Place Names Register Extract
Fotiades Road
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View in NT Atlas | Print Extract | Search Again| Name | Fotiades |
|---|---|
| Type Designation | Road |
| Place Id | 24713 |
| Place Type | Road |
| Status | Registered |
| Date Registered | 2 September 2015 |
| Locality / Suburb | |
| Berrimah | |
| Tivendale | |
| Local Government Area | |
| Darwin City Council | |
| History/Origin | Named after Elias (Leo) Fotiades (1925-1990). Leo was born in Perth in 1925 and was one of 5 brothers, George, Chris, Angelo and Frank. The family operated a fish and chip shop and by 14 years of age he was a highly skilled filleter of fish which had become a professional work skill much sought after and on occasions his father would contract him out to other shops for the purpose. He worked as he travelled along the coast of Western Australia on his way to Darwin when he was about 16 years old sometime during 1941. Leo recalled his memories of the Bombing of Darwin in particular he remembered that he was in West Lane at the time of the first raids and saw the bombs falling saying they looked "like shillings", falling down. Jobs were not easy to come by in the early days and so he turned his hand to doing odd jobs and worked as a very competent short order cook having spent some time as cook in a Greek owned restaurant called "The Rendezvous". He met his wife Hellen from Perth and they were married in 1956 and had 5 children. Leo partnered with Nicholas Paspaley with an ownership of a property in Smith Street. Leo operated a "Greek Club" with the "Fotiades Delicatessen" which was run by his brother George. After Cyclone Tracy, Leo became the sole owner of the property. During the 1960s he brought a house in Fannie Bay and next door was George Cridland. The two families became good friends and still are today. A joint venture with George Cridland in the 1970s saw them open the Poinciana Inn incorporating Peppis Restaurant and the partnership remained until the 1990s. The Poinciana Inn remained under family ownership and management of his wife and oldest daughter until 2011. They purchased six other properties during their partnership (three of which were later sold) and he also held some properties independently. Leo operated a licensed betting shop in Progress Drive which still exists as a betting shop today. He was a prominent businessman both in Darwin and at a national level was highly regarded and respected by the business and horse racing industry in his profession as a "trackside bookmaker". He was generous to his customers often helping them out when they had a run of bad luck this was sometimes generosity and sometimes business. In his colourful turn of phrase he once said "many a time I've cast my bread upon the waters and had it come back as ham sandwiches". The Fotiades Family are a very well known Darwin family. Family members still living in Darwin include the Anictomatis Family. Leo died suddenly of a heart attack in 1990. |
Register & Gazettal information
| Date | Gazettal | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 02/09/2015 | Date added to Register | |
| 09/09/2015 | NTG G36 | Date Gazetted |