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.

Wall Idioms

Several words have become part of the language in being used in phrases. Last time we looked at ‘bridge’ and now look at ‘wall’.

To give someone the wall is a phrase seen from the 1530s, it describes walking on the wall side of the pavement which, at the time, would have been cleaner.

Nobody went ‘up the wall’ before 1951.

Nothing was described as ‘off the wall’ until 1966.

Not until 1933 did anyone go ‘over the wall’.

Wall Street has described the financial world in the US since 1836. It was the street running along the inside of the defensive wall when New York was New Amsterdam and a Dutch colonial town.

Wall-to-wall is a practical sense has only been in use since 1939; and in the disparaging sense since 1967.

Wall-eyed, a term I have never heard but apparently means ‘speckle-eyed’ (again something I’ve never seen), has been in use since the early 14th century.

Hole in the wall has been a pub name for around three centuries, likely began to refer to a very small place. It was applied to the place where refreshment was handed to coach drivers and guards during the era of the coaching inns, they would also log the time here, too. It was an early reference to an ATM in Britain.

Wallflower, he or she who has no dance partner (unlike me, not always by choice) dates from 1820.

Firewall was originally used to refer to a firefighting defence, first used in 1851, but was reborn in the computer sense in 1990.

Modern builders have referred to a ‘drywall’ since 1952, but the reference to a wall constructed without mortar has been around since 1778.

Wallpaper was coined in 1827 – and hopefully will soon die off completely.

Wallboarding made its debut in 1912.

Stonewall has meant 'to prevent or bar' since the early 18th century.

Street Idioms

Several words have found themselves used in a number of phrases. We looked at 'road' last time and this time it is, perhaps predictably, 'street'.

Street people is a reference to the homeless seen from 1967, albeit ‘on the streets’ had been used since 1852, and the former used to refer to prostitutes from around 1728.

Street smarts, another Americanism, is first recorded in 1971.

Street credibility, today almost always abbreviated to ‘street cred’, has only been seen since 1979.

Street preacher is first seen in 1722, albeit originally referring to Methodists, or sometimes Quakers.

Street sweepers were not known as such before 1848.

Street wise is first recorded in 1951.

Street car, the American equivalent of the British ‘tram’, is first recorded in 1859.

Street walker is used tro refer to a prostitute from 1590, and twenty years later describes a pedestrian.

Backstreet has been used to refer to a route away from the more regular routes since the 15th century, and used in a derogatory sense for almost as long.

Roman Roads

My history lessons, courtesy of Mr Wallbank, told us how these wonderful Romans brought the civilized world to our barbaric islands. Every week we heard of how they educated the savage Celts, brought viaducts, the arch, roads, housing, etc. Doubtless if I had bothered to listen long enough we would have been told the Romans also invented television, internet, iPad and every other technological advance of modern times.

Of course we now know this is not quite correct. The Romans came here to find a thoroughly advanced group of Britons skilled in metalwork - with the Britons equally keen to find a market for their products and the conquerors were simply responsible for writing the history. Doubtless the technologies of the day were not dreamt up by the Romans but acquired from those they encountered. For example our lesson on how the Romans invented the viaduct fails to take into consideration the Babylonians moved water around centuries before the foundation of Rome and its subsequent empire.

The same is true of the famed Roman roads. In Britain there are a number of major arteries known as Roman roads and yet the names alone tell us these are not simply 'Roman'. Indeed the tracks were undoubtedly in use for uears before the Romans arrived. Whilst we should concede the superior surface, enabling rapid movement of troops, is down to Roman intervention, these are no more Roman roads than the modern version of Watling Street with its dual carriageways, traffic lights, white lines and electric lighting.

To find the use and routes prior to the arrival of the Romans is impossible. However we can look at what happened in the years following their departure. For example, note how many of the following names are known as 'Streets', indeed none of the Roman roads are named 'Roads'. The term 'street' comes from Old English straet, a Saxon term referring very specifically to 'a paved road' and that would only be a Roman road. This element is seen in place names such as Stratford 'the ford on a Roman road' and Stretton 'the farmstead on a Roman road'.

The names of the roads themselves also provide information on how they developed and why they were named.

