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.

Suburbs

8 pages in this part of Names and Their Meaning.

Suburbs

T that remote period when the first rude huts were established on the banks of the Thames, the surrounding scene could have presented…

Suburbs: Pimlico

Westminster was denominated after the Abbey [see WESTMINSTER ABBEY]. Belgravia is the name given to the fashionable district of which…

Suburbs: Fields

Spa Fields, now built over, owed their designation to a medicinal well, or Spa, discovered in 1206, and subsequently known as "The London…

Suburbs: Abney

Abney Park owes its name to ABNEY HOUSE, recently converted into a Conservative Club, but originally the residence of Sir Thomas Abney…

Suburbs: Highgate

John of Jerusalem, built in 1271. The establishment was called High-bury, because it stood upon higher ground than their previous residence…

Suburbs: Hampstead

In its wider sense, ham denotes a town. The western slope of Hampstead bears the name of Frognal, after Frognal Priory, an ambitious…

Suburbs: Watering

The name of Bayswater has undergone considerable change from the original. Not so very long ago the whole of this district was known as…

Suburbs: Ravensbourne

Rotherhithe is Saxon for red haven, alluding to the colour of the soil. The name of Deptford indicates the deep ford over the Ravensbourne…

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