The Origins of London East End Street Names

The East End of London holds countless intriguing stories of its past, offering a fascinating glimpse into the area’s rich history. Some of the most captivating tales are hidden within the origins of the street names themselves. Let’s delve into a few lesser-known yet equally captivating street names that will provide you with a unique insight into the East End’s past.

Like all of London, the East End is rich in history. Despite modernisation and rebuilding initiatives over the years, you can still find older hidden gems in the area. This isn’t just about historic buildings, streets and scary small alleyways where Jack the Ripper probably walked.

Old Street Names of London
Old Street Names of London

Odd East End Street Names

The East End also retains some curious old street names with exciting stories that teach us something about the area.

Artillery Lane

Henry VIII set up an artillery ground in Spitalfields to allow local men to practice their longbow, crossbow and handgun skills. Although the ground moved in the 1650s, it is still remembered in many local street names, including Artillery Passage.

Brick Lane

Originally called Whitechapel Street, it changed to Brick Lane because it was a local centre for tile and brick manufacturers in the 15th century.

Cable Street

As you might expect, the primary industry in Limehouse’s Cable Street was cable, or rope, making. What is interesting about this street is that it runs straight for the length of an average ship’s cable. This allowed people to lay out the ropes as they made them.

Frying Pan Alley

Situated close to Middlesex Street and Petticoat Lane market, the quaintly named Frying Pan Alley indicates the businesses that used to operate on this street. Ironmongers and braziers used the frying pan as the emblem of their trade, and they would hang a pan outside their shop so people could see what their business was. Over time, the name stuck, even if the frying pans were long gone.

Goodmans Fields

Goodmans Fields in Stepney doesn’t describe the friendly nature of the locals, but it does indicate what happened in the area in the past. This street is named after a local farmer, Roland Goodman, who used to farm land here for a nunnery in Elizabethan times.

Houndsditch

Houndsditch runs through part of the East End. It is thought to be located alongside a ditch that the Romans built as part of their city defences. This ditch was filled in, but others were made on the site over the years—the first recorded reference to the road as Houndsditch was in the 13th century. The name likely came from the number of dead dogs thrown into the ditch, which was used as a bit of a rubbish tip. An excavation in the late 1980s did, indeed, unearth a fair few dog skeletons.

King Henry’s Stairs

Nobody is sure if Henry VII used these stairs, but they do have a connection. They lead down to King Henry’s wharf, and they were named after a cannon foundry that he set up in Wapping to make guns for his warships.

Kitcat Terrace

Unfortunately, Kitcat Terrace in Bow has nothing to do with the chocolate bar. The road was named after the Reverend Henry Kitcat, but its name still makes passers-by smile.

Mile End Road

Mile End Road is an ancient road linking London with the country’s East. It was first recorded formally in the 1200s as “La Mile Ende”. It means the small place a mile away, marking the distance from the City of London to Mile End on the way to Colchester.

Nanking Street

Before London’s Chinese population set up base in the current Chinatown, it was in Poplar. You can still see references to the Chinese community that settled here in street names like Nanking Street.

Petticoat Lane

Home to one of the East End’s best-known and most significant markets, Petticoat Lane is located in the Spitalfields area of the East End. Although this name still knows the market, the lane has been renamed Middlesex Street. It was renamed in Victorian times because prudish Londoners didn’t like that a street was named after women’s undergarments.

The street was probably initially called Petticoat Lane as it sold lace products and petticoats made by local Spitalfields weavers. Over time, the notoriety of the area came into play. People used to say that the street got its name from the fact that people would steal your petticoat at one end of the lane and then sell it back to you at the other.

Roman Road

Bethnal Green‘s Roman Road does relate to a road built by the Romans leading out of London to Colchester. This road got its name later, however, in Victorian times. Archaeologists discovered the original Roman road in the 1840s – this road runs parallel to it. This is one of the most significant ancient roads in British history, as it was the route used by Queen Boadicea on her way to take on the Romans in London.

Tenter Ground

Tenter Ground was originally an open space used by Huguenot weavers who moved into the Spitalfields area. They used the space to dry the cloths they made on frames called tenters, which had hooks to pull the fabric tightly so that it dried evenly, and without creasing. There may be no space left here, but the name remains in the street name. This process also gave us the well-known phrase “on tenterhooks”.

Unveiling East End’s Historic Charm: A Glimpse into Lesser-Known Street Names

These lesser-known street names offer a unique window into the East End’s intriguing past, revealing a wealth of history and the area’s distinctive character. As you wander the streets of the East End, take a moment to appreciate the stories behind each street name, allowing you to immerse yourself in the area’s rich and colourful heritage.

Wellclose Square

Located in Whitechapel, Wellclose Square is a reminder of the area’s once-thriving maritime community. Named after the large well in the square, it was known for providing fresh water to sailors and ships that docked nearby. The well, unfortunately, no longer exists, but its historical significance lives on in the street name.