Watling Street was originally a stretch of road around St Albans, albeit then the place was home to the Saxon tribe known as the Waeclinga or 'the people of Waecla'. Eventually the name of this short stretch of road began to stretch along the route, albeit very slowly. Not until the 11th century did the name begin to be used for the whole length and also for other routes not part of this ancient route. This was down to a royal proclamation ordering designated 'safe' routes, among which was Watling Street. Those keen to ensure the trade routes to their towns were considered 'safe' took the clever step of naming such Watling Street. Thus anyone considering committing any crime (no matter how trivial) received the same punishment - death.

Ermine Street, running from London to Lincoln, follows a similar tale to Watling Street. With the earliest recorded version as Earninga Straete, this is from the Earningas tribe who lived around Arrington in Cambridgeshire where they gave their name to the Armingford Hundred and also to the route.

Icknield Street is originally recorded as Hikenild Street and generally accepted as a reference to the Iceni tribe of Boudicca fame as the earliest Saxon records speak of this as Icenhilde Weg.

Ryknield Street is a little different, with the name not found before the 12th century. Both the route and the lack of early forms (not to mention the differences in those records found) have brought into question whether this road ever existed as a true Roman road but is simply another attempt to copy a safe route and thus an erroneous version of Icknield Street above.

Fosse Way is undoubtedly both a Roman road and one named by the Saxons. Indeed, because this comes from Old English fosse meaning 'ditch', it is clear it will not have been named until the Saxons arrived (and the Romans had departed our shores).

Athough the Latin fossa has the same meaning of 'ditch', it is difficult to see why the Romans would name one road when leaving all the rest nameless. Indeed, at a time when the maximum distance travelled in a day would have been 32 miles - the distance a group of soldiers could march in a day and no coincidence as also the distance between Roman forts on these roads - the only thing to know was the next place to rest, final destinations were not applicable and the major roads are all known for their destination.

Talking Buts, Butts and Buttes

When out and about giving talks, particularly those on the subject of place names, I often encounter a local name which will invariably lead to a minor disagreement between the speaker and the audience. Having regularly failed to convince many of the origin of this as a minor place name or, more often, a field name transferred to a street name when the area was developed, I thought an examination of the various buts, butts, and buttes might prove of interest.

As a place or field name it is often thought to be a reminder of where archers had honed their skills. Sunday morning church could be missed by men who were practicing with the bow and arrow. Locals enjoy such a story. It shows fellow villagers, possibly even ancestors, were patriotic and ready to answer the call to arms to fight for what was right. Sadly it is almost never right.

Here we shall look not only at why it is nothing to do with archery and at the correct derivation, but (pun intended) at all the other uses and spellings and respective origins thereof. Three spellings, those given in the title, and surprisingly more than twenty-five different uses of but, butt and butte.

1. But - as in ‘nevertheless’ comes from Germanic be’by’ and utana ‘outside’.

2. But – as in ‘on the contrary’ and sharing the etymology of 1.

3. But – when preceding the word ‘can’ and used to refer to an exception and sharing the etymology of 1.

4. But – used instead of the much lengthier ‘without the result that’ as in “It never rains but it pours” and sharing the etymology of 1.

5. But – as used when interrupting the speaker’s train of thought as in “There is no chance of rain ….. but is that a cloud I see?” and sharing the etymology of 1.

6. But – as in ‘however’ and used such as “Did not want to, but.” and sharing the etymology of 1.

7. But – as in ‘who not’ and used as “There is not a man but feels pity” and sharing the etymology of 1.

8. But – as in an objection (when it can also be used in the plural as in the phrase “But me no buts”) and sharing the etymology of 1.

9. But – as in ‘an outer room’, a new one on me, and apparently from the Scandinavian meaning “outside”. Most often this is used of a humble two-roomed cottage described as a ‘but and ben’. Again this clearly shares an etymology with 1.

10. Butt – as in ‘to push with the head’ comes from Proto-Germanic butan, itself from Proto-Indo-European bhau, and meaning ‘to strike’. This has also provided us with the verb ‘to batter’.

11. Butt – as in ‘abut’ and a reference to adjoining ends, particularly flat ends.

12. Butt – as when used with the word ‘against’, usually used in construction directions,

13. Butt – when used with ‘in’ meaning ‘to interrupt’ comes through Middle English and Norman French and ultimately from the Germanic group. It shares an etymology with 10.

14. Butt – when used with ‘out’, chiefly North American but (pun intended) becoming more commonplace in other English-speaking countries, meaning ‘desist’ and again shares an etymology with ‘abut’.

