Discovering
Edinburgh...
By Bob McCulloch ©
: K D W · V L Q D 1 D P H "
Sir James Miller the only man to hold the 6 W U H H W L Q K R Q R X U R I W K H Y L F W R U R I W K H % D W W O H R I
posts of Lord Provost of Edinburgh and Lord Waterloo, who ironically was opposed to the
T
he labelling of street names began
Mayor of London, although not at the same 5 H I R U P % L O O : K H Q ( D U O * U H \ Z D V L Q Y L W H G W R D
D U R X Q G % H I R U H W K D W W K H \ K D G Q R
time. When Leith and Portobello became G L Q Q H U W R F H O H E U D W H W K H S D V V L Q J R I W K H % L O O D Q G
nameplates but were known by the name
part of the City some street names had to in the fervour of the moment, the street was
of the most famous resident. Many streets
be changed to avoid duplication. daubed Earl Grey Street no doubt as a jibe at
were named at the whim of the developer
Wellington.
and others took the name of the family who
, Q W R G D \ · V F O L P D W H R I S R O L W L F D O F R U U H F W Q H V V
owned the estate. With the city expanding
it is unthinkable that an area could be , Q W K H F R X Q F L O G H F L G H G W R E X L O G D U R D G
and large council housing schemes being
called Dumbiedykes. It was named such / R W K L D Q 5 R D G O L Q N L Q J W K H * O D V J R Z 5 R D G
built the use of blanket names in these E H F D X V H D 0 U % U D L G Z R R G H V W D E O L V K H G D ) R X Q W D L Q E U L G J H W K H / L Q W R Q 5 R D G + R P H
D U H D V V X F K D V % U R R P K R X V H 6 L J K W K L O O school for deaf and dumb children, which 6 W U H H W D Q G W K H 4 X H H Q V I H U U \ 5 R D G . L Q J V
0 X L U K R X V H 1 R U W K À H O G H W F Z H U H X V H G was surrounded by a wall on which the Stables Road), as the Council did not pay
D Q G W K H O R F D O Q D P H V Z H U H R Y H U O R R N H G % \ children would sit. Certain names must not for its construction legend has it that it was
W K H V W K H Q H H G W R W D F N O H W K H S U R E O H P be used because of perceived connotations built as the result of a wager. It is said that
became obvious and this coupled with an example being Robertson Dykes which L Q D E R X W 6 L U - R K Q & O H U N R I 3 H Q L F X L N
the growing awareness of the social became Robertson Gait following on from took on a bet that in one day between
importance of keeping the local heritage that twisted logic it is now not unreasonable sunrise and sunset he could build a road
alive meant that in 1984 it became settled W R H [ S H F W * D \ À H O G 6 T X D U H W R E H U H Q D P H G twenty paces wide and nearly a mile in
policy that each street should have its as Gilmerton Dykes and Ravelston Dykes. length between the west end of the Lang
own name and blanket naming was to There is a policy in place that no living ' \ N H V 3 U L Q F H V 6 W U H H W D Q G 7 R O O F U R V V 7 K L V
be avoided. The street name should also person will have a street named after them was just after the Highland clearances,
K D Y H V R P H O R F D O V L J Q L À F D Q F H 2 Q H R I W K H until they have been dead for at least 10 and he organised hundreds of unemployed
problems with the blanket naming was years. No Christian names are to be used, + L J K O D Q G H U V L Q W R J D Q J V V R P H W R F X W G R Z Q
that 15 or 20 streets had the same name the exception being Sir Harry Lauder Road trees, some to bring earth and rubble to
only the second part being different, for and the reason is that whilst honouring À O O K R O H V V R P H W R G L J R X W U R F N V V R P H W R
example: Gardens, Terrace or Drive, but 3 R U W R E H O O R · V P R V W I D P R X V V R Q W K H U H Z D V demolish shed barns etc. He provided port,
through time many of these lost their already a Lauder Road. The numbering of whisky, bread and cheese, and as the sun
original meaning, i.e. Avenue a street houses in streets is also the responsibility of rose they set to work and before sunset
lined with trees, Terrace a row of houses W K H V W U H H W Q D P L Q J R I À F H D Q G W K H L U S R O L F \ L V Sir John was able to drive his horse and
overlooking a road, Row a line of houses that odd numbers will be on the left and the carriage over the new road.
lining a street, Crescent a curved street.
H Y H Q V R Q W K H U L J K W Z L W K F X O G H V D F · V E H L Q J
numbered consecutively. It is believed that & D U L F D W X U L V W - R K Q . D \ · V S R U W U D L W U H O D W H V W K H
The responsibility for selecting the names
W K H À U V W V W U H H W W R E H O D E H O O H G Z D V ( D U O * U H \ tale of a poor woman who had a cottage and
O L H V Z L W K W K H V W U H H W Q D P L Q J R I À F H Z K R V H
Street named after Lord Grey, champion of a cow in the area who rose early this day.
staff research old records and maps and
W K H 5 H I R U P % L O O % X L O W D V D Q H [ W H Q V L R Q 6 K H P L O N H G K H U F R Z O L W K H U À U H V P R N H G K H U
offer a selection of suggested names to the
to Lothian Road it was known as Wellington pipe and made some tea and put on a pot
local councillors and residents associations
Z K R Z L O O P D N H W K H À Q D O F K R L F H 7 K H V W U H H W
Q D P L Q J R I À F H U G R H V Q R W Q H H G W R K D Y H D Q \
I R U P D O T X D O L À F D W L R Q V L Q K L V W R U \ L W L V U D W K H U D
F D V H R I R Q W K H M R E W U D L Q L Q J ' L D Q H % U R X J K W R Q
who has worked for the council for over
\ H D U V À Y H R I Z K L F K D V D V W U H H W Q D P L Q J
R I À F H U V D \ V W K D W W K H M R E L V I D V F L Q D W L Q J D Q G
she is indebted to Stuart Harris for the help
given through the information contained in
K L V E R R N 6 W X D U W + D U U L V Z R U N H G L Q W K H R I À F H
for many years and was seen as the great
authority. On his retirement he wrote the
G H À Q L W L Y H E R R N R Q W K H V X E M H F W “The Place
1 D P H V R I ( G L Q E X U J K µ There are many
different reasons why streets are named,
some obvious; some obscure and some
tongue in cheek. The practise of naming
streets after Lord Provosts, Chesser,
Harrison, Hutchison, Forrest, Sleigh and
Stevenson are some examples, but this
ceased in 1945. There is no reason for
this and it may well be that none were
considered worthy. However, if a list is
F R P S L O H G W K H À U V W Q D P H V K R X O G V X U H O \ E H
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