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Story: City children and youth

Street play

Image
Street play

Before motorised traffic made streets unsafe, children used them as playgrounds. In this 1906 image of Whanganui’s Bell Street, boys kick a rugby ball, watched by two lines of girls.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Tesla Studios Collection (PAColl-3046)

Reference: 1/1-017498; G

by Frank J. Denton

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Ben Schrader, City children and youth – City, suburbs and recreation, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/21958/street-play (accessed 11 June 2026).

Story by Ben Schrader, published 4 February 2010.