15. Butt – when followed by ‘of’ used to refer to an object, such as in ‘the butt of his jokes’ and from a theoretical Proto-Indo-European word reference meaning ‘aim’ but (pun intended) also used in the Germanic group to refer to a ‘stock, block’ as in the Old Scandinavian butr ‘a log of wood’.

16. Butt – a mound behind a target, used to support it and also to prevent the projectile from continuing through and well beyond same. This came to English from Old French but meaning ‘goal’.

17. Butt – as in ‘a shooting range’ but (pun intended) today always used in the plural. It shares an etymology with the previous ‘butt’ in from Old French but meaning ‘goal’.

18. Butt – again a shooting reference but (pun intended) here specifically to the low turf or stone wall at the stand of one shooting grouse.

19. Butt – as in butt-end and a reference to the thickest end of a tool or weapon. This is found in Old English as buttuc where it refers to ‘an end, a small piece of land’.

20. Butt – again sometimes said to be the butt-end and a reference to the stub of a cigarette or cigar. There is no known use in this sense prior to 1847.

21. Butt – as in ‘the remaining part’.

22. Butt – as in the rear end, originating in North America it is becoming more commonplace in other English-speaking countries. It is simply an abbreviated form of ‘buttocks’, itself clearly sharing an origin with 19.

23. Butt – also said to be the butt-end and a reference to the flat end meeting another flat surface, such as a couple of planks.

24. Butt – when used to refer to that part of the trunk of a tree just above the ground. This comes from the Dutch bot meaning ‘stumpy’.

25. Butt – meaning ‘a cask’, a container for ales and wines. This is derived from Old French bout and Latin buttis.

26. Butt – and the name of a flatfish derived from the Middle Low German, Old Swedish and Middle Dutch but. There is also the archaic Buttwoman, in English ‘a fish-wife’ and one who sells fish.

27. Butte – is used to refer to an isolated and steep-sided hill. This comes from French for ‘mound’ and quite easy to see its association with the defensive mound backing a target. Rarely used to mean ‘mound or knoll’ outside of North America by English-speakers, the first record of its use is by Messrs. Lewis and Clark.

So which of these is the origin of the English field name? Answer, none of them. The correct derivation is Old English butt which refers to the unploughed edge to a field or similar. This was not deliberate but a result of ploughing techniques in Saxon times. The power was provided by oxen who pulled the plough across the land. One man would guide the oxen in a straight line, a second held the handles of the plough and his sole task was to ensure the ploughshare cut as deeply into the ground as was required for a good break-up of the soil. Herein lies the problem. The distance between the nose of the oxen and the tip of the ploughshare would always be left unploughed at the end of each furrow. This was the butt.

Yet why can it not be the butt seen in archery? Surely these would have been important features in the landscape and their location known to all? Of course this must be true of a few but (pun intended) not of the vast majority and for two very good reasons.

Firstly the decree did not refer to any archery but (pun intended) specifically to the longbow. The crossbow had been in use in this country for years. It took time to load, was not particularly accurate, nor was it overly powerful. This was not the case with the longbow which made it important to practice one’s skills regularly. Thus the decree could not have been issued before the longbow was used by English forces and the first major conflict was the Hundred Years War against the French and the Battle of Sluys in 1340.

Secondly there is the positioning of the ‘butts’. The archery targets were always within easy sight of the church where the rest of the community were at prayer – hence the arrow marks found on many stones in churchyards where arrowheads had been sharpened. This was to prevent archers from enjoying a break from church instead of practising their skills and many of these butt names are nowhere near within sight of the church.

Finally there is the earliest record of the name. Whilst many records are lost there is more than enough to show the term was in use as a place name or field name well before either the longbow, and its subsequent decree, had come into use. Furthermore the use of ‘butt’ as the defensive mound behind the target is from Old French, and the Norman influence in this country is impossible before they arrived on our shores. The Battle of Hastings was fought on October 14th 1066, any butts prior to this are therefore Saxon butts.

We should also note why church was compulsory and those who failed to turn up incurred an increasingly heavy fine for repeated infringements. This would have little to do with incurring the wrath of any deity – the individual would already be keen to ward off such retribution – more likely it was aimed at those who were already doomed to spend eternity in the other place. Consider this as a time when bells rang out every Sunday to call the community to prayer and everyone attended. Those who missed church had the entire village of empty houses just waiting for the unscrupulous visitor to come calling and remove any valuables they could carry. Also a good reason for making sure the archers were within sight of the church.

