Street Names

Bob Dobson

Pillar o' t' Community
Tackler
I am very interested in the reasons behind our street names. There is a card index file in the library ( Atarah has done a lot of work on this)

My question now isn't a 'reasons' one, I want to know when Lime Street became Lime Road. It was sometime between 1930 and 1950.
 
question, after 1950 did part of it not remain lime street for years after? used to have a junior school friend that lived on Lime Rd n could be wrong but summat tells me it did.:confused:
 
I don't know the answer to that. I have checked my 1951 Barrett's directory and only Lime Rd is listed. If I had time, I would go through the council minutes to see when the change was authorised. There is probably a former resident , retired postman or Town hall worker with this knowledge.
 
As well as 'when' it would be interesting to know 'why'.

Similarly does anyone know when Cromwell Street became Cromwell Avenue and why?
 
As well as 'when' it would be interesting to know 'why'.

Similarly does anyone know when Cromwell Street became Cromwell Avenue and why?

Perhaps someone wanted to sell their house and a house on Cromwell Avenue sounds better?
:D
 
As well as 'when' it would be interesting to know 'why'.

Similarly does anyone know when Cromwell Street became Cromwell Avenue and why?

I always understood an avenue was a tree lined street ?

Maybe it was after they planted trees down there ?
 
As well as 'when' it would be interesting to know 'why'.

Similarly does anyone know when Cromwell Street became Cromwell Avenue and why?

When was it Cromwell street Willow?? what year did it change??

I have only ever known it to be Cromwell Ave
 
When was it Cromwell street Willow?? what year did it change??

I have only ever known it to be Cromwell Ave

Me too Slinky, and have a good few years on you and Willow ...:D

Used to go to one of my Mum's friends who lived there, probably from the age of about 5 years old (60 blooming years ago !!), and then up to school everyday .. so must have been at least before 1949 ?

Actually, have just looked in a local book and it obviously states named after National Heroes (Cromwell), but does say ... 'formerly Cromwell Street' so Willow is correct. No reference to date change though.

Can't ever remember Lime Road being Lime Street though.
 
Last edited:
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.
 
Nostalgic thread wander - we bought an end terraced house in Cromwell Avenue in 1979 for the princely sum of £1400! The Avenue was lined with beautiful flowering cherry trees in those days.
 
Nostalgic thread wander - we bought an end terraced house in Cromwell Avenue in 1979 for the princely sum of £1400! The Avenue was lined with beautiful flowering cherry trees in those days.

They still have some nice blossom tree's on now from what i can remember.
 
I don't know how long ago it was called Cromwell Street but I do remember my mother saying she remembered it being called that. Now she was born in 1911 so it was sometime since then that it changed.
 
Someone has suggested to me that it was when the High School was built and it was renamed and lined with trees to provide an impressive approach to the then front door. Sounds good but I don't know if it's true or not.
 
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.
 
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.


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

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.
 
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.
 
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
 
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.
 
Back
Top