Quaker Street

Quaker Street in Shoreditch is a testament to the area’s religious history. In the 17th century, it was home to a Quaker meeting house where members of the Society of Friends would gather for worship. The meeting house has since been demolished, but the street name serves as a reminder of the Quaker community that once resided here.

Cheshire Street

Known initially as Hare Street, Cheshire Street in Bethnal Green got its name from the Cheshire Cheese public house that once stood at the junction of Brick Lane and Cheshire Street. The pub served as a focal point for social gatherings and entertainment, and the street name commemorates its lasting impact on the local community.

Old Ford Road

Old Ford Road in Bow derives its name from an ancient crossing point on the River Lea, where the Romans constructed a ford to enable easier passage. This historical crossing helped develop the area, connecting London with settlements to the northeast. The name is a tribute to the area’s strategic significance in ancient times.

Swine’s Green

Located in Wapping, Swine’s Green is a street name with a rather unusual story. In the 16th century, it was common for pigs to be kept in the area, with the green serving as a location for swineherds to let their pigs graze. While the pigs may be long gone, their legacy lives on in this peculiar street name.

In conclusion, the fascinating stories behind London’s street names serve as a treasure trove of history and culture, making them an essential aspect of the city’s allure. By exploring the origins of these names, one gains an unparalleled understanding of London’s past, its people, and the industries that have shaped its identity. So, the next time you stroll through the city’s vibrant streets, take a moment to appreciate the rich heritage embedded in their names.

As you unravel the mysteries behind each name, you’ll immerse yourself in captivating tales, further enhancing your experience of the ever-evolving metropolis. Uncovering the history behind London’s street names deepens your connection to the city and makes for an unforgettable journey into the heart of its fascinating past.

56 thoughts on “The Origins of London East End Street Names”

  1. The cover of the book, East End Vernacular, of paintings of this area, published by Gentle Author, is entitled, ‘St James’ Street, Old Ford’ (1933). We live in the area, and can find no record of where this St James’s Street is, or was, located. Could it have been bombed in WW2? Where WOULD it have been?

    Reply
  2. Hello, I have done some research into my family tree and it says my ancestors lived at 12 St Margarets Street, South Hackney. I have had a look and I can not locate it. Do you have any information on this address please.

    Reply
    • Hello Jennie,
      Your Margaret Street is now called Collent Street and is near the then and present Valentine Road, with Well Street, which is still there running diagonally between them. In the Ordnance Survey maps published in 1873, Margaret Street had 24 dwellings the south side and 21 dwellings the north side.

      Brunswick Street is in the next street which is now Cresset Road, ran parallel to Margaret Street and Boreham Street run upwards from the centre of Margaret Street and across the middle of Brunswick Street into Arthur Street.

      Boreham Street name changed and combined with Arthur Street by the 1897 OS maps and the OS 1916 maps.
      Today Arthur Street ( Boreham St ) is also now named Collent Street (Margaret St).

      All the street names mentioned are surrounded triangular by the then and now Retreat Place, Mead Place and Well Street and are shown on todays maps.
      This information is from three 25inch Ordnance Survey Maps (no.X1X 1873) (no.XL1 1897) (1V 1916)

  3. Does anyone have any information or pictures of Periwinkle street. Was near London Street. Rose lane Ratcliffe cross street. My family lived there

    Reply
    • Hello Karen,
      In the Ordnance Survey map 1914 Periwinkle Street (RatcliffeWard) led under a bridge into Ratcliffe Square underneath the then named London and Blackwall Railway Line
      (now c2c and DLR lines).

      At the time of the OS 1875 maps the Ratcliffe Square and Periwinkle Street was a mixture of dwellings and small workshops. By the time of the OS 1914 map there is shown a Leather Factory and a Cinema in Ratcliffe Square, near to Commercial Road.

      At some time Periwinkle Street has been renamed Ratcliffe Cross Street. The entrance to Periwinkle St. was upwards off Brook St, ( now Cable St.) which merged with White Horse St. ( now Butcher Row ). The Ratcliffe Square was also accessed down off the Commercial Road, now it is all Ratcliffe Cross Street from Commercial Road to Cable Street.

      Rose Lane has been renamed at some time to Ratcliffe Lane which leads into Butcher Row ( the old White Horse Street ) and is about 250 yards from Ratcliffe Cross Street.

      It was probably WW2 bombing and destruction and 1960s regeneration of the area which led to name changes of the streets. There does not appear to be any old vintage photos of the area available.

  4. I lived in East London Eastman St Bethnal Green (just off Brady St) in the 50s. Went to Wilmot Girls Secondary School in Bethnal Green. Does anyone remember me? My teacher was Miss Roberts Headmistress was Mrs Jarvis. My name was Maureen Newton. My best friend was Brenda Hodges. She lived in a flat in Wilmot St.

    Reply

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