Having shown just why the butts are unploughed strips at the edge of the field and nothing to do with archery, perhaps there will not be any further minor disagreements at my talks.

Of course there will.

The Police, Peel, Murder and Drayton Bassett

What is now home to the theme park of Drayton Manor was, as the name implies, a large estate. It lies largely within the boundaries of Drayton Bassett. This village uses the name of the family who held this manor for centuries until, through marriage, it passed to the Peels who built the estate. The most famous member of the Peel family is Sir Robert. As MP for Tamworth he delivered what amounted to the first pre-election manifesto. He spoke from the window of the town hall, addressing the crowd gathered below who probably never realised just what they were witnessing.

Even today the name of Sir Robert Peel is more likely to be associated with two other landmark events. Scholars of political history will undoubtedly point to the long-running debate over the Corn Laws which dominated his political career, although most will remember him as the founder of the modern police force. The latter is only partially true. While he did establish the Metropolitan Police Force in London in 1829, the thousand-strong force known as ‘Bobbies’ because of the association with Sir Robert, there had been a professional body to police the capital for some eighty years.

This earlier force were the Bow Street Runners, formed by author Henry Fielding in 1749, they originally numbered just six officers. Yet the name is something of a misnomer as they never ran and considered the term ‘Runners’ derogatory, nor indeed did they patrol a beat. These men were an arm of the courts, hence Bow Street, and arrests were solely as officers acting on behalf of the judiciary. They were disbanded in 1839, ten years after the formation of Peel’s force and eighteen years before legislation meant cities throughout the land had to introduce their own professional police force.

Parliament would have done well to ensure the significant drop in crime in London was mirrored across the land much earlier. Especially considering events of August 15th 1844 in Drayton Bassett. At the time the villagers were dependent upon the Peel estate for a living, be it directly in the service of the family or as tenant farmers. Fifteen years after the first ‘Bobbies’ were seen in London, the term ‘Peelers’ was more likely to be used by the criminal fraternity, the villagers were horrified when they learned of the murder of William Sudbury by William Walker. Perhaps the village ‘Bobbie’ will have been sufficient deterrent to prevent a quarrel escalating to such a degree.

Years later and our story returns to Market Street, Tamworth. The image below shows the town hall where that first manifesto was delivered, the event marked by placing the statue of Sir Robert Peel below the window. The unknown photographer’s position is some twenty yards or so in front of two buildings facing one another on the end of this ancient street. That to the left is now home to a Wilkinson’s store, yet previously had been a Berni Inn named the Peel Arms, named after Tamworth’s most famous son. Opposite we still find the Castle Hotel. One public bar here was renamed after the Peel Arms had closed and chose to adopt another supposed reference to the father of modern policing. However, as we have seen, the name of the Bow Street Runner is incorrect as it had no connection with Peel.

Whilst they should be congratulated in at least attempting to find an original name, and producing an attractive and relevant sign to accompany same, sadly my research when producing books on place names has shown such errors are commonplace and avoidable.

I would welcome any suggestions for themes or subjects, or even specific words to examine the origins, meanings and etymologies. I’d be delighted to hear from you.

Surrey Place Names

With the upcoming publication of my Surrey Place Names, a quick preview of the entry for Chessington.

The great survey of Domesday records this name as Cisendone in 1086. Here a Saxon personal name and Old English dun tells of 'the hill of a man called Cissa'.

Castle Hill represents an ancient earthwork encampment; Rushet Farm is 'the place of rushes'; World's End is a common humorous name found for the extremity of the parish; and Burnt Stubbs show the land was cleared by burning. Barwell Court can be traced to at least the thirteenth century, this from bere wella and describing ‘the spring near where barley is grown’. Note bere was also used a generic term for grains in general as well as for barley. Malden Rushett, once known as Lower Rushet, adds ‘the hill with a cross’ to ‘the place of the rushes’. Park Farm is a reminder of what was once known as Chessington Park. Telegraph Hill is a reminder of the signalling station situated here at the end of the eighteenth century, part of the communication network established to bring news to the nation. At the North Star public house we find the name of a very famous locomotive. Here we see the locomotive built by George Stephenson for the Great Western Railway. Archibald Menzies named the Monkey Puzzle, albeit indirectly. In 1796 he brought a sample of the Chilean Pine to England and was heard to comment how the spiky, twisted branches of the tree would prove a puzzle for a monkey to solve, and the nickname stuck.

