Sagimor Gardens

Sagimor Gardens

The earliest newspaper reference to this street was in the Northern Whig on Friday 05 April 1918 in the form of an advertisement for four "semi-detached cottage residences" in Sagimor Gardens. The minutes of 8th January 1918 of the Improvement Committee indicate that the committee had rejected the request of Mr John Hawthorne of 59 Chichester Street for a new street between Beersbridge Road and Bloomfield Road and requested him to submit another name, hence his request for the street to be named Sagimor Gardens. "Read letter, dated 19th ult. from Mr. John D. Hawthorne relative to the erection of street name plate "Sagimor Gardens" in new street between Beersbridge Road and Bloomfield Road and the surveyor was instructed to have the street name erected as soon as convenient."

It seems probable that the name is a variant spelling of Sagamore, which was also the name of a cargo ship built by Harland & Wolff for George Warren & Co. of Liverpool and launched in 1892.  Note that the exact form Sagamore is found in the correspondence cited below, even though it did not prevail.  The term sagamore refers to a Native American chief or elder and was popularised through its use in Last of the Mohicans, James Fenimore Cooper's 1826 novel, where it is a title given to the chief Chingachgook.  It is also used as the name of a well-known hotel in upstate New York.  Whether Sagimor Gardens is named after the ship, Cooper's character or another native American elder is unclear.

"Resolved – That Mr. John Hawthorne of 59 Chichester Street be informed in reply to his application that this Committee cannot approve of the name “Bloomfield Park” for new street between Beersbridge Road and Bloomfield Road, and that he be requested to submit another name therefor" (13th November 1917).  

"Resolved – That Mr. John Hawthorne, of 59, Chichester Street, be informed, in reply to his application, dated 8th September last, that this Committee cannot see their way to approve of the name Hawthorn Park for new street between Bloomfield Road and Beersbridge Road, and that he be requested to submit another name therefor" (2nd January 1918). 

"Resolved – That Mr. J. D. Hawthorne, of 52 Upper Arthur Street, be informed, in reply to his further letter of 16th inst., relative to name for new street between Bloomfield Road and Beersbridge Road, that, in the opinion of this Committee, the term "Park" would be unsuitable for the street in question" (22nd January 1918). 

"Resolved – That Mr. John Hawthorne be informed in reply to his further letters of 29th ult. relative to name for new street between Bloomfield Road and Beersbridge Road, that no regulations have been made which would prohibit the use of the term “Park” for a street, but the Committee in the exercise of their discretion did not consider such term to be suitable in the case in question and consequently they disapproved of the name “Bloomfield Park” for the new street referred to" (5th February 1918).  

"Read letter dated 19th ult., from Mr. John Hawthorne, agent on behalf of owners of property in new Street between Bloomfield Road and Beersbridge Road asking to have that thoroughfore named Sagimor" Gardens, and it was resolved that the application be granted" (5th March 1918).

Read letter, dated 19th ult., from Mr. John D. Hawthorne relative to the erection of street name plate "Sagamore Gardens" in new street between Beersbridge Road and Bloomfield Road, and the Surveyor was instructed to have the street name erected as soon as convenient" (1918).