Street Names

[Retlaw]

Until they built the East Gate bypass, there was still a sign showing Mary Ann St behind the Castle pub, next time you come thro see whats there now.
Belfield Rd was named after Bells Field, above where St Mary's school was, my father played football in a local team on that field in the 1920's.

Retlaw.

Originally Posted by Bob Dobson

There has long been a perception that road is 'better'than street, and avenue even 'better'. About 100yrs ago, Mary Ann Street was changed to Milton Street (off Castle St) through a residents' campaign (it was probably originally called Mary Ann after a Peel daughter.)
Thwaites STREET , Ossie, was called Bismarck Street before local pressure got it changed at the time of anti-German
feelings about WW1 time, even though, in 1915 Thwaites ROAD was laid out through farm land owned by that family.
Belfield Road was called Robert Nuttall Street at one time, even though there was also a Nuttall Street.Many of the streets up Woodnook are named after the Royds family's connections.They owned the land the streets are on, so had sosme say in the street names.

[Retlaw]

Union St is named as such in the 1841 census. Old and New Accrington were'nt unified until 1878.
Retlaw.

Originally Posted by Bob Dobson

If that is the case, and I think it likely, then it would be 1939, or just before, as that was the the High School opened. These changes can probably be found in the minutes of the various Corporation committes. Union Road, Ossie is another - it was Warren Lane ( I think). Union was probably to mark that Ossie was proud to be in the Blackburn Poor Law Union. Union Street Accy may also be named for that reason, or may be so called as it could be commemmorating the unifying of Old and New Accrington.

[Bob Dobson]

I have just learned that Entwistle Rd was a Street. The change occurred between 1939 and 1951, so probably Lime, Cromwell and Entwistle were renamed around the same time. Digging in the Corporation committee minutes will likely throw more light on it.Why did Pilot and Orange ( & others) not change. I wonder if the residents were asked and the majority vote was acted upon.

[Bob Dobson]

I think Walter's explanation of Belfield road is unlikely. There are umpteen streets in Woodnook named with connections to the Royds family, and to choose a name which ws not linked would not be in the family's thinking. Reference to my directories shows how Walter's story may have come about, making him half wright. 1909 & 1930 show a Bell Street off Robert Nuttall Street (not in 1935 or 1951) 1935 (only) shows Bellford Rd (late Robert Nuttall Street) .1930 and 1951, but not 1935 show Belfield Rd These were the same streets, as the occupants of houses are the same, though sometimes spelled differently. It is easy to see how the supposed link between Bell's field and Belfield Rd came about. To check Bell Street I would need to look at the Voters List

[Bob Dobson]

In recent posts, I have mentioned Entwistle St. It should be Entwisle ( no second 't') Probably so named after William Enty, our third mayor.

Sadler St, Church is named after Sadler, a 28yrs old balloonist who, in October 1824 set off from Bolton with his servant. A Southerly wind carried them to Church, where he crashed into the side of a house whilst leaning out of the basket, banging his head on a chimney . This threw him out . He was carried to a nearby pub A doctor attended him, but he expired. The balloon carried on to Cock Bridge, where the servant landed it ( with a broken arm) The inquest ruled ' Accidental death, caused by being struck against a chimney.
The pub's owner, Mr Blenkinsop, was not at the pub, but word reached him and he rushed to attend. When 100yards away, he slipped, banged his head on the ground -then became the second fatality of the day.

[Atarah]

I was always led to believe Entwisle Street was named after Mr Entwisle of Entwisle and Kenyon fame. The marvellous Victorian "semis" at the corner of Entwisle Road and Whalley Road were certainly owned by these two gentlemen.

Atarah

[Bob Dobson]

Atarah's explanation is probably correct because of the houses, but the matter may not be ever cleared up. There was already a Kenyon Street, though locals called it "t'Pleck" and it ran from Whalley Road, down to Bull Bridge, by the Australian Inn. It was a very old thoroughfare.

[Bob Dobson]

Owen St & Meadow St: In 1863 a Clitheroe solicitor announced the sale of land for building. ...."To be let on reasonable ground rents for terms of 999 yrs, several plots of land in quantities to suit the requirments of persons intending to build. The land is very eligibly situated in the township of Old Accrington, and recently formed part of a close of land called 'Owen's Meadow', is bounded by the L&Y railway, is close to and on the Easterly side of the turnpike road leading out of Accrington towards Whalley, and approached from the said road by a new street called Meadow Street."
Perhaps then Owen and Meadow come from Owen's Meadow, but I cannot throw light on who Mr Owen was.I would need to look at old maps and the early censuses.