First appearing in the sixteenth century, the Blackamoor’s Head is a variation on Black Boy. This reference is to the young black boys employed as personal servants from the eighteenth century who accompanied their employers to frequent the coffee houses and taverns of the day. These poor fellows were forced to wear brightly-coloured striped outfits, earning them the nickname of ‘tigers’.

I would welcome any suggestions for themes or subjects, or even specific words to examine the origins, meanings and etymologies. I’d be delighted to hear from you.

Origins of the Most Common of Street Names

Some months ago, perhaps even years, I wrote on the subject of the origin of street names. A reader commented on how useful this would prove to writers of historical fiction. Since then research has revealed more examples of names which have changed little over the years and I thought it time to share. Should anyone find these useful in their work I would be delighted to hear from you.

Hardly any town or city does not have a High Street. This has nothing to do with elevation but refers to its importance. Villages tend to use Main Street instead, which is much more obvious.

We also find settlements with Fore Street and Back Street, again simple enough names easily seen as the front and rear routes into, or out of, the settlement. It would be difficult to identify a ‘front’ or ‘back’ to a town or village, hence should be seen as the main route and less popular ways in or out. Another point worth noting is how there are many more examples of Back Street than Fore Street.

Broad Street often seems to be a misnomer today, rarely is it even as wide as more modern roads. However when it was named the reverse was the case.

In Pinfold Street is a reminder of the ‘pinfold’, a pen where the pinner held stray livestock until collected by their rightful owner. Monies collected in fines paid on collection paid the pinner a wage.

Conduit Street pointed to a water channel, likely one which existed before the street. Sometimes this brought fresh water into the community but more often was used as a sewer.

Holloway, sometimes seen as Holloway Street or Holloway Road, literally speaks of itself as ‘the hollow way’. Examine the route and it can be seen to cut into the surrounding topography and this is exactly what it means. Here is a route which has been used by so many for so long it has literally been worn away by countless feet, hooves and cartwheels.

While markets and trades are often obvious in examples such as Baker Street, Market Row, etc., some are less obvious. Cheapside or Cheap Street comes from ceap a term meaning ‘a market’, while Friday Street was named for this was where fish was sold on, at the very least, that particular day of the week; and Salters Lane shows where this important commodity was sold, stored, produced or transported.

Rotten Row is clearly derogatory but the sense differs in each case. Some describe this as a slum, a lair for criminals, the haunt of prostitutes and other qualities seen as less than desirable. We should also consider it may have been named ironically, for many examples of such have survived in minor place names and a nickname which has stuck through usage.

A rather different idea is conveyed in Honey Road or Honeypot Road but the message is not what it seems. This is not the land of milk and honey, or even the road leading there, but a way which will churn up into a sticky morass in all but the driest conditions. The same muddy surface was referred to in names such as Silent Lane or Featherbed Lane, for this would deaden the noise of the hoof or wheel as it travelled along.

The Victorians were fond of changing names they considered ‘unsuitable’ and hence a once-common name of identical meaning is no longer found. Not that the Victorians objected to anything known for its muddiness, just objected to the early word ‘shitten’. Note this originally referred to the texture of mud before it was used in the context with which we are familiar today.

Whilst on the subject of the Victorians, they found one street name particularly objectionable. Two versions of a name existed, each describing ‘a narrow and dark passage’ which meant those might have to feel their way along and thus we find Grope Alley. I did say two versions and the second added a four letter word to ‘grope’, a word still considered the least acceptable, and thought to refer to the haunt of prostitutes. However all those four letters describes was what was seen – a narrow and unlit passage. Dens of iniquity were given names such as Love Lane, Maiden Street, and Finkle Street, the Middle English finkel used to mean ‘pet, cuddle’.

While streets named after the cardinal compass points are obvious, these are sometimes still used is names such as Northgate Street and Eastgate Street, etc. It is clear these were the streets to (or from) the town gates, however the Old English gaet merits examination for usage has changed here, too. To the Saxons a gaet was the ‘way to’, most often used where a route narrowed and thus naturally transferred to the panel placed across the way to make it less easy to pass. Eventually hinges and a locking mechanism produced the ‘gate’ we would know today.

