Most street names have fairly obvious origins unlike the origins of a house name which tends to be more personal. Looking into the origins of a street name will often say something about the community itself. Although in the late 1950s the council was considering naming a new street after the famous American pop star of the time - thankfully naming it after Elvis Presley did not happen.
In and around the Lane Head area many of the streets are taken from the family name of Piggott, the most obvious being Piggott Street itself. But what about Frances Street, Frances was born in 1814 and in 1836 was married to Serjeant Piggott who later became Honourable Sir Gillory Piggott, one of the Barons of Queen Victoria's Court of Exchequer. This area of Lane Head was part of the Piggott estate which was eventually sold off towards the end of the nineteenth century. This image is Sir Gillory Piggott c1863.
Then there is Bond Street, it's a little to early to have any James Bond links. It is named after Doctor Frederick Fielding Bond who lived at 'Thorncliffe', Rastrick. But why should he in particular have a street named after him.
The answer is likely to be his fifteen years of involvement with the Brighouse Ambulance Brigade. He retired as the Corps Superintendent on November 30th 1916.
Names with watery links are probably the ones to watch for ie: River Street, Springfield Terrace or Canal Street they could spell damp problems. Parsonage Road, Churchfields Lane, Chapel Street all these have obvious connections. As do directional street names, West Street, East Street, North Parade, Central Avenue or South View.
Industrial names such as Mill Lane, Mill Royd Street, Gas House Lane, Brick and Tile Terrace but to name a few. Royalty is always a favourite and probably the easiest whether it be King Street, Victoria Avenue, Duke Street.
Here is Dr Frederick Fielding Bond sat on the front step at his home 'Thorncliffe', Thornhill Road, Rastrick c1910.
However, there are some streets that do need some thinking about and would take a bit of working out, such as, Prospect Place, this is at the bottom of John King Lane just around the corner from Ganny Road and would have been across the road from what was called the Dark Passage.
Prospect Place is just below the old site of Leach Photographic works and is named after Prospect House on the end. In the mid-nineteenth century this property was the home of Dr. William Lundy's Prospect Academy. John King Lane takes its name from the old Quaker John King who's house was at the bottom of Halifax Road. He died in 1854 and his house was soon demolished afterwards. Ganny Road probably derives from the field name although the property Ganny Cottage is quite old and the Dark Passage was the local name given by local people to the passageway into Vine Court in Elland Road.
Vine Court, the tall singular building at the top of this photo is the property on Elland Road which is still there today. All the other properties in this photo have been demolished during the late 1960s.
Do you know the origins of your street name? You might get a surprise once you know...