Garbett Street. With such an unusual name, I think there's little doubt that this is named after Rev George Garbett, vicar of St James' , who died in 1865. As with many other names, it is useful to know just when streets were built. and this is why I am in doubt about Spencer St. There was a vicar of St James' called Spencer, but he died as late as 1917, and I suspect that the street was built before then, so it may be linked to Samuel Spencer, who lived at Strawberry Bank. he was a Poor Law Guardian and died in 1875, so if Spencer St was built about then, or soon after, I think he may be the man after whom it is named.

Mayors are favourites for having streets named after them. Rawson Ave & Rothwell Ave come to mind.If , at some future time, there is a Dobson Avenue, then I am putting my claim in now - it was named after me, not a past mayor.

Union St has had previous mentions. The workhouse was in Union St, so I favour the link with the Poor Law Union of parishes which would have lead to it being built, and so named.

[Bob Dobson]

In an earlier posting, I said that Thwaites St, Ossie had previously been called Bismarck St. I was wrong - it is Stanley Street, just across New Lane, which was Bismarck. The Stanley name was said at the time to honour the explorer.

Lancaster Ave was previously called Bayley Street in honour of Rev Jonathan Bayley, minister at the New Jerusalem Church, who was a leading player in Accrington's educational history. He deserves honour.

Birtwistle St is surely associated with someone of that long-established Huncoat family. There have been many men of this nameassociated with the town's institutiions, not least those who kept the Broad Oak Inn, Abbey Street. In 1878 John Birtwistle, furniture dealer, lived at 13 Abbey st.but I suspect that the street is much earlier than that -1850s was a time of street building.

Bishop St. Almost certainly linked to the opening of nearby Christ Church in 1840 by the Bishop of Chester, perhaps the first time a bishop visited Acc.

Blackburn rd, Clayton, was formerly called Anglesea St. (Little) Blackburn Rd Acc was called Street on an 1891 map.

Bond St. My suspicion was that there would be a link to the 3 Bond borthers mentioned in the book 'Accrington Chronology & men of Mark' That may still be so, but I have seen that in 1878 a William Bond, was making healds in Bond St whilst living nearby at 319 Blackburn Rd. He probably owned the land, so had a say in the naming.

Blake St is named in honour of John Blake, inventor of Blake's Ram, a hydraulic pump which brought riches to the family. He lived in nearby Oxford St and had a family link with the Hindle timber firm who lived near him and after whom Hindle st is named.

[Retlaw]

Birtwistle St in 1848 was called Plantation St, which joined Plantation Lane around where Midland St was built.
Plantation St as we now know it, was blocked of at Elephant St, and was named Plantation Mill Street.

Retlaw

[WillowTheWhisp]

Originally Posted by Bob Dobson

Garbett Street. With such an unusual name, I think there's little doubt that this is named after Rev George Garbett, vicar of St James' , who died in 1865.

Would he possibly have lived at Garbett House? I've noticed a few terraced streets with one odd larger house at the end of the row like that.

[Bob Dobson]

Could have, but more likely to have lived in what had been the vicar's house for yonks. I shall ask a friend to have a looksee at the censuses and come back to you, unless of course someone else can. In 1909, the vicarage for St james' was on Blackburn rd, so I suspect that someone else lived there. It would be made easier if the house number was known, then a check in Barrett's Directories in the library will reveal all. I have a 1909 one.

[Bob Dobson]

Rev George lived at 164 Blackburn rd. His neighbours were a surgeon and a mill owner. He was 49yrs in 1861. His wife Martha was 45yrs. They had servants Susannah Halstead ,41yrs and Sarah Frankland 21yrs.

[Bob Dobson]

Beaconsfield St. One of several in that area which end in 'field', so it might have been that the developers were searching for a field name rather than particularly honouring Prime Minister Disraeli, the Earl of Beaconsfield. 'Dizzy' was a one-time ally of PM Robert Peel, then turned against him, so Peel might not have wanted the street named after him. However, he was popular in the country and with Queen Victoruia, so that may have been why the street is so called.

Bertha St is right in the centre of Peel land, and is probably named after a daughter of the family. William , Alice, Annie, Robert Streets certainly were. Perhaps Percy ,Oswald & Sidney too. More research on the family names needed.

[Atarah]

Hey, Mr Dob, I never knew we had a Bond Street here in Accy. Have I missed something?

Atarah