One of the most common is a pet hate of mine, not because of the origins but because it invariably clashes with the accepted local definition whenever I happen to speaking on the subject. Almost without exception local historians will enthusiastically claim it marks where archery was practiced by the local men. This enabled the men, as ordered by the king, to have an excuse not to attend church – at the time a crime requiring payment of a fine greater than most could ever afford. Now while there must be some instances where the archery butts gave the name, they can probably be counted on little more than the fingers of both hands. Indeed there are likely more from the game of butts, what seems to me a rather pointless sport where a little stick is tapped at one end so as to pop up and be whacked a second time with the larger stick. The winner is the one whose smaller stick travels the greatest distance. I’m informed this is similar to something called tip-cat but I am familiar with neither. Yet the vast majority of Butts Lane, The Butts, and other variations come from the term used in Saxon times to refer to the strip of land which remained untouched by the plough at the sides of the field, for this was where the plough team turned.

If anyone has any specific road names to define or, for the novelist, a street name created to fit a particular era or situation don’t hesitate to contact me.

As usual I would welcome any suggestions for themes or subjects, or even specific words to examine the origins, meanings and etymologies. I’d be delighted to hear from you.

Fazeley in Staffordshire

From my volume South Staffordshire Street Names comes this excerpt looking at the origins of every street name in Fazeley, near Tamworth, Staffordshire. Even those who have never heard of the place will have heard of the most famous development here, the theme park of Drayton Manor Park, itself occupying the estate of the former lords of the manor, the Peel family. This name may ring a bell as the man who is often considered the founder of the police force.

Undoubtedly the major influence on Fazeley over the last two centuries has been the Peel family, both directly and indirectly and in a number of ways. While Peel Court takes the family name, Drayton Manor Drive served their estate of that name, Swiss Lodge Drive was named for the style of building found there. Victoria Road and Albert Steet recall the visit to the Peel estate in 1843 by the queen and her consort.

Destination names are also represented by Atherstone Street, Coleshill Road and Coleshill Street, Lichfield Street, and Tamworth Road. Brook End marks the termination of the Bourne Brook, and of course Bourne Avenue refers to the same thing; Broomfield Avenue the club of that name, itself an old field name; Mill Lane led to the old mill, New Mill Lane to the more recent mill on Bourne Brook; New Street was aptly named when it was first developed; and Tame Court takes the name of the nearby river. Marina View is a new development which affords excellent views of the marina. The Anson family were still resident at Bonehill Lodge at the end of the 19th century, hence the name of Anson Court.

Tolson Avenue remembers one of Fazeley's major employers. Wm Tolson Ltd was the mill known to all as Tolson's Old Mill and this road was cut on this land. William Tolson took over the mill from the Peels in the 1830s and, 50 years later, had built his own factory. The huge building on the banks of the canal was, as with the vast majority of Victorian factories, powered by steam. The adjacent canal and the springs not only supplied ample water to drive the machinery, but also provided the perfect artery for transporting goods into Birmingham and beyond.

Buxton Avenue marks the family who include Samuel Buxton, owner of the Bleachworks in 1835, and Dr Thomas Buxton, landowner in 1939. Mayfair Drive marks the location of the Mayfair Garage, demolished in the late 20th century.

The Deer Park Estate has its own theme reflecting the deer found on the former Drayton estate. Deer Park Road, Fallow Road and Reindeer Road speak for themselves, yet others are much less obvious. Sambra Road features the name of a deer native to southern Asia; Rangifer Road features the scientific name for the caribou; Dama Road is the scientific name for the fallow deer; and Mayama Road should have been named Mazama after the deer from South America, however it seems as if someone has written it longhand and it has been misread as a 'y' instead of 'z'.

As with most places there are a number of names which have been coined for reasons unknown and, without records being kept, the origins are a mystery. Beekes Croft, Burlington Court, Tongue Terrace, Victory Terrace, Wrighton Grove and Yorksand have produced a number of suggestions, all of which appear to have been given after the naming of the places rather than the reverse.

I would welcome any suggestions for themes or subjects, or even specific words to examine the origins, meanings and etymologies. I’d be delighted to hear from you.