Nelson Historical Society Journal, Volume 2, Issue 5, November 1971
Rocks Road
Rocks Road
This road is literally "chained" in history. In 1892 a Rocks Road Committee was formed by members of the City Council, the Waimea County Council and the Richmond Borough Council, and this Committee raised £4000 by means of debentures. Prison labour was used extensively on this work and gangs of prisoners under armed guards were marched to work every day from the town and over Washington Valley. The road was metalled for traffic in 1897. The chains, stanchions and coping were the gift of Mr. John Tinline, one of the pioneers of Nelson. However, Thomas Cawthron later made a donation of £668 in order to finish the chains.