Saturday 21 August 2021

Their names live on.


I remember as a small boy, my father's good friend, a certain Mr Paul, having a road named after him in our Surrey village. I'm pretty sure it was called Paul's Mead. I was mightily impressed.


Of course many great men and women have roads, squares, or boulevards named after them.

We all know of Grosvenor Square, Boulevard Haussmann, and Columbus Avenue; famous landmarks named in memory of important people.

Even the back-streets of rural France are known to honour its more important citizens. Take the above for example, in my own tiny hamlet. Le Chemin de Roger. Not a grand PlaceBoulevard, or Avenue, but a simple Chemin dedicated to a local dignitary, so that he may not be forgotten.

We all need a Chemin named after us; however unimportant our lives may be. It says 'I WAS HERE'.

I wonder who that 'Roger' person was? Hmmmm.

 

20 comments:

  1. I wonder where Champs-Cro Magnon will be?

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  2. In the village where I lived as a child there was a field called "Dick Riddings". It had a slope that was perfect for sledging. I never met anyone who knew who Dick Riddings was.

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    1. I wonder if the Riddings started life as Ridings? As for Dick; I suppose he could have been anyone.

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  3. Is Chemin de Roger named after you? My father had a street named after him in the village where I was born and raised. It is still there within a modern housing development. We are all proud of that.

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    1. I can't divulge the person involved; he would be too embarrassed.

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  4. Round here there is an estate of houses built when the Labour Government was in power. T here were names like Aneurin Bevan Drive recently changed to something like Cherry Tree Avenue.

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    1. Choosing politicians' names could be tricky, I don't suppose someone in Yorkshire would want to live in Margaret Thatcher Drive, or someone in Surrey to live in Arthur Scargill Lane.

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  5. We found a Rixon Street in Sturminster Newton.
    Now thanks to Google maps I have found a lot more...for an uncommon name that gets me wondering!
    Have you done that for your surname?

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    1. I expect Rixon started life like Dixon, with two c's in the middle facing away from each other; making a sort of x. No, I haven't looked for my name, but a distant ancestor has plenty named after him.

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  6. I think Cheap Street must have been named in honour of my ancestors.

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    1. I was thinking much the same with Rotten Row and my family.

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  7. During the 70's and 80's it became common for local builders who were constructing new developments to name some of the streets after their wives, daughters, whatever. Consequently, we have a plethora of female themed roads such as: Linda Lane, Doris Drive, Patricia Place, Anne Marie Avenue, Wanda Way, Carol Court, etc. Kinda cute...in an annoying way. But there you have it. Years from now and after we're all long gone there will always be a Linda Lane named after some guys kid.

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    1. Poets were always popular in the UK, along with heroic characters and explorers. People connected with naval battles have their fair share too. I do think it's quite nice that a developer should immortalise little 'Beryl'.

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  8. Land developers and builders selling house lots often name roads after the original land owner or use their own name. It's a good business if you enjoy land development.

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    1. Better than choosing a film star, or singer.

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  9. NOT named after us, but there are streets in my state that bear the names of me and my children.

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    1. Don't be shy; claim them as having been named after you. Have your photos taken standing by the relevant signs, and use the pix as Christmas cards!

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