Names: and Their Meaning

Why is it called Lloyd's? Why the Green Man? Leopold Wagner traced the origins of everything the Victorians had a name for — countries, tavern signs, flowers, wines, London streets, nicknames and battles — and found a story behind nearly all of them.

London Inns and Gardens

6 pages in this part of Names and Their Meaning.

London Inns and Gardens

I N our article on TAVERN SIGNS we confined ourselves to a general survey of the subject; we 1 now purpose to consider the significance of…

London Inns and Gardens: Castle

The sign of The Elephant and Castle, on the south side of the river, was adopted from the crest of the Cutlers' Company, into whose trade…

London Inns and Gardens: Posts

The Horse Shoe, Tottenham Court Road, came into existence as a sign from the large horse-shoes nailed up at the entrance of Messrs. Meux's…

London Inns and Gardens: Mother

The Mother Red Cap, Camden Town, perpetuates the memory of a notorious poisoner known as "Mother Damnable, the Consort of the Devil," who…

London Inns and Gardens: Conduit

The White Conduit Tavern, Islington, occupies the site of the famous old White Conduit House, a popular place of resort previous to its…

London Inns and Gardens: Sadler

Sadler's Wells marks the position of an ancient holy well whose waters were famous for working extraordinary cures. In the year 1683, after…

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