark Avenue the name of the street was submitted to the Corporation by "Mr Martin" in 1879. Other streets in the neighbourhood followed, requested by Messrs H & J Martin, such as Parkmore Street and Haywood Avenue, a cross-street, in 1886, and Haypark Gardens in 1929. H & J Martin is an established local company, noted as the main contractor for the construction of Belfast City Hall, completed in 1906, and the business is still operating today.
“On the recommendation of the city surveyor, the committee approved of the proposal of the Housing Committee of Second Ultimo to name as Haywood Drive, a new street off Haywood Ave” (12th May, 1953).