What’s in a name? (continued)

Detail of an 1868 Map of London by Edward Weller FRGS

We’re no closer to discovering why Arlington Square is so-called (see back issues of The Arlingtonian since about 1976) but while looking at old maps for clues, we’ve discovered an interesting fact. Nearly half the streets in our area have had their names changed at some time in the last 100 years or so.

Some were minor tweaks: Arlington Avenue used to be Arlington Street, and St Paul Street was originally St Paul’s Street. But others involve a complete change of identity. Here’s a run-down:

FORMERLY NOW

Ann Street Bevan Street

Hale Street Rees Street

Union Street Rector Street

Church Street St Phillip’s Way

Coleman Street Coleman Fields

South Street Basire Street

Dean Street Bishop Street

Frog Lane Popham Road

All of which raises a lot of questions. We suspect that Ann was Dame Ann Packington, but why was she usurped by Bevan? Who decided that Rees should be honoured with a street name instead of Hale? And why Basire? There was an engraver and map-maker called James Basire who was active in the 1860s. Perhaps he just sneaked his name on to a map in place of boring South Street, and subsequent mappers copied it?

Aside from mourning the disappearance of the old Frog Lane, which originally ran all the way from New North Road to the canal, taking in what is now Rheidol Terrace and Danbury Street, we’re left wondering: who instigated these changes in names, and when, and why? Any information gratefully received.