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Bob Dobson · 29-07-2021, 19:58

There are many streets in the town which were named by the Peel family of Accrington house, owners of much land in the town in the 1800s. Most of them were chosen by the head of the family, Jonathan Peel, and many of them were named after members of his family - Robert, William, Bertha come to mind. I have long thought that Oswald St, not far from Accrington House, was another I thought was in that category. However, I have been informed by a living descendant of Jonathan that there have been no Oswalds in the family, and a search of the mid-century censuses failed to find any.

My digging has unearthed an MP who loyally served the Conservative party and Sir Robert Peel the PM. He was Alexander Oswald, MP for Ayrshire. Jonathan would be pally with his brother's colleagues in the Commons , and named several streets after them - Pitt, Melbourne, Wellington amongst them, also a Mr Arnold, MP for Salford, who let it be known in a speech made in Accrington that, some 20years before, Jonathan had told him that he intended to name a street after him
The Peels also owned land in Ossie and Rishton, where there are also Oswald Streets.

29-07-2021, 19:58	#258
Bob Dobson Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Staining, Blackpool Posts: 3,096 Liked: 407 times Rep Power: 158674	Re: Street Names There are many streets in the town which were named by the Peel family of Accrington house, owners of much land in the town in the 1800s. Most of them were chosen by the head of the family, Jonathan Peel, and many of them were named after members of his family - Robert, William, Bertha come to mind. I have long thought that Oswald St, not far from Accrington House, was another I thought was in that category. However, I have been informed by a living descendant of Jonathan that there have been no Oswalds in the family, and a search of the mid-century censuses failed to find any. My digging has unearthed an MP who loyally served the Conservative party and Sir Robert Peel the PM. He was Alexander Oswald, MP for Ayrshire. Jonathan would be pally with his brother's colleagues in the Commons , and named several streets after them - Pitt, Melbourne, Wellington amongst them, also a Mr Arnold, MP for Salford, who let it be known in a speech made in Accrington that, some 20years before, Jonathan had told him that he intended to name a street after him The Peels also owned land in Ossie and Rishton, where there are also Oswald Streets.