Street names

A few will be aware I have been known to speak on various subjects over the years. Fundamentally these all revolve around my favourite subject of etymology. Have always enjoyed bringing this fascinating subject to others. It’s not for me to say whether the audiences have, although many have asked me to return.

Thought it might be worthwhile sharing a snippet or two from these etymological presentations, continuing with Street Names. Defining street names is increasingly seen as a tool to understanding more recent history. Earlier names show what these places were used for before the Industrial Revolution. When the population of our towns and cities veritably exploded as entrepreneurs built vast estates to accommodate their workforce, they also left many clues as to their friends and families in the names they chose for these newly built streets. Find out why they chose these names in a revealing hour. There is a PowerPoint presentation to accompany this talk if required.

Now obviously street names are chosen to be unique within a village, town, or city and thus for the most interesting examples we need to give the place. However, there are a number which are common to many places and we will look at a few examples of those.

Those found most places include: High Street – is used in the sense ‘important’ rather than elevation; Main Street – is easier to see as ‘important’; Pinfold Street – was where loose animals were held until their owner turned up and paid the requisite fine. This also paid for the Pinner’s wage; Glebe Lane – is land used solely to raise money for the church and always stands alongside same; and such as Station Street, Church Street, School Lane I won’t insult your intelligence with.

There are also those which of which we have all heard: Downing Street – was named after George Downing who, in the 17th century, owned both the street and the houses. For one of the most famous streets in the world, it bears the name of a man known only for being a most unpleasant individual, indeed the famous diarist Samuel Pepys described him as a ‘perfidious rogue’; Lime Street – most famously also the name of the Liverpool station named after the street, itself named at its creation in 1790 for the lime kilns owned by local businessman William Harvey.

At that time Lime Street was outside the city limits but, by 1804, the lime kilns were creating worse problems for those in the nearby infirmary and thus relocated elsewhere but the street retained its original name; The Shambles – most famously in York, but also found elsewhere, it had been known as the Great Flesh Shambles – itself from Old English fleshammels ‘flesh shelves’ and thus where butchers would display their meat.

All Alone Road in Bradford, Yorkshire used to be exactly what it says, or rather it ran to a solitary house owned by Dr Samuel Ellis and built in 1773. He lived here with the Honourable Liam Plunkett, until his death in 1798, his gravestone in Calverley churchyard claims he was the brother of the Earl of Fingall in the County of Meath, Ireland. It is speculated the good doctor’s friend was in fact his patient, a man suffering mental problems. Dr Ellis built this house on common land, resulting in him incurring a fine of £1 7 shillings in 1777, but not evicted.

Dumb Woman’s Lane in Winchelsea, Sussex was once the home address of Terence ‘Spike’ Milligan. He lived in what was known as Carpenter’s Meadow, a house designed by 1960’s architect C. P. McLaughlin. Spike described his home as ‘the ugliest house in the world’ and promptly renamed it The Blind Architect and, when asked on Room 101 what could be done to improve it Spike replied “set fire to it”. As to the name there are two suggestions as to how it came about, one stating a woman unable to speak offered herbal remedies to locals; while the second speaks (pun intended) of how this had been the route taken by smugglers since the 14th century, so she could not tell of the enormous amount of contraband passing her home they cut out her tongue.

If you think you know someone who would like to hear me speak on this subject, drop me a line. Incidentally, if you are booking this talk you’ll need to give me adequate time to research sufficient examples.